Nowadays, it’s not unusual to face huge medical bills for even a minor injury that is treated by a doctor. The high cost of healthcare is being addressed in different ways, but for many patients in Delaware, the costs are still extremely steep for all types of remedies from prescriptions to hospitalizations. For an accident victim who has suffered a traumatic brain injury, though, the costs of rehabilitation can be a financial injury in itself.
One of the aspects of brain injury rehabilitation is the fact that it is often multidimensional. Unlike a single broken bone, for instance, rehab for a brain injury often entails going to several different doctors and therapists for an indeterminate amount of time. Adding to the complexity is the fact that damage to the brain affects both the physical and mental state of an accident victim; usually both of these areas must be addressed in order for rehabilitation to be successful for survivors.
After their initial medical treatment, accident victims with brain injuries may need to see a wide variety of specialists. This can include a physiatrist, a doctor who typically is tasked with overseeing the whole process of rehabilitation, as well as physical therapists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, specialized rehab nurses and TBI nurses specialists.
In addition, a person undergoing brain injury rehab may also need a social worker or case manager to handle the many administrative details of their ongoing treatment. Additional team members might include a recreational specialist, a neuropsychologist or a vocational therapist to aid in retraining for a profession and finding suitable work.
For those whose brain damage has been caused by an accident due to another person’s negligent action or inaction, it may be possible to recover compensation for damages. This compensation can be used to tackle the immense costs associated with the recovery of this injury. For many head trauma suffers, a brain injury greatly alters his or her life. A personal injury claim could help offset the financial burdens caused by the accident.
Source: Mayo Clinic, “Traumatic Brain Injury: Treatments and Drugs,” accessed June 19, 2016
