Among the many types of injuries you can suffer in an accident, few can change the course of your life as drastically as a traumatic brain injury. As the control center of your body’s nervous system, this vital organ is responsible for keeping you thinking, moving, and in control of your own life.
As such, when it’s damaged, you could suffer long-term complications that make it impossible for you to return to your routines. Even a relatively minor TBI can impair you in numerous ways. It should come as no surprise, then, that such injuries can lead to significant losses. Not only are brain injuries expensive to treat, but victims must also make significant changes to their lifestyles, homes, and vehicles to accommodate limitations stemming from this serious condition.
Understandably, if you suffered a TBI you are probably eager to find out how much your personal injury claim might be worth. While it’s impossible to guarantee a specific payout amount, there are a number of losses your attorney will consider when approximating the value of your damages, such as:
1. Lost Income
A TBI can impair your cognitive function, motor skills, and mobility—a trifecta of problems that can inhibit your ability to work. Many victims are unable to return to their jobs for years, while others might never be able to earn a living again.
Thankfully, you may be able to recover compensation for any wages you’ve lost as a direct result of your injuries in addition to those you will miss out on in the future. Your attorney may need to consult with various experts such as economists, doctors, and vocational specialists to help approximate the value of any future losses.
2. Medical Bills
Catastrophic injuries often require extensive treatment resulting in exorbitant medical bills and a lifetime of healthcare costs. In addition to procedures, prescriptions, and doctor’s appointments, you may also have to pay substantial sums for physical therapy sessions, at-home care, and other necessary interventions. Typically, these bills will make up the lion’s share of the potential recovery in a brain injury case.
3. Replacement Services
The symptoms of a TBI can affect many different aspects of your life. For instance, many victims struggle to live independently and require round-the-clock assistance. Others may be unable to tackle certain tasks such as taking care of the house or preparing meals. As such, they often rely on others to grab the reins and oversee these duties. Fortunately, you may be able to factor the cost of any replacement services into the eventual settlement.
4. Pain and Suffering
Brain injury victims often experience considerable agony in the weeks following the accident. Some may even live with varying degrees of pain or discomfort for the rest of their lives. While these experiences cannot be seen with the naked eye, there is no denying that pain can take a significant toll on your psychological well-being, making it difficult for you to enjoy a normal quality of life.
In Texas, injury victims have a right to seek compensation for non-economic damages stemming from an accident. Non-economic damages could include pain, loss of enjoyment in life, and loss of consortium.
As these damages can be difficult to prove, you may have to provide many different types of evidence to demonstrate the ways in which you have suffered because of your injuries. For instance, psychiatric reports can give others a window into the mental struggles you’ve experienced since the accident, while testimony from family and/or friends can show how the TBI has affected your psychological well-being.
Discuss Your Case with a Texas Brain Injury Attorney
If you suffered a TBI in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation for many of the losses stemming from this incident by filing a personal injury claim. At Hilliard Law, we can assess your situation to help determine what types of damages may be available to you.
Our legal team can also review the available evidence and consult with expert witnesses if necessary to help estimate fair compensation for the losses you’ve incurred. Dial (361) 882-1612 or visit our contact page HERE to request a case review with a Texas brain injury attorney today.