Some people realize they have a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion right at the scene of a car crash. They lose consciousness or have immediate symptoms because of the severity of their injury. Other times, it could be several days before someone seeks medical attention after injuring their head.
Brain injuries can cause massive financial disruption for an individual and their family. Those with moderate to severe brain injuries may need to file insurance claims and possibly look into other options for compensation.
Traumatic brain injuries tend to be among the most expensive possible injuries in car crashes. Why are TBIs so expensive?
Medical costs can reach seven figures
The medical care necessary to treat a brain injury is not cheap. Those with moderate injuries may incur as much as $85,000 worth of medical bills. Those with severe symptoms could spend as much as $3 million. The younger someone is and the more medical support they require, the higher the bills can be.
There is also lost income to consider
Someone with a moderate to severe brain injury may not be able to continue to pursue their career or even work at all. Their lost income could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in the upcoming decades. Those who cannot work because of a brain injury may need to factor future wages and job benefits into the amount of compensation they seek.
There are other expenses to consider as well, including the need to modify a home for accessibility or the economic impact of someone’s inability to contribute to household upkeep. Determining the cost of concussion-related and other brain injuries is an important first step toward getting appropriate compensation.