There is no question that immediate medical care is at the forefront when treating a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Whether from a car accident, slip and fall, dangerous product, or other incident, your first priority as the victim’s loved one should be seeking emergency or urgent medical attention. However, as this individual’s health stabilizes, you will soon begin to learn what the future holds and the big picture of serious TBI complications. When that time comes, it is essential to consider a life care plan focused on the victim’s comfort and well-being.
While the primary objective of the TBI life care plan is developing a strategy for the future, you should also be aware of how it works into your legal remedies. Your Miami traumatic brain injury attorney can explain in more detail, but you may find an overview to be useful.
TBI Life Care Plan and Your Legal Rights
Compensation in a personal injury case is intended to put victims in the same position as they would be if the accident had never happened, at least to the greatest extent possible. A person who has suffered a serious TBI may not ever fully recover, so the true nature of the consequences is relatively unknown.
By developing a life care plan, you can establish a realistic amount of medical costs that the victim will incur and a better view of pain and suffering. These factors can be carried over to the concept of monetary damages, so you do not come up short. An insurance adjuster and/or members of a jury can understand what will be necessary to give the victim as full a life as possible, translating over into an amount that is fair as compensation.
Tips on What to Include in a TBI Life Care Plan
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a life care plan should include a list of the victim’s needs and the costs associated with providing them. For example, you should address the following issues:
- A thorough, detailed assessment of the nature of the TBI;
- How the TBI impacts the victim’s physical and emotional capabilities;
- Education, engagement, and fulfillment activities;
- In addition to medical care, a list of proposed goods and services the victim will require, such as a wheelchair, assistive devices, and other equipment;
- Whether the family home or vehicles must be modified to accommodate the individual;
- A summary of all caregivers, especially if family members must leave their jobs to provide care;
- Prescription and over-the-counter medication; and,
- Many other items, depending on your unique situation.
Get More Information from a Miami Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer
While you should always trust an experienced medical professional for assistance in developing a life care plan for a loved one with TBI, this summary should convince you why one is necessary. To better understand how these plans work in the framework of your legal rights, please contact Gerson & Schwartz, PA. We can set up a free consultation for you at our offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach, FL.