Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) sideline thousands of people in Arkansas each year. These injuries have many causes, but motor vehicle collisions and slip and falls are the most common. Any hard blow to the head can disrupt how the brain normally functions. Some TBIs may be mild, but others will leave a person with functional disabilities for years.
Call Gallo, Cazort, and Co. today to speak with anArkansas SSDI attorney if you suffered a brain injury. We can review your situation, including your prognosis, to determine if you qualify for SSDI.
The Impact of a Brain Injury
TBIs severity varies from mild, moderate, to severe. The most severe brain injuries can leave a person comatose for the rest of their lives, but even milder TBIs cause serious impairments:
- Memory loss
- Loss of balance or coordination
- Mood disorders
- Sleep interruption
- Problems speaking
- Blurred or double vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Convulsions
These injuries are potentially long lasting. TheCenters for Disease Control found that 57% of those who suffered a moderate TBI still had bodily impairments five years after the accident. About the same number of people were unemployed five years out, and around 33% relied on other people for help around the home. And about 50% returned to the hospital each year—again, five years after the accident.
Some people immediately lose consciousness after hitting their head. In fact, the duration of unconsciousness is often a critical factor determining brain injury severity. Other victims might not immediately know something is wrong. Over the ensuing days, however, they experience numbness in their extremities, memory problems, and impaired movement—and these symptoms only worsen.
Can You Receive SSDI?
Social Security Disability Insurance benefits are available to people with serious injuries which are expected to last at least a year. Someone with a traumatic brain injury could qualify for SSDI if they have sufficient work credits.
Before we can determine if you qualify, we’ll need to know a little more about the facts. For example, it’s possible someone can still work, even with a moderate TBI, at least part-time. Thus, they might make too much to qualify for SSDI benefits.
Many of our clients are completely housebound after a serious brain injury. They cannot use the computer or even a cell phone for months because the blue light hurts their head.
Treatment often consists of resting. There isn’t a pill you can take to improve symptoms. At best, your medical team will help you manage symptoms like depression, anxiety, or sleeplessness. TBI victims should also take it easy to avoid a second concussion so soon after the first, because a second one could be deadly.
Call Our Firm Today to Learn More about SSDI Benefits
TBIs can turn your life upside down. Almost anyone could end up unable to work due to a TBI, including those with desk jobs who need to look at a computer screen for hours on end. Helpfully, SSDI benefits can provide a crucial pillar of financial support to those who cannot work a job. To find out whether you qualify, please contact Gallo, Cazort, and Co.