Why Would A Person Require Inpatient Rehab After Suffering A Brain Injury In North Carolina?
Key Highlights:
- Why would a person require inpatient rehab after suffering a brain injury in North Carolina is due to the patient being medically complicated, behaviorally unstable, or functionally impaired for safe management at home. A multitude of reasons qualify a survivor to receive specialty inpatient rehab in North Carolina.
- Inpatient rehab programs in North Carolina offer 24/7 physician oversight and intensive therapy (physical, occupational, cognitive) during this early phase of recovery and rehabilitation after a brain injury.
- Most brain injuries require weeks to years of rehab, resulting in families incurring substantial long-term costs of ongoing rehabilitation treatment, modifying the home, and purchasing adaptive equipment that helps them manage everyday life.
- As a health insurer has a history of denying these various costs, Tatum & Atkinson Law Firm reconstructs the reasons for a successful claim with expert opinions to collect all past and present damages for all home modifications, future rehabilitation treatment, and related items needed to manage daily living.
In an instant, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can change the course of someone’s life entirely and place their family members in the position of having to make decisions they didn’t prepare for, such as whether their family member will need inpatient rehabilitation after sustaining a TBI. Understanding why would a person require inpatient rehab after suffering a brain injury in North Carolina will help families obtain the best chance at recovery, as well as provide them with a basis for pursuing compensation if they need to.
Our brain injury lawyers at Tatum & Atkinson Law Firm can provide representation and assistance to survivors of brain injuries, no matter how severe their injuries are, throughout North Carolina.
If you or a loved one have suffered a severe TBI, call us today at (800) 529-0804 for a free consultation with an attorney; you will not pay for legal services until after we have achieved a successful outcome.
What Is Inpatient Rehab After a Brain Injury?
Inpatient rehab after brain injury is where patients receive intensive 24/7 therapy in a dedicated, medically supervised environment. Inpatient rehabilitation provides a patient with a multi-disciplinary team of physicians (neurologists), therapists (physical, occupational, and speech), and neuropsychologists working together to maximize recovery in the most responsive phase of the brain.
In North Carolina, inpatient facilities are providing TBI rehabilitation in larger medical centers and a number of organizations located near Charlotte and the Research Triangle region. Placement is determined by the level of injury, medical stability of the patient, and approval of the patient’s insurance company; oftentimes, legal representation will make all the difference in whether or not a TBI patient enters an inpatient rehabilitation facility.
Why Do Some Brain Injury Victims Need 24-Hour Care?
Traumatic brain injury rehabilitation NC provides care for individuals who cannot function independently outside of a supervised medical facility. The need for 24-hour supervision and care is often due to factors such as:
- Medical instability: Such as seizures, fluctuations in blood pressure, or respiratory issues that require immediate clinical intervention.
- Cognitive unpredictability: Cognitive issues such as agitation, confusion, or disorientation that can put the patient at high risk for falls or self-injury.
- Inability to perform daily tasks: Activities of daily living (ADLs), such as eating, bathing, or dressing, require the assistance of a trained professional.
- Intensive therapy needs: Immediately after the injury, when the injured brain is most receptive to stimulation, the number of hours of therapy provided in an inpatient facility is far more than in any outpatient facility.
When the negligent employer or driver causes a severe injury, the resulting costs belong in the compensation claim and should not be absorbed by the family.
What Symptoms and Conditions Lead to Inpatient Rehabilitation?
Patients with moderate to severe symptoms of TBI typically enter a TBI rehabilitation center North Carolina after experiencing any one of the following:
- Loss of Consciousness: Loss of consciousness for greater than 30 minutes or post-traumatic memory loss longer than 24 hours.
- Impaired Motor Ability: Either total paralysis, hemiparesis, or gait coordination issues.
- Cognitive Impairment: Cognitive impairment that is severe enough to affect communication, memory, and decision-making.
- Disruption of Appropriate Behavior: That is, exhibiting agitated, impulsive, or explosive behavior requiring therapy management.
- Other Severe Symptoms: Difficulty swallowing, seizures, or problems with balance/vestibular system.
TBI recovery programs in North Carolina utilize a stepped, coordinated approach to treatment: physical therapy for physical mobility, occupational therapy for day-to-day living, speech pathology for communicating and swallowing, and cognitive rehabilitation therapy to address cognitive impairments such as memory, attention, and executive functions. Neuropsychologists provide management of the emotional and psychological consequences of TBI during physical rehab.
How Long Does Rehabilitation Last and Who Pays for It?
The length of rehabilitation is determined by the severity of the brain injury. Typically:
- Mild-to-moderate TBI: Rehabilitation can take two to six weeks of inpatient care, then intensive outpatient therapy.
- Moderate-to-severe TBI: Can take six weeks to six months or longer, with transitions often made to sub-acute or long-term care.
- Catastrophic TBI: May require years of institutional or home-based long-term care and ongoing assistance for life.
Long-term care after brain injury is extensive and continues following discharge from inpatient care. For example, there are many types of outpatient therapy that should be projected and documented for legal claims, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, neuropsychology, home health aides, and adaptive equipment.
The sources of funding include private health insurance, Medicaid/Medicare, auto insurance policy, MedPay or UIM (typically injured-party) coverage, workers’ compensation and, most broadly, a personal injury settlement or verdict against the party responsible. Insurance companies frequently dispute the duration and necessity of rehabilitation. With Tatum & Atkinson Law Firm on your side, each and every legitimate expense will be demanded.
Can You Recover Compensation for Long-Term Rehab Costs?
One of the critical functions of a qualified brain injury lawyer North Carolina is to assist the victim in attaining severe brain injury compensation NC that is indicative of the true cost of lifelong rehabilitation therapy.
What Can a Comprehensive Claim Include?
It can include the following:
- Medical & Therapy Costs: Past rehabilitation costs and future rehabilitation costs as identified using a certified life care plan.
- Financial Protection: Lost wages and loss in earning capacity due to an inability to return to the workplace.
- Independence & Comfort: Home alterations or modifications, adaptive equipment and assistive technology to do day-to-day tasks.
- Quality of Life: Compensation for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
How We Build a Strong Brain Trauma Lawsuit
Brain injury and long-term care lawsuits require transforming complicated medical realities into compelling, documented proof. Together with expert witnesses like neuropsychologists, neurologists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and life care planners, we help validate the comprehensive needs of our clients.
To build an effective Brain trauma rehabilitation lawsuit, we begin collecting essential evidence from the beginning:
- Emergency and inpatient rehabilitation medical records.
- Neurological imaging and functional outcome evaluations.
- Testimony from family and friends (before and after the injury).
“The sooner a lawyer begins gathering evidence, the better the case will be. Evidence may include collecting surveillance videos of the accident scene, eyewitness statements, and photographs from the area where the accident occurred, among other things. These evidences can fade over time, that’s why hiring an attorney at the right time can make a big difference.” – Robert Tatum, Founding Attorney
Why Would A Person Require Inpatient Rehab After Suffering A Brain Injury In North Carolina?
The simple answer why brain injury patients need inpatient rehab is that their condition is too medically complicated, behaviorally unpredictable, or functionally limited to be safely treated at home.
Due to the many interdependent neurological, physical, cognitive, and emotional impacts of moderate to severe TBI, the only effective treatment modality is inpatient rehab. Inpatient rehab is a medical necessity, and when the injury resulted from someone else’s negligence, that person is legally responsible for financing that recovery.
How Tatum & Atkinson Can Help
At Tatum & Atkinson Law Firm, our North Carolina traumatic brain injury attorney will be responsible for recovering all the money you can expect to receive related to your injury in every way possible under the law.
We will make sure that you get compensated for your:
- Past Expenses (initial medical care after being injured with an emergency room visit and hospital stay)
- Present Treatments (current costs for rehab facilities)
- Projected future care (lifelong cost of therapy throughout your life and any medical expenses you may need in the future)
Our firm will charge our clients to handle catastrophic brain injury claim North Carolina on a contingency fee. This means that you will not be charged anything for our services unless we collect a recovery for you.
Contact Tatum & Atkinson Law Firm’s North Carolina Brain Injury Attorneys
If you or someone in your family has a serious brain injury in North Carolina, you deserve to get all the compensation you can. The first part of that process is to understand why would a person require inpatient rehab after suffering a brain injury in North Carolina.
Understanding this will help you know the extent of damage and the resources you need for the patient’s care for the rest of their lives. Our attorneys regularly represent clients on a contingency basis, which means that you will pay us nothing unless we win for you.
Call (800) 529-0804 today for a free consultation and let us help you.
Frequently Asked Questions!
What happens if symptoms show up days after a car accident or brain injury?
It is possible to experience delayed effects after suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and therefore, it is important to see a doctor as soon as you notice any new symptoms. You should document everything thoroughly, as it will help with your claim.
Will my insurance still cover treatment if I don’t go to the hospital immediately after the accident?
Your claim will not be denied due to a treatment gap, but the insurer may argue that your injuries are not related to the accident, and unless you have a reasonable explanation and medical evidence to support your explanation. An attorney can help you handle any disputes about your coverage.
How do lawyers prove long-term disability after a serious accident or injury?
Attorneys rely on expert testimony of neurologists, neuropsychological evaluations, functional capacity assessments, vocational rehabilitation reports, and life care plans to show lasting effects, lost earning capacities, and future care costs that a jury can easily understand and quantify.
Can I still file a claim if the accident was partially my fault in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, contributory negligence prevents recovery if there is a partial level of fault. There are exceptions to this rule, and the determination is fact-sensitive. Do not give up on your case until consulting with a traumatic brain injury attorney NC.
How long do personal injury settlements usually take in North Carolina?
The timelines range from weeks to months for simple cases and, in most cases in brain injury recovery treatment North Carolina, from one to three years. These time frames are due to the period required after maximum medical improvement has been reached for accurate predictions of future costs.
