Today is the final day of Action for Brain Injury Week 2023. This is a week created by the charity Headway in order to raise awareness of brain injuries and the effect they can have on a person. This year’s theme is ‘Every 90 Seconds’ – which is how often someone in the UK is admitted to hospital with a brain injury. These can be caused in a number of ways, including strokes, falls, road traffic collisions, assaults, brain tumours, and meningitis. These injuries may occur in only a few seconds, but can have devastating, life-long effects on the injured person. Below, Trainee Solicitor Mhairi McAulay takes a look at some of the key issues to consider in this awareness week.
What is the effect of a brain injury?
Brain injuries affect each injured person differently. Some injured people make a full or near full recovery, with any ongoing symptoms being barely noticeable. Other injured people may have symptoms including:
- Personality changes
- Impaired balance and coordination
- Cognitive impairment
- Difficulty with speech
- Sensory impairment, e.g. difficulties with hearing and visual acuity
- Emotional difficulties
It is important to remember that a brain injury not only affects the injured person, but those people closest to them also.
Can compensation help?
Whether the effects of a brain injury are short-lived or long-lasting, dealing with the life changes can be challenging. An injured person may be unable to return to their previous job, or not be able to work at all and that has a financial impact as well as an emotional impact. Depending on the effects, help may be available through the NHS and local authority but restrictions and resources can mean that there are delays in the provision of equipment, assistance and services or not all needs being fully catered for. If the brain injury has been caused by negligence, compensation can assist to help put in place the care and equipment needed as well as help with any financial losses if the ability to work has been affected. Compensation can help with many things such as :-
- Care
- Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy
- Adapted accommodation
- Loss of earnings
- Professional costs associated with managing the award of compensation
Having the right care and support in place as soon as possible is important for those who have suffered a brain injury.
If you have any questions about making a personal injury claim, please contact our specialist Personal Injury team on 0800 731 8434.
