Your brain is your body’s most important organ, controlling everything from breathing to reaction times. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can affect every aspect of your life, leaving you with long-term or permanent disabilities. If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury, you might consider hiring a TBI caregiver or life care planner to help you create a plan to meet your everyday necessities.
Below, GJEL Accident Attorneys explain a TBI care plan and a life care planner to help you decide whether you need one after your traumatic brain injury. We also answer some questions that may arise when you are researching a life care plan. Generally, whether someone needs a life care plan depends on the severity of the brain injury and the injured person’s specific needs.
In many cases, a life care planner is most helpful when the injury is severe, permanent, or likely to require long-term support, because the plan can map out future medical, financial, and personal care needs in one place.
If you or a loved one suffered a brain injury because of someone else’s acts, contact our team at GJEL Accident Attorneys today, and consider speaking with a brain damage lawyer who can help protect your rights and guide you through your claim. The responsible party may be liable for the damages you incur from the brain injury, including lost wages from missing work and the costs of hiring an in-home medical care professional. GJEL prides itself on helping clients with their legal cases and also helping to coordinate aspects of their care so they can focus on their recovery. Contact our team today to discuss your case.
How Common Are Traumatic Brain Injuries?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were approximately 223,135 TBI-related hospitalizations in 2019. In 2020, there were about 64,362 TBI-related deaths. Men are nearly twice as likely as women to be hospitalized and more than three times as likely to die from TBI-related injuries.
TBIs are more common for seniors. According to the CDC, People over 75 accounted for the highest percentage of TBI-related injuries or death, with 32% of TBI-related hospitalizations and 28% of TBI-related deaths in this age category.
How Do Brain Injuries Happen?
A traumatic brain injury occurs when a sudden blow or jolt causes damage to a person’s brain. This can happen when the head suddenly and violently strikes an object or when an object pierces through the skull and enters the brain tissue.
The most common causes of brain injuries differ depending on the age of those injured. For example, among Americans aged 75 or older, falls are a leading cause of TBI-related hospitalizations. Other common causes of brain injuries across age groups include:
- Gunshot wounds,
- Vehicular accidents,
- Motorcycle accidents,
- Slip-and-fall accidents,
- Physical assaults, and
- Sports and recreational activities.
While medical conditions cause some brain injuries, others are caused by external incidents such as falls or car accidents.
What Is a TBI Care Plan?
A TBI life care plan is a document issued by a physician that lays out a strategy for your future care and includes the estimated costs of that care. A TBI life care plan is useful in a personal injury case to demonstrate the extent of your current and future medical expenses. A TBI care plan may include cost projections for things like:
- Future medical treatments,
- Psychological care,
- Therapy and rehabilitation,
- Medical equipment,
- In-home care,
- Long or short-term inpatient care,
- Loss of future earning capacity,
- Lost wages,
- Modifications to your vehicle, and
- Modifications to your home.
Depending on the injury, a thorough plan may also account for ongoing visits with specialists such as neurologists or physiatrists, medications, diagnostic testing, speech therapy, occupational therapy, cognitive rehabilitation, transportation needs, and assistive devices such as wheelchairs or other mobility equipment.
Home and vehicle modifications can be highly specific after a serious brain injury. For example, a plan might include ramps, widened doorways, bathroom safety changes, or other accessibility upgrades that help the injured person function more safely at home and in the community.
In some cases, a life care plan may also address vocational or educational support, such as help returning to work, job retraining, or accommodations for school or other learning needs.
The brain injury care plan should paint a complete picture of your TBI and the projected costs of treating and caring for your injury for as long as necessary. It can also help families prepare for likely complications, changing care needs, and the practical demands of daily life instead of making decisions one crisis at a time.
Are There Any Symptoms of TBI That Indicate I Need a Life Care Plan?
Injuries to your brain can affect many aspects of everyday life. Symptoms of brain injuries include:
- Nausea,
- Dizziness,
- Confusion,
- Inability to balance,
- Slurred speech,
- Loss of consciousness,
- Inability to wake up after falling asleep,
- Weakness or numbness in fingers and toes,
- Pupil dilation,
- Clear fluids draining from the nose or ears,
- Persistent headache or headache that worsens,
- Convulsions or seizures,
- Profound confusion, and
- Personality changes.
You may need a life care plan if you have a traumatic brain injury and experience symptoms that alter or impair your life, like those listed above. If you are uncertain, speak with your doctor or an injury attorney. A life care plan may be especially important when your symptoms affect your ability to work, live independently, communicate clearly, manage appointments or medication, or safely perform normal daily tasks.
If you see signs of a traumatic brain injury, contact medical help immediately. Some symptoms may present immediately, while others might develop or worsen over time. Only a doctor can help you diagnose and treat your condition.
What Is a Life Care Planner Expert?
A certified life care planner (CLCP) is an expert who creates TBI care plans and other life care plans. A life care planner typically has extensive experience in the medical profession. Life care planners can also receive a life care planning certification from the International Commission on Health Care Certification (ICHCC). Many life care planners come from backgrounds such as nursing, rehabilitation, case management, or social work, which can give them practical insight into how a brain injury affects long-term recovery. When looking for the right professional, families may also ask whether the planner has brain injury-specific experience or credentials such as Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) training.
A life care planner will consult several sources to craft your brain injury care plan. These sources include:
- Patient interviews,
- Medical records,
- Physician interviews,
- Background information,
- Medical research, and
- Other medical professionals.
In many cases, the planner also reviews the injured person’s current condition, expected recovery path, long-term limitations, and the risk of future complications so the final plan is as realistic and complete as possible.
From there, they construct a plan to meet your healthcare needs. Injury attorneys like at GJEL can help connect you with a life care planner to assist with your TBI care plan. A life care planner may also help coordinate care by identifying appropriate doctors, therapists, home health providers, and support services for the injured person and their family. In a legal claim, the planner may serve as an expert witness who explains projected future care costs and why those costs are medically necessary.
Does Everyone with a TBI Need Brain Injury Home Care?
The medical needs of a person with a TBI depend on the severity of their injury. If the TBI leaves them totally unable to care for themselves, they will likely need around-the-clock care to meet their needs. However, someone with a minor brain injury may be able to function normally during day-to-day life but experience memory loss. In that scenario, they may not need in-home care.
In some scenarios, an individual with a brain injury may need home care only if their injury worsens. According to the CDC, approximately 30% of individuals with brain injuries reported that their brain injury worsened after five years. Your life care planner will consider this when they create your care plan. Even when full-time home care is not necessary right away, a life care plan can still be useful because it helps families prepare for future changes instead of reacting after new problems arise. It can also reduce stress on family caregivers by clarifying what type of support may be needed, when it may be needed, and what those services are likely to cost.
How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help Me After a Traumatic Brain Injury?
If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury, you should immediately speak with a personal injury attorney, like those at GJEL Accident Attorneys. While a traumatic brain injury settlement or lawsuit cannot make your injury disappear, the funds can help you handle the financial ramifications of your accident. Our lawyers can help you with the following:
- Connect with a certified life care planner,
- Collect information about the value of your claim,
- Create a strategy to bolster the opposing party’s fault, and
- Help you find qualified home healthcare specialists.
In many brain injury cases, it is helpful to involve a life care planner early in the recovery or litigation process so important future needs are not overlooked. Early planning can make it easier to document treatment needs, supportive services, and long-term expenses before settlement discussions begin.
Our attorneys go above and beyond for our clients, helping them coordinate their legal claims and care. Our award-winning attorneys will fight for your rights to compensation so that you can focus on your recovery. Please call 866-249-2142 or message us to schedule your free initial consultation.
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