Head Trauma

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by zuzu

I am in process of snooping around about how we who care about him might assist his family financially, if needed.

If you want to help, get him an attorney! Getting rear-ended at 50 mph? Hopefully, the responsible party is insured, or even if he's not, hopefully your friend has uninsured motorist coverage. He shouldn't have to be paying anything, and he might be due a very large settlement.

I used to work for an attorney who specialized in traumatic brain injury cases. Sounds like he needs one of those. The trouble with such cases is, the victim can seem fine, but they're really not. Feel free to DM me if you want more info.

[zuzu]

The legal aspect of the situation is being ably handled by an attorney, but he needs help now, as he is, as stated, a man of modest means. That is what my church group and some of his neighbors are doing now, so we are getting the daily/monthly expenses in hand as the legalities play out as they must. Many thanks to all! Just having a place to vent without causing needless upset among our personal friends is a blessing to me. I am evidently more of a worrier than I suspected.

[RP]

Originally Posted by fretfile100

...I would suggest that he consult legal counsel if he has not already done so...

Ditto. I would think that out-of-pocket expenses would be taken care of by the insurance company of the other driver as they occur without actually settling the case in its entirety...

[edcmat-l1]

Man. Hoping the best for your friend. When you get rear ended at 50 MPH, you go to the emergency room. And you lawyer up.

[mr. beaumont]

Concussions are scary things. Just like birdsong mentioned with the kid they mentor,I have a similar story in that of a good friend's daughter. She was involved in a competitive cheer incident a few years back and it took months to get her back on track. She had side effects long after, and she only recently stopping having recurring headaches. It's not something to mess around with.

Despite the complications and frustrations, I can happily report she is now back to competing and her team just took 7th place in the country! So it can be a bit of a road back, but modern medicine is pretty awesome.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by zuzu

My friend was in a bad car wreck about six weeks ago, sitting at a light was rear-ended at 50mph. Looking at the wreckage I considered him lucky to be alive, but all he got was a big bump on the head. For a couple of days he insisted he was ok but had a massive headache that seemed to get no better. His wife took him to the doctor and they said severe concussion and put him in a strict protocol. He was just released Saturday to leave his house for short periods, but still no screen watching or loud noises, and limited sunlight. He went out for awhile Sunday and did fine, so when I talked to him yesterday we made plans for me to take him to lunch today, as he isn't allowed to drive either. But he texted me about mid morning saying he couldn't come because he was unexpectedly heading to the doctor's office because he had developed new symptoms overnight.

Tomorrow is six weeks in the protocol. This doesn't sound good. I am not a worrier, but I find this to be very concerning.

Any knowledge/experiences to share?

What a terrible shame. I'm so sorry for your friend.

- Glenn

[Matthew Sarad]

My accident was the result of a root growing under a road that created a bump and pot hole. My attorney became an expert in trees and California roads on a repair list.
He found out the road was on a rather long waiting list and the danger was well know to both the city and county departments of roads.

We split the tax free settlement. He came out ahead and I was able to update the plumbing and electrical, add AC and Solar to my 100+ year old house.

[Sonoma2]

My daughter got a concussion in a mountain bike wreck-in a full face helmet and protective gear. It was bad. She’s a full time student and struggled with her classes. She’s finally feeling 100% and it’s been 7 months. She found that staying in a dark room and doing nothing helped her the most (initially). She says just a lot of patience and not trying to make yourself do all the normal things. And taking it easy on yourself when you can’t do the things you’re used do. You cannot expect your brain to be able to do everything. Don’t let people pressure you into doing things you’re not ready for.

She also ate lots of protein and fats (ones good for the brain).

[catdaddy]

As a long time NHL fan, I've seen many players suffer concussions. One thing that seems to be consistently true of these types of injuries is that each case is different. Some players recover in a couple of weeks, some in months, some in a year, and some are forced to retire from the game.

Every concussion is a serious medical event, and each person's recovery time and path will be unique.

[MrDB]

Originally Posted by fretfile100

I am not sure about the laws in his state but in Fl if you are rear ended the person who hit you is fully responsible for the cost.I would modestly suggest that he consult legal counsel if he has not already done so . Remind him that he is not bringing suit against the individual but his insurance company. Not a lawyer.

Actually he would be bringing action against the driver. Any damages awarded would be paid by the insurer up to the dollar limits of the policy.

Not a lawyer. Retired insurance agent.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by zuzu

The legal aspect of the situation is being ably handled by an attorney....

Good to hear. Is the attorney experienced with traumatic brain injury cases? They are difficult cases and should ideally have a specialist. "Recovery" after some amount of time is not always guaranteed. Victims may be unable to return to the jobs they had and must be compensated for that. Like Matthew said, "cognitive discombobulation" is not hyperbole. A couple points (summarized by ChatGPT):

• The human brain is soft and gelatinous in texture, with a consistency somewhat similar to that of soft tofu or gelatin. It is not solid like a rock or hard object. The brain's texture is due to its composition, primarily made up of billions of neurons, glial cells, blood vessels, and cerebrospinal fluid.
  
  
• The prefrontal cortex is responsible for higher-level cognitive functions such as decision-making, planning, problem-solving, and controlling behavior. It plays a crucial role in executive functions, which are essential for goal-directed behavior and self-regulation. Additionally, the prefrontal cortex is involved in personality expression and social behavior.