There are many ways in which brain injuries occur, and no matter how your loved one was injured, it’s important that you know how to care for them.
Because brain injuries range from life-altering to more minor injuries that go away after a short period of time, understanding how to care for each of these different scenarios can be challenging. Your friends at Steinberg Injury Lawyers are here to help.
What is a Brain Injury?
A brain injury occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. This can happen from multiple scenarios, including:
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Car accident
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Motorcycle accident
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Truck accident
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Slip and fall
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Trip and fall
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Assault and battery
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Whiplash
Regardless of how the injury happens, being a victim of a brain injury means a change in lifestyle, even if temporary. A brain injury is not something to take lightly or dismiss a doctor’s orders. As a loved one caring for the brain injury victim, it’s on you to help ensure they make a full and complete recovery.
Be Patient and Help
When someone you care about has a brain injury, one of the best things you can do is be patient with the challenges they face and help them as best as you can. Types of brain injuries vary greatly, from minor injuries that will heal over time, to major injuries that can greatly impact a person for the rest of their life. Some examples of these injuries include:
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Concussion - a brain injury that occurs from a blow to the head and can lead to temporary cognitive functions.
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Coup-contrecoup - associated with a cerebral contusion that causes the brain to become bruise.
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Hematoma - when an injury causes blood to pool between the brain and the outermost covering.
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Hemorrhage - when blood is released from a broken blood vessel.
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Skull fracture - occurs when there is a break in the bone that encases the brain and often includes brain damage.
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Diffuse axonal - the tearing of the brain’s connecting nerve fibers and can lead to a coma.
Each of these injuries may also require slightly different medical attention and care. With any brain injury, the victim may have mood swings and seem different from day-to-day.
This will test your patience. Don’t take it personally, and don’t lash out. They need your care, and they need you to remain calm to help them get better. It’s important to remember it’s not their fault.
Provide a Routine
One of the best ways to recover after a brain injury is to have a routine. As the caregiver, you can provide your loved one with a routine that helps them.
Some ways to do this include:
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Making sure objects are in reach
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Creating a morning and evening routine
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Encouraging rest
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Include your loved one in other family activities
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Keep a calendar visible with events
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Show them photos often
Run Errands
Your loved one will feel exhausted most of the time. This is part of the body’s way of healing. While it’s good to get them out of the house, they may not always be thrilled to go out and run errands. They may prefer to simply rest.
But if you run errands for them, it can show them you care and also give them some time to rest alone. A simple milk run can go a long way.
Getting Damages
Brain injuries are not only physically traumatic, but they can also create extreme financial hardship because of medical costs. These are some types of damages you should seek compensation for after your loved one suffers a brain injury:
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Emotional distress
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Pain and suffering
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Lost wages
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Loss of companionship
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Medical bills
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Rehabilitation costs
Seeking compensation from the at-fault party will help to make sure your loved one doesn’t have to pay out of pocket for their injury. They weren’t at fault, so they shouldn’t bear any responsibility for their bills. That responsibility should fall on the negligent party who caused their brain injury.
