Recovering From a Traumatic Brain Injury - Chicago Attorney

Traumatic brain injuries require immediate attention and proper diagnosis. Often, after an accident, the emergency room addresses the obviously visible injuries. Unless the accident victim suffers a visible head injury, Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI’s) often get neglected. According to statistics, about 55,000 people get hospitalized due to TBI’s. About 15 percent of these individuals end up with some form of long term disability. In this post, our Chicago traumatic brain injury lawyer Willens will discuss rehabilitation after a TBI.

Neurologist or Neuropsychologist?

At times, symptoms of traumatic brain injuries are not apparent until long after the patient is discharged from the hospital. While neurologists can scan reports for brain injuries and diagnose brain injuries, they are however not qualified to identify injuries caused in the accident that develop over time affecting the cognitive, physical, and behavioral functions of the patient.

In such cases of TBI’s, a neuropsychologist is a more qualified person to diagnose and treat. Neuropsychologists delve into the past of the patient while making their case, interview close family and friends and then conduct a number of examinations and tests that fall under the gamut of a Neuropsych Exam.

A medical professional can help you determine the best course of treatment.

Rehabilitation after diagnosis of TBI

The neuropsychologist will chart out the rehabilitation program only after he comprehends the course and the progression of the symptoms caused by the TBI. In this case, your attorney can help draft a comprehensive documentation of the symptoms – their nature and the extent – by conducting discussions with the patient and close relatives or a spouse.

Since it could be possible that the patients consults the neuropsychologist months or even years later, this documentation enables the neuropsychologist to assess the baseline condition of the patient at the time of the accident. The neuropsychologist will then determine whether the injury has resulted in cognitive, physical or behavioral impairments.

Cognitive impairments include memory loss, loss of attention, concentration, communication or comprehension issues. Physical impairments include difficulty with speech, disability caused in the functioning of limbs, torso, loss of sense of smell, taste, hearing etc. Behavioral impairments refer to aggression, distractibility, impulsiveness, irritability, inability to relax, etc.

While all brain injuries require proper diagnosis, every personal injury is different. Some injuries heal faster while some take quite a bit of time. Some injury symptoms may never completely heal. Rehabilitation after a brain injury is often ongoing and expensive. TBI rehabilitation often requires a multi-disciplinary approach and will include a number of therapies like speech therapy, physical therapy, psychiatrists, and different specialists for physical medicine and rehabilitation, nurses, social services and case managers.

Recovering Compensation for a TBI

If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of someone else’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation to cover your treatment and rehabilitation. An experienced Chicago personal injury attorney at Willens Law Offices can evaluate your claim for free and help you determine what compensation you are entitled to. Call (312) 957-4166 for a free consultation.