Coping After a Brain Injury
I’m Ed Smith, a Fairfield brain injury lawyer. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are both severe and much more common than many people realize. Data published by The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that around 2.8 million serious TBIs are reported across the U.S. annually. Additionally, CDC statistics show that TBI-related emergency department visits have increased by nearly 50 percent in recent years. Depending on how severe brain injuries are, changes in an injured person’s life may have to be made in order to cope. Knowing what sort of changes might need to be made as well as what kind of health issues might affect you is key to moving on after you’ve suffered a TBI.
Returning Home
Being able to come back home after a TBI can be a wonderful feeling but can also leave people nervous about whether or not they will be able to deal with routine tasks. For many people, dealing with a TBI is only a matter of getting enough rest. However, for those with more severe injuries, there can be issues with memory, mobility, and reasoning. Anxiety about these problems and confusion about how to handle them can make people feel unsafe. These are some steps you can take to make the returning home easier:
- Be patient. Dealing with a TBI takes time. Allowing yourself enough time to return to feeling normal is essential.
- Talk with your family about what steps can be made to help with your mobility. For some, this may mean installing ramps or other safety features in your home.
- Entering and exiting your bathtub or shower may be difficult. If so, see about installing a walk-in tub or putting seats and/or support rails in your bath. Some wheelchairs are explicitly designed to be used in the shower.
- Rehabilitation services for TBI patients are available. A rehab program may help you regain confidence, clarity, and mobility.
Possible Health Problems
Some health issues can affect TBI patients. Some of these symptoms will go away with time while others can be treated with medications. Modern TBI treatment deals with the injury as an evolving disease instead of just one event. Being aware of your own health helps the process of moving on. Common issues include:
- Depression
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Seizures
- Endocrine issues
- Tremors
- Difficulty with sleeping
Getting Legal Help
Many TBIs occur because of negligence. When this is the case, negligent parties can be held responsible for paying the injured individual(s) for costs related to their injury. Injured individuals can often claim money for things like lost wages, rehabilitation costs, emergency medical bills, and more. An experienced brain injury lawyer will be able to help you know what you are owed and advise you on how to proceed.
More by Ed Smith, Fairfield Brain Injury Lawyer
Fairfield Brain Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Fairfield brain injury lawyer. If a brain injury has affected your life or the life of someone you love, call me anytime to get friendly, free advice about your legal options. To call, use either (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400. I can also be contacted through my site, AutoAccident.com.
Fairfield residents with wrongful death and personal injury cases have trusted me to help them claim fair settlements for medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages since 1982.
I have been reviewed on these websites:
I’m in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. All trial lawyers of this group have settled or won cases with a value of more than $1,000,000 for clients.
See my Verdicts and Settlements.
To read the leading news and information about car accidents and personal injuries in Northern CA, see AutoAccident.com.
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