Traumatic Brain Injury and Children: The Personal and Financial Cost
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) happens quickly and without any warning. The damage from the event can change a life forever. Parents that watch their children endure a TBI can feel helpless and afraid of what the future holds. Many parents worry about how they will afford to give their child the care they need now, and who will help them in the future.
Not all brain injuries occur because of the carelessness of others. However, help is available for parents when negligence or an intentional act led to the TBI. A lawsuit can enable parents to have the resources they need to focus on the recovery of their child.
Injuries Happen Everywhere
A TBI can happen anywhere. Children experience these types of injuries during sporting events or playtime with their friends. A baby may roll off a changing table or a child could be involved in a fight with a school bully that leads to a head injury. Automobile accidents, slip and fall incidents, and much more can forever change the life of your child.
Immediately seek medical attention if a child shows any signs of a brain injury. Common signs include drowsiness, fussiness, and an inability to sleep. A child may refuse food, have seizures, or have physical symptoms like vomiting or dilated pupils. A child old enough to speak may slur their words or seem confused.
Costs Accumulate Fast
The financial cost may seem unimportant to a grief-stricken parent who only cares about the well-being of their child. Unfortunately, the ability to pay for medical care, physical therapy, and professional caregivers is a genuine concern. A mild injury can leave a family with an estimated $85,000 in medical expenses. A severe TBI can raise the total to $3 million.
The estimated medical expenses do not cover all the financial losses a TBI can cause. A severe injury could take away the ability of the child to ever have a career. A parent may also lose their option to work, because of the full-time and long-term needs of their child. Parents may need to adapt their home, buy medical equipment, and hire help.
Future Becomes Unpredictable
The future of a child with a TBI is difficult to foresee. Some children recover fully from their accident and go on to live their lives as planned. Moderate TBI patients may need to undergo rehabilitation before they can go back to school or gain their independence. The accident may still put them behind their classmates in school and cause them to miss pre-planned events.
The most frightening scenario for any parent is when the child cannot recover enough to care for themselves. As exhausting as full-time caregiving is, most parents would willingly do it forever, so they knew their child was always safe. All parents need to have a plan for who will care for their adult child once both parents die.
Plans Become Overwhelming
Many parents of adult children that need full-time care will discover there is a shortage of affordable resources. Many government-paid services have lengthy waiting lists. State legislators have introduced bills and helped to pass regulations to improve the system, but the overcrowding and wait times still exist.
The options increase when people have the financial resources to plan for the future care of their child. Parents can buy insurance to cover long-term care costs. Trusts can ensure the child has money to pay for their personal needs. Parents can consider inspecting and putting adult children into care facilities while they are still around to monitor the quality of the care.
Children that experience a TBI as the result of the negligence or misconduct of someone else need their parents to act as their advocate. Understandably, a parent may feel too overburdened with their responsibilities to want to deal with a lawsuit as well. That is why, at Clearfield & Associates, we do the work for you. Contact us to schedule a consultation and to learn how we can help.