If you or a loved one has suffered traumatic brain injury in an auto accident or another type of incident, you should be aware of the many resources that are available through the Brain Injury Association of South Carolina (BIASC).
The car accident lawyers of Jebaily Law Firm have long admired and supported the work of the BIASC, a non-profit organization which recently held the statewide “Living with Brain Injury” conference in Columbia in collaboration with the South Carolina Brain Injury Leadership Council.
Senior Partner, Ronald Jebaily, attended this conference and stated it was very informative and inspirational.
“Evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation for brain-injured persons is a rapidly developing field. Knowledge that is even two or three years old is sadly out of date,” he said.
As the BIASC describes on its website, the annual conference provided “a forum for the exchange of information on programs, resources, and best practices in brain injury rehabilitation and services” and offered brain injury victims, their families, and caregivers a chance to network among each other.
The event reflected the important services that the BIASC provides year-round.
Brain Injuries and Auto Accidents
Our personal injury lawyers at Jebaily Law Firm have come to appreciate the BIASC primarily as the result of our representation of car accident victims. Unfortunately, traumatic brain injury, or TBI, often results from motor vehicle crashes.
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports, falls are the leading cause of TBI, accounting for 40.5 percent of the estimated 2.5 million TBI-related emergency room visits, hospitalizations, or deaths each year in the United States. Motor vehicle accidents are the second-leading cause, comprising 14.3 percent of new TBI cases.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), TBI is brain damage which results when one’s head violently strikes an object or when an object penetrates the skull and enters brain tissue. The injury may be mild, such as a concussion, or it may be more severe, leading to permanent disabilities.
In particular, a person who suffers severe TBI may experience lifelong problems with cognition, communication, sensory processing, and behavior. As a result, the brain injury victim may be unable to go to school or work. The victim may also need extensive therapy and rehabilitation and around-the-clock care and attention from either a professional caregiver or a family member.
This is why our car accident attorneys believe the work of the BIASC is so important. While we can help victims and their families seek compensation when a crash has been caused by the negligence of another, the BIASC can help them seek the services and support they will need to move on in life.
Brain Injuries and Workers Compensation
Brain injuries may also result be sustained in a motor vehicle accident while a person is traveling for his or her job or while engaged in other activities. For instance, a brain injury may be caused by a fall from a ladder or scaffolding. A worker who has suffered brain injury on the job may be eligible to pursue workers’ compensation benefits that can cover medical expenses and a portion of wages the worker loses while unable to work.
Services and Support for Brain Injury Victims and Families
If you are a dealing with the impact of a brain injury, you can find information by going to the BIASC website, submitting an online form, or calling its toll-free hotline at (877) TBI-FACT. If you request, the BIASC can send you an individualized package of information.
The BIASC can help you to learn more about state agencies and programs that can assist you and/or your loved one such as the S.C. Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, Head and Spinal Cord Injury Division, the S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation Department, or Community Long-Term Care.
You can also learn more about the many brain injury support groups that can be found throughout our state, including a Pee Dee group that meets on the second Tuesday of each month at the Hartsville Memorial Library.
These support groups can be an especially important resource, helping you to learn more about services in your area, but also allowing you to meet with others who are facing – and overcoming – the same challenges.
Finally, by going to the BIASC website, you can find out more about the latest research into brain injury prevention, care, and treatment.
