Returning to Work After a Traumatic Brain Injury

Returning to Work After a Traumatic Brain Injury

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an insult to the neurological function of the central nervous system following a traumatic accident. There are many different types of TBIs, however, all of them are severe. Some statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding the prevalence of neurological injuries show that:

• A traumatic brain injury is implicated in close to a third of all fatalities that are related to traumatic accidents.
• Every day, more than 150 people in this country die because of a traumatic brain injury.
• Those who survive a TBI could have complications stemming from their injury that last for the rest of their life.

TBIs are a serious issue, and it can be a challenge to make a full recovery. With this in mind, a study published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation discussed returning to work after a TBI. The study sought to shine a light on the various factors that play a role in someone’s ability to return to work following a head or brain injury.

Mechanisms of a Traumatic Brain Injury

There are many different ways that an individual could suffer a traumatic brain injury. One of the most common mechanisms by which people sustain a head injury is motor vehicle accidents. Some of the ways that an individual could hurt their head in an accident include:

• Striking their head on the steering wheel or dashboard.
• An ejection injury on impact.
• Striking their head on the roof in a rollover accident.
• Colliding with the window or windshield.

This study analyzed individuals who have suffered a TBI in an auto accident. These individuals were assessed at the time of their injury, one month after their injury, six months post-injury, and 9-months post-injury. The goal was to see how quickly individuals returned to work after their injury. The researchers attempted to identify which factors played a role in predicting if and when individuals would return to work.

Factors in Returning to Work After a TBI

According to the statistics compiled by the researchers:

• Less than half of the individuals in the study were able to return to work.
• Just over 10 percent of individuals were able to return to the pre-injury functional baseline.
• The remaining individuals who did return to work required a modified workload.

Those who had a large amount of social interaction in their workplace, with the freedom to make their own decisions, and were discharged home from the hospital quickly were able to return to work sooner. On the other hand, those who had less latitude in their decision-making at work or required an extended hospital stay were less likely to return to work.

Watch YouTube Video: Treating Traumatic Brain Injuries. The video below explains how treatment depends on the type of injury a person sustains.

Contacting an Injury Attorney

A traumatic brain injury can quickly derail this sense of security, leaving families wondering what they are going to do next. This sense of uncertainty can create a stressful situation for not only the individual but also their loved ones. This is where meeting with a San Francisco traumatic brain injury lawyer can be helpful. Some of the ways that a compassionate injury attorney can provide assistance include:

• Reviewing the circumstances surrounding the accident, making sure that nothing has been overlooked.
• Ensuring that the fault in the accident has been appropriately assigned.
• Holding any negligent parties accountable for their actions (or inaction).
• Moving a case to trial, if needed.

Individuals should never feel like they need to face the recovery process following a TBI alone. Meet with a Bay Area traumatic brain injury lawyer today. You and your family might be deserving of a financial settlement.

Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers in San Francisco