The High Cost of TBI Treatment - Stewart J. Guss, Attorney At Law

om the

dy to the

kpl

ce, he

d inju

ies c

n h

ppen

e. If you

e in

ccident

nd suffe

blo

to the he

d, <

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.comh

t-is-

-bin-inju

y/”>you m

y h

tum

tic b

in inju

y<> (TBI). Du

ing you

ecove

y, you

ill quickly le

n th

t t

tment fo

TBI is expensive. This t

tment could l

st months, potenti

lly even ye

nd cost you thous

nds of doll

long the y. Ho

n you cope

ith

tum

tic b

in inju

nd ho

n you get the help you need to p

y foel

ted medic

l expenses?

Unde
st
nding the Seve
ity of TBI

Depending on the seve

ity of the TBI, initi

l t

tment could be limited due to the limit

tions pl

ced on

victim’s

bility to p

ticip

te. Nely<

ef="https:

/ne

s.no

este

n.edu/sto

ies

2015/12/opinion-next-

venue-bin-inju

y/#:~:text=Complic

ting%20m

tte

s%20is%20the%20high,f

om%20%2485%2C000%20to%20%243%20million.”

el="nofollo

“> t

o million people

cqui

e TBIs

nnu

lly<>. This is

tht

king numbe

of victims, yet the<

ef=”https://

.cdc.gov

ticbininju

y/get_the_f

cts.html"> Cente

s fo

Dise

se Cont

ol<> (CDC) estim

te the numbe

to be much highe

—

t nely th

ee million

nnu

lly.

hile m

ny victims suffe

TBIs f

om spo

ts inju

ies o

ccidents, one of the most common c

uses of TBI is f

lls. F

lls

ccount fo

nely one-h

lf of

ll TBIs. Most commonly, these f

lls occu

in child

nd oldedults. This c

n complic

te the costs

ssoci

ted

ith TBI bec

use if

child suffe

ious TBI, they m

y need lifelong c

hich could cost millions of dolls. Oldedults m

dy be f

cing p

eexisting conditions o

difficulties living

ith the imp

ct of

ging. These c

n complic

te thei

tment,

esulting in highe

costs, ne

limit

tions,

nd loss of independence.

T
o Types of B

in Inju
y
nd Seve
ity Levels<
h2>
The t
o <
h
ef="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.comh
t-

e-common-b

in-inju
ies
“>types of b

in inju
y<> e p
im

y
nd secondy. P
im

y inju
ies e those
hich

e evident in the immedi
te
fte
m
th of t

um
such
s
c
ccident, f
ll, o gunshot o
st
b
ound. Second

y inju
ies e those
hich

e c
used by the p
im

y inju
y
nd m
y not sho
up fo
d
ys,
eeks, o
even months follo
ing the tum
.

P
imy inju
ies m
y include:

-level=”1″><
h
ef=”https://
.m
yoclinic.o
g
dise
ses-conditions
int

c

ni
l-hem
tom

symptoms-c
uses
syc-20356145#:~:text=
n%20intcni
l%20hem
tom
%20is%20
,skull%2C%20p
essing%20on%20the%20b

in.”
el="nofollo
“>Int

c

ni
l hem
tom
s<> - These bin bleeds e c
used by the t

um
of
TBI. Victims m
y feel diso
iented
nd c
nnot <
h
ef=”https://c

inju
yvictims.com
common-symptoms-of-b

in-inju
y-in-
dults/”>p
ope
ly identify thei
symptoms<>, end
nge
ing them fu
the
.<
li>

i
-level="1">Skull Fctu
es –
skull fctu
e is
ny cck to the cnium
hich
esults in
displ
cement of the skull bone.<
li>

i
-level="1">Concussions - It is often e
sy to dismiss the possibility of
concussion bec
use people feel concussions

e
mino
issue. Ho
eve
, concussions

e<
h
ef=”https://
.cdc.gov
he
dsup
b
sics
concussion_
h
tis.html”
el="nofollo
“> the most p
ev
lent b

in inju
ies<>
nd should be t
ken ve
y se
iously.
hethe

victim h
s suffe
ed
blo
to the he
d bec
use of
spo
ting inju
y,
f
lling object, o
tumbling f
om
moto
cycle, the possible
esulting concussion c
n le
d to se
ious issues l
te
.<
li>

i
-level="1">Contusions - Contusions m
y le
d to blood clots.
s such, TBI victims should be monito
ed cefully.<
li>

i
-level="1"><
h
ef="https:
/
.hopkinsmedicine.o
g/he
lth
conditions-
nd-dise
ses/t

um
tic-bin-inju
y#:~:text=
h
t%20is%20diffuse%20
xon
l%20inju
y,diffe
ent%20p

ts%20of%20the%20b

in.”
el="nofollo
“>Diffuse
xon
l inju
y (D
I) > -
hen
victim suffe
s she

ing ne
ve d
m
ge f
om the b

in being tossed

ound in the skull, they could end up in
com
.

<
h
ef=”https://
.binline.o
g/

ticle/types-t

um
tic-bin-inju
y”
el="nofollo
“>Second

y b

in inju
ies<> m
y include:

i
-level="1">S
elling of the b

in – This condition is cl
ssified
s ve
y se
ious bec
use building p
essu
e in the cnium c
n c
use
l
ck of oxygen to the bin. Victims could suffe
long-te
m bin d
m
ge bec
use of this edem
.<
li>

i
-level="1">Hypo
hype
tension - High
nd lo
blood p
essu
e often occu
s follo
ing
TBI. Victims m
y
equi
e hospit
liz
tion to help m
int
in p
ope
blood p
essu
e,
s blood p
essu
e f
lling too lo
o
climbing too high poses cdio-v
scul
isks.<
li>

i
-level="1">Meningitis - Infl
mm
tion
nd infection

e possible follo
ing
TBI. Victims m
y
lso suffe
life-th
e
tening
bscesses of the b

in.

i
-level="1">Epilepsy - Unfo
tun
tely, suffe
ing
TBI often le
ds to ch
onic<
h
ef="https:
/msktc.o
g
tbi/f
ctsheets
seizu
es-
fte
-tum
tic-b

in-inju
y"
el=”nofollo
"> seizu
e diso
de
s > like epilepsy. Victims often
equi
e medic
tion to keep seizu
es unde
cont
ol.<
li>

These

e not the only types of p
imy o
second

y inju
ies th
t
victim m
y suffe
, but they do give you
n ide
of the ch
llenges
TBI c
n p
esent. P
ompt medic
l t
e
tment is
l

ys
dvised fony he
d inju
y. Bette
s
fe th
n so

y!

The High Cost of
ecove
y Follo
ing
TBI

The doll

mount of

ecove

y is difficult to pinpoint bec

use much of the costs

ssoci

ted

ith TBI t

tment depends on ho

ious the d

ge is to the victim. Coping

ith

TBI t

kes

toll on the emotion

ellbeing of the victim

nd thei

loved ones,

ell. Some of the potenti

l st

tes

victim m

y be in include:

-level=”1″>Com
-
victim in
comill be hospit
lized
ith
ound-the-clock nu
sing ce. Monito
ing equipment is used to identify ch
nges in the victim’s condition. The victim c
nnot communic
te
ith nu
sing st
ff o
visito
s.
i
-level="1">Veget
tive st
te - Victims in this st
te m
y expe
ience pe
iods
he
e they
ppe

to be
ke but e still lgely un
esponsive.
lthough they m
y open thei
eyes oppe to be sttled by noises, in this st
te the victims’ movements
nd sounds e lgely involunty.<
li>
i
-level="1">Minim
lly conscious st
te -
t this st
ge of
ecove
y, victims might
e
ct to sounds,
espond to questions,
nd h
ve some
bility to sho
emotion. In this st
te,
victim m
y
ppe

to be ve
y confused
nd thei

esponses to the s
me questions m
y diffe
e
ch time they

e
sked.<
li>

Victims of seve

e TBIs m

in in

ny one of these st

tes fo

eeks

time. In ne

ll c

ses, they

ill be hospit

lized

nd hooked up to monito

ing equipment.<

ef=”https://

.cdc.gov

nchs/d

/nhs

nhs

097.pdf"

el=”nofollo

"> <> <

ef="https:

.cdc.gov

nchs/d

/nhs

nhs

097.pdf"

el=”nofollo

ge hospit

l st

ys fo

TBI<> vy. Ho

eve

, the

ge intensive c

e unit p

tient

ith TBI st

ys just ove

seven d

ys,

hile othe

s m

y st

s little

s th

ee d

ys if thei

inju

ies e not

s se

ious. Hospit

liz

tion is only one

spect of

ecove

y fo

victims of TBI. Once dischged,

ddition

l medic

l costs m

y include:

-level=”1″>Follo
-up ce - Typic
lly
TBI victim
ill m
ke
t le
st th
ee follo
-up visits follo
ing hospit
l dischge.<
li>
i
-level="1">Thepeutic visits - One in th
ee p
tients
ho suffe
f
om TBIs
ill need
speech the

pist, physic
l thepist,
nd/o

n occup
tion
l the

pist
s they
e
cclim
te.
i
-level="1">Speci
lized test visits – P
tients m
y
equi
e CT sc
ns, M
Is,
nd
o
othe
diology-b
sed tests follo
ing disch

ge.

Keep in mind, these p

ts of follo

-up ce do not include

ll the othe

costs th

mily m

y h

ve to be

follo

ing

TBI. Victims m

y need p

esc

iption medic

tion fo

in m

gement, fo

help sleeping, fo

tment of dep

ession,

nd fo

tment of potenti

l infections.

Eve

y p

tient

ill f

ce thei

n unique ch

llenges on thei

th to

ecove

y, so it’s difficult to estim

te tot

l costs. Othe

costs not mentioned

bove m

y include in-home nu

sing ce, speci

lized in-home equipment such

heelch

lke

s, etc. If they e un

ble to climb st

s, some f

milies m

y h

ve to outfit

st-floo

bed

oom in the home

hen the victim is

ele

sed f

om the hospit

l. In othe

ses, the home m

equi

e othe

speci

lized

enov

tion to

ccommod

te the victim’s needs. The<

ef="https:

/ne

s.no

este

n.edu/sto

ies

2015/12/opinion-next-

venue-bin-inju

y/”

el="nofollo

“> cost of medic

l ce

lone > s once estim

ted to

nge

e f

om $85,000 to $3 million fo

eve

y p

tient. One c

n only im

gine th

t tod

y, those costs e much highe

Othe
Economic Costs
ssoci
ted
ith TBI

The

vege length of

ecove

y f

om TBI is t

o yes. Du

ing this time, victims c

nnot

etu

n to

k. In some c

ses, the victim m

k p

t-time, but the

e is no gu

ntee.

ing the time of dec

sed employment, o

no employment

ll, the f

mily must contend

ith the follo

ing:

-level=”1″>
eductions in t
ke-home p
y -
hethe
you
comp
ny offe
s
sho
t-te
m o
long-te
m dis
bility pl
n, it
ill likely not compens
te you fo
the full
mount of you
no
m
l

ges. In most c
ses, dis
bility p
yments
ill be 80% of you
usu
l s
ly excluding bonuses,
nd ove
time p
y. P
oduction bonuses
nd ove
time bonuses
ill
lso be lost du
ing this time.
i
-level="1">
eductions in benefits – You m
y be losing
ddition
l benefits if you c
nnot
o
k. In m
ny c
ses, employe
s offe
m
tching funds fo
401(k) pl
ns. They m
y
lso offe pension pl
n. TBI victims
ho c
nnot
esume
no
m
l
o
k schedule could lose out on these benefits.
i
-level="1">Loss of time off - Victims of TBI
ho c
nnot
ctively p

ticip
te in
o
k-
el
ted
ctivities m
y be fo
ced to use sick d
ys, v
c
tion d
ys,
nd pe
son
l d
ys befo
e they c
n collect dis
bility p
yments to simply st
y
flo
t. This me
ns thei

ccumul
ted time off
ill be neg
tively imp
cted
hile they
ecove
.<
li>
i
-level="1">F
inge benefits lost – Victims often lose
ccess to some f
inge benefits including

eduction in cell phone costs, comp
ny vehicle use,
nd othe
possible pe
ks
ssoci
ted
ith employment. These benefits
lone could be costing victims thous
nds of dolls e
ch qu

te
they e fo
ced to
em
in out of
o
k.

Insu

nce Comp
nies
nd TBI Victim Compens
tion<
h2>
Keep in mind, even
hen
victim h
s
ccess to the best possible li
bility covege, it m
y not come close to meeting the fin
nci
l needs of
TBI victim. This is
hy it is impo
t
nt to
o
k closely
ith the p
tient’s medic
l te
m to ev
lu
te the long-te
m p
ognosis
nd potenti
l follo
-up ce the victim
equi
es. Insunce comp
nies
l
e
dy h
ve
vested inte
est in minimizing the settlements they p
y to victims. Fo
TBI victims, this c
n be dev
st
ting. This is
hy it is c
itic
l to
o
k
ith
n expe
ienced <
h
ef="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.com
se
vices
houston-t

um
tic-bin-inju
y-tbi-
tto
ney/”>t

um
tic bin inju
y l

ye
<> eve
y step of the

y.
n
tto
ney
ho h
s the time to help, the expe
ience to succeed,
nd the in-depth kno
ledge of
h
t
TBI victim is f
cing c
n ensu
e you
f
mily does not suffe
. Don’t endu
e the economic p
in of de
ling
ith
TBI if it

s c
used by someone’s negligence. Hold them
ccount
ble,
nd get
h
t you
ightfully dese
ve.
hethe
the TBI occu

ed in
c
ccident,
slip
nd f
ll
ccident, o

n
ccident on the job, you
f
mily should not h
ve to suffe
the fin
nci
l dev
st
tion
hich c
n
esult f
om being t
e
ted fo
TBI.

Even in the best c
se scenio,
n insu

nce
djuste
is going to
ttempt to pti
lly bl
me
victim fo

n inju
y they suffe
in
n
ccident.
hen you suffe b
oken bone
nd d
m
ge to you
c

, you
ill h
ve f

mo
e flexibility in
ccepting
settlement ve
sus if you

e f
cing months—possibly
lifetime—of
ecove
y f
om
TBI. You need someone
ho
ill
o
k ti
elessly to ensu
e you
nd you
f
mily e not
uined fin
nci
lly just bec
use you suffe
ed
n inju
y. You need someone to se
ve
s you

dvoc
te.

Hi
ing the
ight Leg
l Te
m M
tte
s<
h2>
Victims of
n
ccident often believe they

e in the best position to negoti
te on thei
beh
lf. Ho
eve
,
hen you o

loved one h
s suffe
ed
TBI, the insunce comp
ny is

e the soone
they settle
ith you, the bette
the outcome is fo
them.
s you c
n see f
om ou
p
io
desc
iptions,
ecove
y f
om
TBI m
y involve long-te
m ce,
nd the costs c
n be signific
nt.
e nt to m
ke su
e
f
mily does not h
ve to
ipe out thei
s
vings
nd liquid
te
ssets to ensu
e
TBI victim is getting the c

e they need,
nd the help they dese
ve.
n
tto
ney
ho h
s yes of expe
ience fighting—
nd
inning—fo
theiccident inju
y clients c
n m
ke
ll the diffe
ence.

Eve
y c
se is unique. No one c
n p
edict, no
gu
ntee,
ny settlement
mount fo

victim. P
st c
se
esults c
n give you
st
ong but impe
fect pictu
e of ho

l

ye
might pe
fo
m fo
you. Neve

ssume
n
tto
ney
ill h
ve the s
me level of success in you
c
se
s in someone else’s. Still, you nt to choose
l

ye

ho h
s
histo
y of success. Eve
y
ccident is diffe
ent, eve
y victim h
s unique needs,
nd no t
o TBIs

e identic
l. Fo
these
e
sons
nd mo
e, you need to spe
k
ith
lyeho unde
st
nds you
c
se. Togethe
, you’ll discuss the ci
cumst
nces
hich led up to you
inju
y,
ho

s
esponsible fo
the incident th
t
esulted in you
inju
y,
nd the cou
se you
medic
l te
m h
s l
id out fo
you

ecove
y. Du
ing this time, you
medic
l te
m
ill p
ovide you
l

ye

ith inv
lu
ble info
m
tion including ho
much time you
ill be
ecove
ing,
h
t you
outlook is
eg

ding
etu
ning to
o
k,
nd ho
much c

e you
ill need b
ck
t home. Only then c
n you

tto
ney negoti
te in good f
ith on you
beh
lf.
s
TBI victim o f
mily membe
of
TBI victim, you should not h
ve to be the signific
nt fin
nci
l costs
ssoci
ted
ith
ecove
y f
om TBI. This is
hy you should immedi
tely pl
ce
c
ll to
n expe
ienced tum
tic b

in
tto
ney
nd discuss you
c
se. Put you
mind
t e
se
nd count on
f
ee, no-oblig
tion consult
tion
ith
n expe
ienced l

ye
. Should you decide to move fod, you c
n feel confident in the kno
ledge you
ill not h
ve to p
y
ny out-of-pocket leg
l costs in most c
ses until
settlement is secu
ed on you
beh
lf. Do not it until you
fin
nci
l losses h
ve spiled out of cont
ol
nd you’
e on the ve
ge of fin
nci
l
uin—<
h
ef=”https://c

inju
yvictims.com
ho
-not-to-hi
e-
-lye
/”>hi
e
n
tto
ney tod
y<
a>.

Undest nding the Seveity of TBI

The High Cost of ecovey Follo ing TBI

Othe Economic Costs ssoci ted ith TBI

Testimonials

Read More

Unde
st
nding the Seve
ity of TBI

The High Cost of
ecove
y Follo
ing
TBI

Othe
Economic Costs
ssoci
ted
ith TBI