TBI Can Lead to Homelessness

A traumatic brain injury (TBI)¹ is a catastrophic injury that often results in significant losses for victims. TBI victims can require extensive and ongoing medical treatment and rehabilitative treatment, which can be costly. Additionally, many victims of TBI cannot return to work until they fully recover and some with particularly severe and long-lasting symptoms may not be able to ever return to their jobs. If a TBI victim cannot work, they often must rely on disability and other types of benefits programs to pay their bills and expenses. Unfortunately, being unable to work often starts a downward spiral that can be difficult to reverse or escape.

Traumatic brain injuries connected to homelessness

The Valley Homeless Healthcare Program out of Santa Clara, CA recently released findings² that a large percentage of its homeless participants have suffered a traumatic brain injury in the past and suffer from the associated cognitive impairments. Psychologists performed tests on many homeless individuals and an estimated 71 percent showed signs of TBI symptoms. Similar studies³ across the United States have resulted in similar findings.

Traumatic brain injuries can result in a wide variety of symptoms that can cause cognitive, emotional, and physical difficulties, including:

Problems with memory
Confusion and disorientation
Lessened decision-making abilities
Balance and coordination issues
Moodiness and irritability
Poor focus and concentration
Difficulty showing proper emotion
Trouble comprehending oral or written communications
Challenges with human interaction
Chronic headaches
Insomnia

It is not difficult to imagine how a person suffering from one or many of the above symptoms may end up losing their jobs. If they do not have family, friends, or another support system, they can end up losing their homes and sleeping on the street.

Once homeless, many TBI victims have difficulty successfully completing social programs such as substance abuse treatment or independent living arrangements. In many situations, the TBI victim ends up returning to the street either by default or because that is the environment they feel they can most easily function within.

Furthermore, homeless individuals are often involved in altercations or accidents, including falls or getting hit by cars. These incidents can cause repetitive head injuries that lead to conditions like early-onset Alzheimer’s or dementia.

TBI often occurs due to negligence

Many homeless TBI victims are military veterans who received their brain injuries from explosions or other service-related incidents. However, many others sustained their TBI in preventable accidents caused by the negligence of another party. Such accidents can include:

Motor vehicle accidents
Pedestrian accidents
Falls down stairs or from heights
Slip and falls
Bicycle accidents
Workplace and construction accidents
Accidents cause by defective or dangerous products

If a traumatic brain injury occurs because of the negligent act or omission of another party, a victim does not have to simply accept their losses and proceed to struggle financially. Instead, a TBI victim has the legal right to hold the negligent party responsible and recover for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and much more.

In some cases, filing a personal injury claim to recover for your losses can keep you from losing your home and facing collectors. Perhaps many of the homeless TBI victims could have prevented that fate had they pursued legal action against the party that was responsible for causing their brain injury.

Call a qualified brain injury lawyer in Tampa for a free consultation

Whether you have incurred medical bills, lost wages, or have completely lost your home and possessions, victims who suffered a brain injury due to the negligence of others deserve to be fully compensated of all of their relevant losses. At the Dolman Law Group in Tampa, Florida, our highly experienced traumatic brain injury attorneys are committed to standing up for the rights of TBI victims who can no longer lead regular lives and who are struggling with symptoms. Whether you have suffered a minor concussion or severe brain damage, a TBI can have a substantial effect on your life and result in serious losses. Call 727-451-6900 to schedule a free consultation today to find out how we can help you recover.

Dolman Law Group
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33756
727-451-6900

https://www.dolmanlaw.com/legal-services/brain-injury-attorneys/

References:

¹http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm
²http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_28543627?source=inthenews
³https://www.nhchc.org/resources/clinical/diseases-and-conditions/cognitive-impairments/