Dealing with the Loss of a Child

Dealing With the Loss of a Child

There’s nothing a parent can go through that is more painful and difficult than losing a child. Whether it’s due to illness, an accident, or some other tragedy, parents who lose a child often find themselves feeling lost, shocked, and overwhelmed by grief. July is International Bereaved Parents Month, a month dedicated to honoring, supporting, and raising awareness for those who have lost a child.

The impacts of losing a child

Not surprisingly, the death of a child has a profound effect on parents – psychologically and emotionally of course, but physically, too. The chronic grief and depression that accompanies bereavement tends to affect everything from interpersonal relationships to the health and overall well-being of the parent, and the extreme emotional loneliness that many people experience can put them at risk for mental health disorders and suicidal ideation.

The trauma involving the loss of a child and the distress that follows can actually bring on physical problems, usually due to a combination of stress, a weakened immune system, and/or poor health behaviors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption). Some of the more common physical ailments associated with grief include things like stomach pains, muscle cramps, headaches, and even irritable bowel syndrome.

In addition, chronic stress impacts the way our brains function – the stress hormone, cortisol, has even been linked to brain cell death. And because the regions of the brain responsible for appetite and sleep are the same regions involved in processing grief, many bereaved parents end up developing sleep and eating disorders.

For those who have experienced the loss of a child, it’s important to remember that there are people out there who you can lean on for help and to utilize whatever resource you feel comfortable with. You can seek help from licensed counselors, support groups, and even clergy. Two national organizations that can also be of help are: Bereaved Parents USA and The Compassionate Friends.

Bringing a wrongful death case in the loss of a child

When a child dies due to the negligence or harmful actions of someone else, it can be even more difficult to process. And while seeking legal recourse after the death of a child may not seem like a top priority after such a loss, it’s important to make sure that any responsible parties are held accountable for their actions and that any dangerous products or procedures are corrected to protect others from harm in the future. Bringing a wrongful death case also ensures that parents and families aren’t sidled with financial burdens that can result from the incident.

In general, a parent or legal guardian may be able to receive damages for things including:

• Funeral and burial expenses
• Medical costs incurred prior to death
• Loss of financial support
• Loss of companionship and love
• Mental anguish and suffering
• Medical and Psychological treatment

Another important thing to keep in mind is that the law in Texas requires wrongful death lawsuits to be filed within two years of the date of death. That’s why it’s important to contact an experienced lawyer like the ones at GreeningLaw P.C. right away so they can preserve critical evidence and obtain statements from witnesses while the memory of events related to the incident is still fresh in their minds.

We want to help parents and families

GreeningLaw, P.C. is committed to handling these kinds of cases with compassion and respect. Our experienced team of lawyers and legal support staff has worked with grieving parents and families in a wide variety of cases involving injuries and accidental deaths of children. We understand that nothing will bring back your child or fully compensate you for your loss, but we will fight to make sure that those responsible are held liable and help you through the process – making sure you get the support you need both now and in the future.

The team at GreeningLaw P.C. treat every case with the personalized care and respect we would afford our own families, and because we work on a contingency basis, you don’t pay anything if we don’t win the case.

Call (972) 934-8900 or visit our contact page today and we’ll go over the elements of your case.

We fight the legal battle so you have time for healing and renewal. We will get you through this.

Personal Injury and Brain Trauma

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and while recently there has been a lot of talk surrounding TBIs and sports thanks to the 2015 movie “Concussion” starring Will Smith, we would like to take the opportunity to discuss how this serious type of injury can affect a personal injury case.

The value of a personal injury case is dependent on several factors which often include things like the egregious nature of the at-fault driver’s actions, for example. However, for the most part, the type of injury and accumulation of medical expenses – both past, and future – tends to govern the value of your case.

One type of injury that is often serious and severe – and more likely to occur than most people would assume – is a traumatic brain injury.

What Causes Traumatic Brain Injury?

There are many types of accidents and other events which can lead to traumatic brain injuries, such as slips and falls, work-related accidents and even assaults. We now know that even minor scrapes such as whiplash and seemingly common sports injuries can also cause traumatic brain injury – even when there isn’t even direct contact with the cranium.

However, one of the most common occurrences that leads to TBI is motor vehicle accident.

When you consider the amount of time people spend in cars and trucks and the average speeds at which we drive, it makes sense that traumatic brain injuries are so often a result of motor vehicle accidents.

According to the Brain Injury Association of America:

Nearly 1.7 million people experience traumatic brain injuries annually, and 275,000 are hospitalized as a result.
Traumatic brain injury contributes to 30.5% of all injury-related deaths in the United States.
Motor vehicle crashes are the third leading cause of traumatic brain injuries and the leading cause for individuals aged 20-24.

Long-Term Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury

A traumatic brain injury can significantly hinder an individual’s ability to live a normal life. This is true for a number of reasons, the primary being the long-lasting effects TBI can have on the life of the injured person, their loved ones, and their community as well.

Long-term effects of traumatic brain injury can include:

Difficulty concentrating on tasks
Difficulty remembering new skills and material
Slow speech
Confusion when routines are disrupted
Problems with executive functioning
Major personality shifts
Increased irritability, aggression, and lethargy
Blurred vision or loss of vision
Chronic headaches
Poor balance and basic motor control issues

The Value of a Personal Injury Case Involving Traumatic Brain Injury

If you or a loved one has suffered because of an accident that led to a traumatic brain injury, you should be aware that the value of your personal injury claim may be substantially higher than other personal injury cases involving lesser injuries.

This is because the factors that need to be taken into consideration when determining the value of a traumatic brain injury case include, but are not limited to:

Physical rehabilitation
Neurological rehabilitation
Psychological rehabilitation
Life care costs
Past, present, and future physical and mental pain, as well as suffering
Loss of future earning capacity

The costs associated with physical, neurological, and psychological rehabilitation along with Life Care can be significant, largely due to the fact that the injured person may need to access some of these services for the rest of their life.

All of these factors contribute to the value of a traumatic brain injury case and why they tend to garner substantially higher awards than most other personal injury claims. A traumatic brain injury can derail a person’s life and impede their ability to thrive in the future and enjoy life to their fullest potential, which must be taken into consideration when resolving the case.

We Understand/We Will Help You Get Through This

At GreeningLaw P.C., we understand the difficulties that can come as a result of a traumatic brain injury. As one of the most recognized personal injury law firms in the state, we know how to make sure you are properly compensated for your suffering. We’ve developed sophisticated methods of showing juries the impact of a brain injury on our clients’ physical and mental health, as well as their quality of life.

GreeningLaw P.C.’s experienced attorneys care about you and your outcome, and we treat your case with the same respect and thoroughness as we would our own families. We work on a contingency basis, which means you don’t pay for a thing unless you receive compensation for your personal injury case.

Contact us today for a free consultation. We will review all the elements of your case, discuss any possible compensation you may receive, and suggest the best course of action.

We fight the legal battle so you have time for healing and renewal.

Why Is a TBI Victim’s Life Care Plan Important?

According to the CDC, traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are suffered by about 2.5 million people every year in the United States. Not all head injuries lead to a TBI, but when they do, they can have far-reaching effects on the family. TBIs can also be caused when a patient does not get enough oxygen to the brain: these types of anoxic brain injuries generally occur in anesthesiology and birth injury cases.

Every facet of the future care of a TBI victim must be included in a life care plan. These care plans must be considered during negotiations and trials leading to an at-fault settlement for a fair compensation award. A life care plan must look at the components of care for the victim as they may face years of rehabilitation and could involve a lifetime of medical, psychosocial, and rehabilitative care, either in an institution or at the victim’s home. It must be meticulously planned and consider a range of necessary topics including future costs projections and adjustments in care and training or retraining for the life of the victim.

Brain Damage Symptoms

The effects of trauma on the brain produces a variety of symptoms, to include:

Physical, such as constant headaches, physical or mental fatigue, bouts of lost consciousness, seizures or paralysis, and/or sleep disorders.
Emotional, such as increased or decreased emotions, depression, irritability, heightened bouts of aggressiveness, and/or denial of symptoms.
Cognitive, such as difficulty processing data, thoughts, or understanding, short attention span, and/or memory loss.
Perceptual, such as balance problems, heightened or weakened pain tolerance, difficulty with taste or smell, and/or changes in hearing, sight, and touch perception.

Hope of Healing

One of the main priorities of a Life Care Plan is the rehabilitation and hope of healing. All TBI patients must be considered for retraining and rehabilitation as part of a long-term recovery plan. This could include psychological/psychiatric care/support as well as:

Speech therapy
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Vocational or technical training

Although not all patients will be eligible for retraining right away due to axonal injuries that interrupt communications between the brain and other body parts, the possibility of this eventuality should be included in a victim’s life care plan.

Considerations for the Compensation Awards for TBI Victims

When an insurance company or civil jury decides compensation awards for seriously brain injured victims it is imperative that they are provided viable estimates of future costs to ensure proper indemnity to cover rehabilitation, including consultations with attending physicians; nursing requirements; experts in physical rehabilitation; and a lifetime of medical care. This information is provided in the form of a Life Care Plan.

The Outline of a Life Care Plan

A victim’s life care plan is a complicated document; a planner should gather all records pertinent to the patient before beginning the plan. Consultations with qualified professionals who have knowledge of the cost of living predictions must take place. The planner must establish future estimated expenditures.

GreeningLaw, P.C. Will Fight for Just Compensation

GreeningLaw, P.C. provides advice and counsel to the family of victims who suffered TBIs or other personal injuries on a contingency basis. We will be involved in every aspect of recovering just compensation, from gathering details and preparing documents to representing the victim in negotiations with insurance companies or in the courtroom. You will not have to worry about anything but recovery. We accept the stress of handling fees and expenses involved in the process so you can concentrate on your loved one’s recovery. Basically, what it means when you hire us to represent you in your claim is that if we do not receive compensation for you, there is no fee for our services.

Call (972) 934-8900 to reach Robert Greening, your personal injury advisor to set up a free consultation without obligation. Our discussion and future considerations will be strictly confidential. We will discuss and agree on everything before we agree to represent you, so there are no surprises. We fight the legal battle so you have time for healing and renewal. Call today!