According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “an estimated 1.7 million people sustain a TBI (traumatic brain injury) annually.” Per the CDC’s most recent statistics, 52,000 of these die from brain injury, while 275,000 are hospitalized and the other 1.365 million are treated and discharged from an emergency medical facility, such as an emergency room. Regardless of whether you have been hospitalized, treated and discharged from an emergency facility, or your loved one has died as a result of serious injury, you could incur a variety of direct and indirect costs.
Direct, Initial Costs
When a brain injury occurs, tens of thousands of dollars in initial expenses are typically incurred. Medical expenses incurred in the initial days and weeks following a brain injury typically include but are not limited to the following:
- Ambulance ride to the hospital
- Pain medication and anesthesia
- Surgery and other medical procedures
- Hospital stays (these are often extended in cases of serious brain injury)
- Long-term or short-term rehabilitation
The CDC estimates that the total cost of acute care and rehabilitation for brain injuries in the United States is between $9 billion and $10 billion annually.
Indirect Costs
Families are heavily affected by brain injuries, particularly when the person injured is a primary provider and working individual. Aside from the financial cost of treating and caring for a person with a brain injury, surviving family members and dependents may experience a number of serious side effects. These most often take the form of:
- Strain on family caregivers
- Emotional pain and suffering
- Lost wages and work time
- Loss of employment and employability
- Diminished inheritance
Lifetime Cost
While initial wounds may heal and both the injured and their families learn to live with an altered routine, a brain injury can have lifelong effects, including:
- Long-term health issues
- Extended rehabilitation and continued therapy
- Assistive devices
- Medication and treatments
- Paid caregivers
- Counseling and psychological/emotional support
If you or a close loved one has suffered from a traumatic brain injury, you may be on the hook for a lifetime of personal and financial consequences. If you feel the brain injury occurred as a result of another’s negligence, recklessness, or failure to act in an appropriate manner, you may be eligible to receive compensation for damages. Don’t wait until the brain injury produces a crushing personal or financial burden—call the experienced Albuquerque personal injury lawyers at Michael J. Doyle, Attorney At Law immediately. Our dedicated team is committed to serving members of our community who are suffering and in need of legal assistance.
Call us at (505) 219-2176 or schedule your free consultation with us today.