Coping With Life After a Brain Injury
I’m Ed Smith, a Stockton brain injury lawyer. Traumatic brain injuries happen more than you might realize. The majority of those with brain injury (80 percent) return home after being treated. Depending on the severity of the injury, some changes in day-to-day life are inevitable. Let’s take a look at what you can expect after a brain injury.
Coming Home
Being able to return home after suffering a brain injury is wonderful and possibly frightening. In short, depending on the severity of the injury, things are different. For many, it’s just a matter of resting. For others, there are problems with mobility, memory and reasoning. Confusion and anxiety may disrupt one’s sense of safety. There are ways to make life easier:
- Don’t expect everything to be back to normal on day one. Give it time.
- Join your family in deciding what can be done to make it easier to get around the house. Putting in a ramp may help those with mobility problems.
- Getting in and out of the tub may be difficult. If no shower is available, check to see what a walk-in tub or shower installation will cost. Some wheelchairs are designed for using in the shower.
- Getting around the house may be difficult for those in a wheelchair or with balance problems. Placing grab bars in strategic places may help. Widening doorways can help too.
- Rehabilitation services are available for those with brain injuries. Rehab is becoming a firm part of recovery for TBIs.
Health Issues After a Brain Injury
There are a number of health issues that may result from a brain injury. Some resolve with time and others respond to medication. Today brain injury is treated more as an evolving disease rather than a single event. Being cognizant of health issues, helps in moving on. Some common problems are:
- Headache
- Seizures
- Fatigue
- Endocrine problems
- Tremor
- Depression
- Difficulty sleeping
Social Interaction
A brain injury can make the individual feel alienated, resulting in a strain on social relationships. This is different for each person, but at its core, dealing with the way one interacts with others makes it less taxing. Sitting down with immediate family members and discussing the situation is a good first step. Being honest helps. The changes in roles within the family require that both the individual who suffered the head injury and the other members work out a doable plan. Becoming comfortable with change is often difficult for a brain injury survivor, so make adjustments gradually if necessary.
Employment
Here again, returning to work depends on the nature of the traumatic brain injury. If doing one’s former job is not possible, vocational training is available. Conversely, going back to work may require adaptations. Discussing alternative measures with an employer such as reducing the work week or beginning later is a good starting point. Being allowed to take more frequent or longer breaks or having a lighter workload allows for a gradual immersion into work after an injury.
Financial Help
Wheelchairs, walk-in tubs and other physical and work-related adjustments may be more expensive than the family can afford and cause economic difficulties. From vocational resources to obtaining a wheelchair, help is available. Some organizations such as The Mobility Resource provide a list of ways to get help.
Talking to a Brain Injury Lawyer
Many head injuries happen because of negligence by another. Whether it is a vehicular accident or a slip or fall, a person injured by this negligence will experience financial damages associated with the injury. In such cases, a brain injury attorney can file a lawsuit to recover damages and allow the individual and his or her family to move forward.
Stockton Brain Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Stockton brain injury lawyer. When you or a member of your family has suffered a brain injury, it is important to obtain the legal help you need. Call me anytime at (209) 227-1931 in and around Stockton or (800) 404-5400 toll-free. I’ll give you friendly advice that is free of charge. You can get in touch online by using my contact form.
I’ve helped Stockton residents since 1982 as an injury lawyer with wrongful deaths, car and truck accidents and traumatic injuries.
When you retain an attorney, you want to learn what other clients think of him or her. Go to my Google, Avvo and Yelp pages for reviews and comments.
Look at milliondollaradvocates.com. This is the website of a group of lawyers who have won $1 million verdicts or settlements. I was inducted as a California member.
I established this website, AutoAccident.com, to provide residents of Northern California with a resource on personal injury law.
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