Head Injury Treatment Category
A serious head injury nearly always used to mean long term difficulties, impact on employment and care problems. However, over the years there have been significant developments and improvements as regards head injury treatment, meaning that a head injury accident victim may well make a full recovery now in cases where that would not have been possible in the past. Advances in medical treatment methods have been substantial, but in addition to this the legal and insurance industries have worked together to improve the recovery. It is in both parties interests to gain the best recovery possible. The lawyer wants his client to make as full a recovery as possible, and for the insurance company if this happens then ultimately the amount of compensation that they will have to pay out will be reduced as the issues of long term care and lack of employment can be reduced or even removed. It is the combined effort of all parties that has seen real strides forward as regards to head injury treatment.
The largest group of sufferers of head injuries are young people with in the region of 7,500 suffering head injuries every year in the United Kingdom. Fortunately, the majority of these injuries are minor, although even these can lead to some long term complications. Road traffic accidents are the largest cause of the injuries, although work accidents and accidents on the streets also play their part.
Initial assessment might not reveal any significant problems, but over a period of time long-term effects can develop, such as post traumatic epilepsy or hydrocephalus which is where fluid collects around the brain. This can lead to changes in the accident victim’s behaviour, lack of concentration and even depression.
How Does Making A Compensation Claim Help With Head Injury Treatment?
Once the initial care has been commenced an accident victim will usually approach a specialist head injury claims solicitor to help them investigate a claim for compensation. Once the solicitor has investigated the circumstances of the accident and satisfied himself that the victim has good prospects of making a successful claim, the first thing he will look to do is to engage the services of a Case Manager to manage the rehabilitation. This person is usually a former Nurse, and is often appointed jointly by the victim’s solicitor and the insurance company defending the compensation claim.
The Case Manager will assess the treatment already received and also investigate other future treatment that may be available. They will work with the head injury victim to ensure that all is done to improve their prospects of making as full a recovery as possible, including career retraining if necessary. They will also assess the house of the victim, and arrange for any modifications to the house that need to be made. In severe cases, the victim may need to be re-housed completely, with the insurance company paying the costs of this re-housing. Counselling may also be needed.
If the victim is unable to return to work despite receiving all of the head injury treatment that has been recommended, the solicitor will seek payments for the lost earnings to ensure that they can continue to live as normal a life as possible and to avoid unnecessary financial hardship.
Summary
Although it may take months or years, the chances of a complete or near complete recovery these days are far better than they used to be. Early medical and legal intervention is vital to ensure the best prospects of recovery. If you have noticed a change in behaviour of a partner, friend or family member following an impact to the head, you must refer them back for treatment as soon as possible. This will provide them with the best chances of making a recovery.
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Nicholas Jervis is a personal injury solicitor (non-practising) and a director of 1stClaims, a Personal Injury Claims company which connects innocent personal injury and medical negligence victims with expert personal injury and medical negligence solicitors at no cost to the individual.
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