New Jersey Brain Injury Support Groups: Helping Families Cope

March 20, 2011 (Press-News.org) Families that find themselves caretakers of a loved one with mildly to severely diminished abilities due to a traumatic brain injury (TBI) must often adapt to unfamiliar challenges. Financial burdens may include the injured person's lost income as well as the need for a family member to stop working to care for a parent, son or daughter. But other changes can be just as challenging for the patient and family members, from dealing with the emotional fallout to changing household routines in order to accommodate adaptive equipment.

Many New Jersey communities have fostered TBI support groups to provide a forum for local families affected by brain injuries. These groups allow families to share their experiences, pass along strategies for accessing health care resources, and facilitate recreational opportunities appropriate to a patient's needs. The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey provides contact information for over 30 groups statewide, some of which focus on specific challenges such as children with brain injuries.

When the brain injury resulted from sudden trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident, physical assault, slip and fall, or sports injury, a family may have little preparation for the challenges ahead. For that reason, it is vital to investigate all potential sources for compensation and understand the patient's legal rights. For many families, damages obtained in a personal injury lawsuit for another party's negligence may provide the vast majority of resources available to provide adequate care going forward.

A Traumatic Brain Injury Can Change a Life Forever

One important function within some TBI support groups is the ability for patients and family members to have separate meetings to discuss their needs. By sharing the difficulties that a serious head injury has brought with people who have already been there, caretakers and injury victims can learn about strategies for making the most of life going forward.

A New Jersey personal injury lawyer can also provide a great deal of insight about the types of assistance a family may need to cope with their loved one's condition. An attorney can work with trusted medical experts to assess the full extent of an injury, as well as explore the full range of potentially negligent actors -- from drunk drivers to those who manufacture defective safety equipment -- who can be held accountable for the harm they caused.

Article provided by Rudnick Addonizio & Pappa
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