Supporting a Loved One with a Brain Injury from a Car Accident
OMAHA, Nebraska. According to the Centers for Disease Control, car accidents are the third leading cause of traumatic brain injuries. Traumatic brain injury is estimated to contribute to 30% of all injury-related deaths. If your loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident, you may have many questions and may be wondering how you can best support your loved one.
The aftermath of a traumatic brain injury can be confusing, stressful, and challenging. Victims may face weeks to months of recovery, may face high medical expenses, and may have to miss time from work due to their injuries. If your loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury in a crash, it is important to seek proper medical attention, to make a car insurance claim, and, if your loved one’s injury was particularly serious, you may want to consider speaking to a qualified Omaha, Nebraska personal injury lawyer like Rensch & Rensch Law. Our firm can review your damages, review your insurance policy, speak to insurance adjusters, and fight negligent parties to help you seek the compensation you may deserve to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages.
It is important to seek appropriate professional help after a loved one suffers a traumatic brain injury. It is also important to understand the new challenges your loved one may be facing as a result of his or her injury. Even if your loved one is diagnosed with a concussion, or a mild traumatic brain injury, he or she can experience confusion, memory loss, changes of personality, and other difficulties. Even a mild head injury can be devastating. Individuals with traumatic brain injury might experience more severe confusion, memory loss, and they may have difficulty completing normal life tasks. Their moods and personalities may change.
According to the Guardian, as many as 3.8 million people may suffer concussions in a given year. Not every person who experiences a concussion seeks medical care for it. While most people believe that you need to hit your head in order to have a concussion, the Guardian reports that individuals suffering from whiplash could also experience concussions. If the brain is jostled inside the skull with sufficient force, a concussion can occur.
One of the first symptoms of a concussion is loss of balance. If you have been in an accident and notice changes in your balance, you may want to seek immediate medical attention for yourself or for an affected loved one.
So, how can you care for a loved one with traumatic brain injury? Be patient and understand that healing from brain injuries takes time. Understand your loved one’s diagnosis so that you can set reasonable expectations regarding the recovery process. Finally, make sure to practice self-care for yourself. If you were also injured in the accident, or if you are taking time from work to care for your loved one, it is important to ensure your own mental and physical well-being.
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help. The personal injury lawyers at Rensch & Rensch Law in Omaha, Nebraska may be able to assist you and your loved one if you’ve been hurt due to the negligence of another person or party.