As experienced TBI lawyers, we understand that no amount of money can truly compensate a person who has suffered an extreme and long-term injury. This is especially true of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or other head injuries where the victim may face years of treatment and, in many cases, still not fully recover.
If a head injury has been caused by the negligence of another party, then that party should be held responsible to pay for the treatment. Our responsibility as personal injury attorneys is to pursue all funds available to provide for both past and future medical treatment of the injury. Doing so requires evidence of the long-term nature of the treatment required. In such cases, lawyers usually must present information provided by medical experts setting forth the exact nature of the injury, the future treatment that is likely to be necessary, and the prognosis for recovery. This information can then be used to determine the likely future cost of treatment.
In an ideal world, the party responsible for a personal injury would always provide full compensation for that injury. Unfortunately, full financial compensation is often unattainable for a truly serious injury. Even if you hire an experienced personal injury attorney who successfully pursues compensation, the defendant simply may not have the resources to pay for the necessary medical treatment. In such cases, the injured party will have to turn to other sources to pay for medical treatment. Such sources may include health insurance and various government programs.
For Louisiana citizens who have exhausted all other options, the state government’s Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Program provides services for survivors of traumatic head or traumatic spinal cord injuries. This program provides up to $15,000 per year, with a cap of $50,000 over the victim’s lifetime, for medical treatment — including evaluations, post-acute medical care rehabilitation, therapy and medication.
The goal of this program is to enable individuals to return to a reasonable level of functioning and independent living in their communities. If you believe you may be eligible for this fund, you should contact the Louisiana Traumatic Head Injury or Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund office immediately to see if you can be placed on the waiting list for these funds.
If you have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury or other head injury in an accident and have any questions regarding your legal rights, please reach out to the Gertler Firm at (504) 581-6411. We would be happy to answer your questions.