Many people who suffer from traumatic brain injuries require intensive care and rehabilitation. Unfortunately, many Alabama residents cannot afford to attend these state-of-the-art rehabilitation centers. Medicaid, Medicare, and many private insurance companies cover the cost of brain surgery, inpatient hospital stays, and the intensive care needed to save a patient’s life. However, these government insurance programs and many private insurers will not pay for all of the rehabilitation programs that a patient needs to relearn the abilities and skills that have been taken away after a traumatic brain injury. Depending on the type of rehabilitation service, they can cost between $600 to $8,000 per day out-of-pocket.
Brain Injury Patients Can be Left Languishing
When a patient cannot pay out-of-pocket for rehabilitation and their insurance will not cover it, they do not attend the repair they need. The lack of health insurance coverage for rehabilitation results in thousands of TBI patients being discharged from the hospital. They are left languishing in their beds at home. During these early months after a brain injury, a person’s brain is most receptive to healing. Failure to begin rehabilitation can result in a loss of a person’s ability to regain use of their language, limbs, find emotional balance, and restore their cognitive ability.
Sadly, most patients who are discharged from rehabilitation hospitals do not go on to receive further care. They only have 16 days of treatment in most cases. Texas is the only state that legally requires insurance companies to cover comprehensive brain injury rehabilitation. Alabama does not have this type of law. As a result, many Alabama residents who become injured do not receive the rehabilitation they need after leaving the hospital.
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Does My Insurance Company Cover Rehabilitation?
Many private insurers do not cover rehabilitation. Those who cover rehabilitation after a traumatic brain injury vary in their services. One of the most important things you can do is read the fine print of your insurance policy and understand what your insurance coverage limits are. You should ensure that your insurance company does not exclude cognitive therapy or view brain injury therapy as merely an experimental treatment. If your insurance company does provide rehabilitative services, they may try to deny your services or limit where you can attend rehabilitation.
Since rehabilitative services are so important to a patient’s long-term success, it is important that you discuss your case with an attorney. If you have suffered from a traumatic brain injury, your insurance may cover rehabilitative treatment. An attorney can help you understand the rights you have under your insurance policy and enforce them, holding the insurance company accountable. If an insurance company acts in bad faith to deny your claim, we can hold them accountable. You may be able to bring a lawsuit against the insurance company.
Seeking Compensation Through a Personal Injury Lawsuit
If you have been seriously injured and suffered a traumatic brain injury, you may be entitled to compensation. There are two main ways to recover compensation. You can try to recover compensation through the at-fault individual insurance policy. For example, if you were injured in a car accident that was not your fault, you can pursue compensation through the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. You can also pursue compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. One of the benefits of pursuing a personal injury lawsuit is that there is not a limit on the compensatory damages you can pursue.
You will be able to pursue damages for all of your current and future medical expenses, including the expenses associated with long-term rehabilitative care. Many companies will try to settle personal injury claims out of court. It is important that you do not sign any settlement agreements before an attorney reviews your case. An attorney can help you negotiate a fair settlement agreement that will include all of the costs associated with your traumatic brain injury. At Heninger Garrison Davis, we regularly work with financial and medical experts so we can try to pinpoint all of the expenses our clients will have in the future.
Contact an Alabama TBI Attorney Today
If you or your loved one have experienced a traumatic brain injury and you have concerns about paying for rehabilitation therapy, you need an attorney on your side. At Heninger Garrison Davis, We have helped many traumatic brain injury clients just like you recover the compensation they deserve. Contact our Alabama personal injury law firm today to schedule your free initial consultation.
