If you were involved in a serious car crash, you could have any number of injuries to attend to. From broken bones to brain injuries, you could be dealing with devastating wounds that could affect you for many years to come.
As someone with a new brain injury, it's a good time to talk about how your injury may affect your personal injury case. Your brain injury may be different from anyone else's, which is why you should not take a settlement offer without discussing your case with your medical team and attorney. Settling too soon could end up leaving you without enough money to cover necessary medical care in the future, which is the last thing that should happen to you.
Brain injuries are costly. The lifetime costs for patients can range from $85,000 up to $3 million, according to an assistant professor at Feinberg. Why does that amount vary so much? It all comes down to how serious the initial injury was and which part of the brain was affected.
After a brain injury, someone who has headaches will be able to work more easily than someone who has suddenly lost their hearing or sight. Someone who had major changes in behavior as a result of the impact could struggle to adapt to their old way of life, while someone with a severe injury may struggle just to get dressed in the morning. It's impossible to put a single number on the cost of a brain injury, because every patient is different.
What are some of the expenses that should be considered when you make a claim for a brain injury?
When you make a claim, you should include expenses such as:
- Surgical costs
- Ongoing home health care costs
- Medications
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Home improvements to adjust for a new or worsened disability
- Speech therapy
- Medical devices or supports
You will also want to include lost wages in the past, present and future, as well as other factors that play a role in your life following the crash. Some people seek compensation for pain and suffering. Others seek it for a loss in the quality of their lives.
What you intend to seek compensation for may vary, but your attorney will be there to help you understand what you can ask for and how much money you may need to support yourself while you go through your recovery.