When you woke up on the morning that it happened, you figured it would just be another normal day. Then disaster struck, and you received a call that your loved one was involved in a motor vehicle accident that left him or her suffering from a serious traumatic brain injury.
While Maryland doctors worked to stabilize your loved one, you probably didn’t give much thought to what life would be like from this point forward. All you cared about was that he or she would live and be able to go home at some point. Now that those goals were accomplished, you begin to think about it.
What challenges are ahead?
Your loved one could suffer from permanent disabilities, both mental and physical. How much improvement he or she can achieve depends on numerous factors. The following represent the variety of deficits associated with a serious TBI:
- Your loved one could suffer from language and speech issues such as problems with reading comprehension, slurred speech or difficulty expressing him or herself.
- Your loved one could experience a variety of physical effects ranging from insomnia to seizures and everything in between, depending on the part of the brain that suffered the injury.
- Similarly, your loved one may experience one or more cognitive effects ranging from memory issues to confusion to impulsiveness and much more.
- A TBI could also result in perception or sensation problems such as difficulty perceiving temperature or difficulty understanding and integrating information from the five senses.
- Your loved one could experience one or more issues with taste, touch, smell and sight.
Behavioral changes often present the biggest challenge to the injured person and his or her family and friends. In some cases, it may seem as if you brought home a stranger from the hospital. For instance, a formerly docile person could now exhibit aggression. Emotional swings could happen without warning. It’s also not uncommon for someone with severe TBI to experience depression, anxiety or irritability. He or she may lack inhibitions and situational awareness.
Some of these issues may correct themselves given enough time, but the fact is that life will more than likely never be “normal” again. Your loved one could require medical and other care for some time, or for the rest of his or her life. If another person’s negligence or recklessness lead to this injury, it may be possible to pursue compensation that could help cover the financial and other needs of your loved one.
