You can’t put a cost on the physical issues and emotional distress a person experiences following a brain injury. Yet, there is a cost for the recovery, treatments, and more that are required after someone sustains a brain injury or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Mild injuries can cost as much as $85,000. Likewise, moderate injuries come closer to $941,000 and severe injuries may cost over $3 million.
The Annual Costs of Brain Injuries
BrainandSpinalCord.org estimates that the cost of a traumatic head injury in the U.S. reaches $48.3 billion annually. About $31.7 billion of that is spent on hospitalization costs and the extra costs associated with fatalities.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that acute care and rehabilitation for brain injuries cost about $9 billion to $10 billion annually. This doesn’t include the indirect costs that families face, including lost earnings, loss of productivity, care, etc.
How Much Does a Brain Injury Cost Over a Lifetime?
Brain injuries are often something victims deal with the rest of their lives. The costs associated with these injuries can vary depending on the severity of the injury. The costs also vary depending on that injury’s specific long-term effects. But, caring for a survivor of severe head trauma can cost anywhere between $600,000 to $1,875,000 over their lifetime.
Why Brain Injuries Cost So Much
A recent study of more than 3,000 serious head trauma victims found that 52 percent of survivors were severely disabled at a one-year mark. Most of those patients never fully recovered their own independence, even when they still had normal life expectancies post-injury. At four years, most of those survivors lived with family members. They did not work or attend school because of the mental impairments associated with brain injury.
Brain injuries, in the long term, cause disturbances of cognition, mood, and behavior. They can be debilitating and create a whole host of disabilities. Also, studies have shown little evidence of improvement in psychological issues after a brain injury. Most survivors of brain injuries will need family support for the rest of their lives.
Seeking Compensation for Your Injuries
If you have suffered from a brain injury, it is important that you seek help from a personal injury attorney. An attorney can help estimate the costs of your brain injury and make sure that you receive adequate compensation. Call us at (813)915-1110 or fill out an online contact form to schedule you free consultation today.
