Brain injuries are amongst the most severe medical events an individual can experience. Whether a result of a car accident or workplace negligent, a brain injury can have profound impacts on ability and quality of life in the long term. Naturally, these severe consequences, in incidents that were not the fault of the injured, should attract proportionate compensation. But what does that compensation look like?
What Constitutes a Brain Injury?
A brain injury is defined, simply enough, as any damage sustained to the brain. However, the causes for this damage can range widely, and the term ‘brain injury’ can be used to describe a vast array of specific instances and conditions that occur following birth.
For example, the kind of brain injury that most would consider ‘typical’ to the definition is a Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI – which describes damage to the head and brain resulting from physical trauma such as a road traffic incident or fall. According to brain injury charity Headway, around 95% of head injuries are logged as TBIs.
But brain injury can also occur as a result of other medical conditions or incidents, from diseases to traumatic body events. Brain injury might occur as a result of a stroke, or as a result of diseases like meningitis which infect and inflame the brain’s protective membranes.
The Impacts of Brain Injury
Brain injury is also incredibly diverse with regard to the direct impacts in can have on an individual’s life. The brain is a hugely complex organ, and near-entirely responsible for the governance of the human body. As such, the impact of brain injury can differ from subject to subject.
Stroke victims frequently experience difficulty with mobility and speech following their stroke, while those that suffer blunt force trauma to the head can experience everything from memory loss to epilepsy and even shifts in personality.
In essence, a brain injury can be traumatic not just as an event, but as something with long-term and chronic consequences for those unfortunate enough to suffer one.
Brain Injury Compensation
The sheer weight of consequence with regard to brain injury renders it a costly form of injury. Personal needs can change completely, from the requirement of walking aids to the requirement of a full-time carer to tend to needs. Medical costs can also balloon, especially if seeking private or experimental care to alleviate symptoms.
As such, brain injury claims against negligent or responsible parties come with a relatively high value. Brain injury compensation will frequently reach six figures, especially where severe and chronic conditions have resulted from the injury. These kinds of claim are somewhat less common than the minor injuries typically experienced by citizens or workers – but even at the lower end of the scale, minor brain injuries can attract five figures of compensation.
