The Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute of Ontario reports on the Outcomes for Brain Injury Victims

The tragic reality for traumatic brain injury victims is that, in many cases, they do not fully recover, and brain injury victims, like the victims of spinal cord injuries, are forced to adapt to their new limitations. Acquired brain injury can be as mild as a one-time concussion with no long-term symptoms, or as severe as head trauma that is fatal or results in a coma. The long-term effects of a brain injury may include an inability to perform effectively at one's job, cognitive difficulties, psychological and behavioural changes, and physical limitations.  A brain injury sometimes results in life-altering substance abuse and the loss of job, home and family.

Motor Vehicle Accidents and Brain Injuries

Motor vehicle accidents continue to be the number one cause of brain injuries. Canada's Northern Brain Injury Association estimates that a person is 44 times more likely to suffer a brain injury than a spinal cord injury in an automobile accident.  Further, it is estimated that approximately 450 Canadians suffer brain injuries every day and that the average cost of a lifetime of treatment for a person who has suffered a traumatic brain injury from a motor vehicle accident is over $400,000.

Automobile accident victims are eligible to make a statutory insurance claim against their auto insurance company and/or file a civil suit against the insurer of the negligent driver who caused their injury. Naturally, automobile insurers are one of many groups who have an interest in studying the causes of, and treatment for acquired brain injury to attempt to come up with solutions to reduce the incidence and improve recovery for this debilitating injury. A leader in the study of the long-term economic effects of traumatic brain injuries is the Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute of Ontario.

The Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute of Ontario (NRIO)

The Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute of Ontario has been conducting a study since 1997 that focuses on a patient's post-discharge activities including the level of ongoing support and also, problems that may arise due to post-injury substance abuse. A recent finding that is somewhat disturbing is that brain injuries are happening to younger and younger people. The average age of injury has decreased from 36 years of age down to 27. The study has also found that motor vehicle accidents are the primary cause of brain injuries.

Returning to a Normal Life

The NRIO study found that approximately 46% of all brain injury victims return to work in some capacity or volunteer, and about 40% return to close to the same social roles and relationships as they had prior to their accident.  In about one third of cases, the individuals served are able to return home and need only two hours or less of care.  Unfortunately, about one in ten (11%) of all brain injury patients suffer from substance abuse problems in the years following . 15% of all patients in the study suffer from psychological problems that interfere with their ability to lead a normal life. According to the Brain Injury Society of Toronto, more than 11,000 Canadians die every year due to traumatic brain injury.  Further, at least half of Toronto’s homeless population suffers from traumatic brain injury, which is a fact that we would do well to remember in extending our compassion to those in our community who struggle with this serious condition.

If you or a family member suffered a brain injury in a motor vehicle collision or another type of accident caused by a negligent party, call an experienced Scarborough brain injury lawyer or an Injury Lawyers of Ontario attorney in your community, to find out how we can help get needed compensation.  Depending on the severity of your injury, you may be entitled to damages for any past and future loss of income, medical and rehabilitation expenses, family expenses, pain and suffering, home maintenance expenses, and any other losses resulting from your injury. 

Source:

www.nrio.com/files/2011/11/NRIO-Outcome-Study-Exec-Summary-2015.pdf

www.bist.ca/brain-injury-facts-figures/

nbia.ca