Family Information Following Brain Injury
Michael V. Kaplen, Esq. guest lecturer on Traumatic Brain Injury, American Association for Justice, Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA.
Brain injury not only affects the individual, but has profound affects on the entire family, especially the brain damaged victim’s spouse.
Studies show that caregivers of people who have suffered a brain injury may experience feelings of burden, distress, anxiety, anger and depression. If you are caring for a partner, spouse, child, relative or close friend with TBI, it is important to recognize how stressful this situation can be and to seek support services.
The spouse, an often overlooked victim in brain injury
Unfortunately, the spouse in brain injury rehabilitation as well as in the prosecution of a brain injury case is often overlooked with all or most of the attention being given to the brain damaged individual.
The brain injury lawyers at the New York based brain injury law firm of De Caro & Kaplen, LLP recognize that in a brain injury case, we often have two clients, the person who sustained the brain damage as well as their spouse.
Brain damage places a serious stress on marriages
The cognitive and emotional changes following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or any type of head injury poses significant coping problems for the victim’s spouse. The changes that develop following a brain injury may be permanent and can lead to significant stress on the marital relationship. Professional assistance including counseling and participation in brain injury support groups are frequently recommended for individuals whose spouses have sustained any type of brain injury, head injury or brain damage.
Possible changes you may observe in your spouse following a brain injury:
- Decreased memory
- Dependency
- Depression
- Impatience
- Decreased ambition and initiation
- Irritability
- Temper outbursts
- Decreased self control
- Inflexibility
- Sexual disinterest or sexual preoccupation
- Self centered behavior
- Inappropriate public behavior
New roles for the care giver following a traumatic brain injury:
- Household management
- Parenting management
- Income maintenance
- Decision making
- Caring for the injured spouse
Services available to family members following brain injury
Counseling and assistance for spouses affected by a brain injury or brain damage should seek assistance even before their loved one is discharged from the hospital or brain injury rehabilitation center. Different assistance is needed during the different phases of recovery from brain injury.
Services that may be most helpful to you include in-home assistance (home health aides or personal care assistants), respite care to provide breaks from care giving, brain injury support groups, and ongoing or short-term counseling for caregivers to adjust to the changes that have come as a result of the injury. You also may need to ask your support system of family, friends and community members for help with your loved one’s care, so that you don’t get burned out.
Unfortunately, you may find that it can be difficult to find appropriate and adequate services for your loved one. It is important to know that you will most likely need to be persistent in your search for assistance. You should use your network of family and friends, as well as professionals, to get tips about available resources.
The Brain Injury Lawyers at De Caro & Kaplen, LLP can assist you
The brain injury lawyers at the New York based brain injury law firm of De Caro & Kaplen, LLP understand the frustrations that a spouse faces following a brain injury. We do not forget you and your injury when prosecuting a law suit for an accident leading to traumatic brain injury, traumatic head injury and brain damage.
Our senior partner brain injury attorney, Michael Kaplen has served three terms as president of the Brain Injury Association of New York State and is currently the chair of the prestigious New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council. Brain Injury Attorney, Michael Kaplen is the President of the American Academy of Brain Injury Attorneys.
New York brain injury attorney Shana De Caro is the Vice President of the American Academy of Brain Injury Attorneys and serves as an officer of the Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice. She is a member of the prestigious Ask The Expert Legal Panel of BrainLine.
Our brain injury attorneys co-author the New York Law Journal outside counsel column on the legal aspects of traumatic brain injury; have co-authored the chapter on neurolaw for the Psychiatric Clinics of North America edition on traumatic brain injury and have lectured at the ground rounds of Mt. Sinai Medical Center on brain injury and medical malpractice in emergency medicine.
Let the New York Brain Injury Law Firm of De Caro & Kaplen, LLP use their knowledge and resources to assist you in obtaining the services and support that you need.
Free, no obligation consultation
If your loved one’s brain damage was caused by a car accident, other types of vehicle collisions including truck accidents, falls, landlord negligence, construction site accidents or even medical malpractice, then we can provide you with a free no obligation consultation. If we decide to accept your case, we will do so on a contingency fee basis, which means that no legal fees are due to our brain injury law firm unless we are successful and obtain a recovery on your behalf. Contact toll free at 1 866 BRAIN LAW or email us at michael@brainlaw.com.
