Category Archives: Brain Injury

Brain injuries have both direct and indirect victims: the person harmed, as well as their family and loved ones. It’s not uncommon for even a mild brain injury to result in personality changes and changes in the victim’s cognitive and physical abilities.

Many families don’t anticipate the enormous impact of a brain injury on relationships and family dynamics. It’s said that the changes and healing after a brain injury deteriorate a troubled relationship and strengthens a strong one.

Expect roles and responsibilities to change

Expect your established familial roles to change. These changes may be temporary if the injury is mild to moderate, with a good prognosis. Victims of a serious brain injury may be unable to live independently or care for themselves.

Resilience and understanding can go a long way toward providing a stable home environment for the brain injury victim to heal. Showing empathy to your loved one as they work through rehabilitation or therapy can reassure them that they are still loved and valued.

Everyone in the family is under psychological and emotional strain

This sudden change stresses a family dynamic; the shift in everyone’s role and dealing with a loved one’s health or personality change means everyone in the home is on edge. It’s common for families to feel resentment for the change in their loved one and guilt for resenting them.

Children may have to take on more responsibility or be more independent, which can be confusing for them. Or, a marriage partnership of equals changes into more of a parent-child role or caregiver and patient.

Sometimes, the brain injury victim’s personality changes may be such a shift that the healthy spouse questions if they want to continue in a relationship with the “new” person.

Communication breakdown challenges

Depending on which part of the brain is injured and how extensive the damage is, a brain injury victim may need occupational and speech therapies to regain their ability to speak, write, and otherwise communicate.

Frustration with slow progress in rehabilitation, or a permanently damaged ability to speak or communicate may cause the brain injury victim to lash out – and the family members close by are often the target.

Severe brain injuries can render the victim permanently unable to communicate or can trigger the onset of dementia. Cognitive decline carries its own communication problems, and unfortunately, it’s an irreversible condition.

Learning how to communicate with your loved one is a challenge. Even if they’re fully able to speak and write, a personality change can affect the way they communicate, like being more sarcastic or abrupt.

Practical and financial considerations about your loved one’s care

In the best-case scenario, your loved one is able to make a full, or mostly full, recovery from their brain injury and is eligible for short-term disability payments to help your family pay your bills as they recover.

Moderate to severe brain injuries, as we noted, can leave victims unable to live independently. In these cases, families have several choices for their loved one’s care:

• One family member takes on a caregiver role
• The family hires a home health nurse or personal care attendant
• The brain injury patient attends adult daycare during the day and is cared for by family at night
• The brain injury patient needs specialized care the family is unable to give and is placed in a long-term care community

These are tough choices for many families, and each one carries a financial drawback. If the victim was the sole or primary provider, then the family’s budget is considerably less than before the accident.

The cost of care for people with brain injuries is significant. The 2021 California monthly averages were:

• Home health care aide/personal care attendant: $6,101
• Adult day health care: $1,842
• Nursing home (semi-private room): $9,794

The stress of losing a significant amount of family income, coupled with adding costly monthly care, hits many families hard.

Maintain a strong support network

Stress, resentment, and guilt are common for families of brain injury victims, but many may find help and support through therapy, both family and individual. Many California communities have support groups for families of brain injury victims. Participating in these services can provide families with an understanding support network.

How an experienced attorney can help

A fair traumatic brain injury settlement can make a lot of the challenges your family faces easier. A skilled California traumatic brain injury lawyer, like those at Ernst Law Group, properly values your case and fights to get a settlement to cover lifelong medical treatment, housing in a memory care facility, and ongoing support for a family whose income has been significantly reduced.

We can help with the impact of a brain injury on relationships and family dynamics. Contact our firm today at (805) 541-0300 for a free case review.

A moderate to severe brain injury often causes permanent brain damage or the onset of dementia. Many brain injury victims require the specialized, 24-7 care provided in a nursing or memory care home. Unfortunately, many of these people are unable to advocate for themselves, and so are susceptible to those who would prey on the most vulnerable members of society.

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) partners with community advocates across the country to raise awareness of brain injury nursing home patients’ rights and the signs of abuse or neglect that families should look for when visiting their loved ones.

Common brain injuries of nursing home residents

Memory care facilities are long-term care homes focused exclusively on meeting the needs of people with cognitive decline. Many brain injury patients live in one of these communities or nursing homes.

Common brain injuries that may require this level of care include:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Anoxic or hypoxic brain injury
• Dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease
• Cognitive decline associated with another condition, like Parkinson’s Disease

The impact of brain injuries on residents’ physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being

The personality changes and permanently changed abilities that come along with a moderate to severe brain injury often cause frustration for the brain injury victim. Many people may regress in physical capabilities, too, in addition to their cognitive decline.

Memory care programs focus on enhancing the quality of life for residents and slowing cognitive decline, such as:

• On-site physical, speech, and occupational therapies
• Pet therapy
• Aromatherapy
• Art and music programs

One of the most common symptoms of cognitive decline is a lack of impulse control and irritability. Caregivers and nursing home staff should be trained to soothe these behaviors while preserving their patients’ health and dignity. Brain injury nursing home abuse often occurs in response to a patient’s outburst. Reviewing the certifications and training of your loved one’s caregivers can help prevent a situation where an abusive caregiver lashes out.

If you suspect your loved one is being abused, contact a San Luis Obispo elder abuse attorney. 

Legal rights of brain injury victims in nursing homes

People with a brain injury are protected under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), which guarantees equal access to federal and state programs, medical care, and reasonable accommodations that allow someone to visit a public place or place of business.

In addition, brain injury victims may also receive protections under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which permits reasonable modifications to accommodate their disability and prevents housing discrimination.

More specific rights for brain injury victims are addressed under the 1996 Traumatic Brain Injury Act (TBI Act). The Act includes grant programs administered by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), which provide funding for brain injury patient care and to provide broader access to services intended to treat TBIs.

So what does this mean for your loved one with a brain injury? First, the TBI Act has provisions to help them receive valuable rehabilitation and quality-of-life services. Second, the TBI Act provides resources for you to learn how to advocate for a loved one in a nursing home, including learning signs of abuse or neglect and how to report it. 

Taking action: advocating for brain injury victims

Advocacy for brain injury victims can start at the local level, by petitioning city and state officials to support more programs for disability services to treat brain injuries. Understanding the protections of the ADA and how it benefits brain injury victims can help your family become more knowledgeable advocates for your loved one.

Each state has a long-term care ombudsman office tasked with advocating for the rights and needs of people in long-term care facilities like nursing homes and memory facilities. If you suspect brain injury nursing home abuse, you can report it to the California Long-Term Care Ombudsman Office. Investigators look into complaints and will take action against abuse.

Resources and support for brain injury victims and their families

Feeling grief and loss after your loved one suffered a serious brain injury is common. Many families find solace in support groups. Your loved one’s brain injury treatment team may be able to refer you to an in-person group close by.

The TBI Bridge offers virtual support groups at different times. Families can also find resources, support networks, and more information about brain injury advocacy on the St. Jude Brain Injury Network’s website. The program also offers online videos and articles about brain injury research, treatment, and developments that may be available to your loved one.

Lastly, Ernst Law Group also has an array of resources for brain injury victims and their families. 

Are you worried about your loved one?

We can help. The legal team at Ernst Law Group can investigate a possible case of nursing home abuse in California and give you legal recourse to seek justice on behalf of your loved one. Contact us today at (805) 541-0300 for a free consultation.

We’re happy to serve injured parties in the following areas:

• San Luis Obispo brain injury lawyers
• Los Angeles brain injury lawyers
• California traumatic brain injury lawyers

After an accident that causes a brain injury, the victim and their family may file a suit for damages against the at-fault party. Brain injury lawsuits may be settled out of court in structured mediation. If both parties cannot reach a fair agreement, then the case moves to trial.

What is a brain injury?

Simply put, a brain injury is damage to the brain tissue. They occur in a few different ways:

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) from a traumatic impact on the head. The brain hits the skull’s interior, causing swelling, bleeding, and sometimes torn tissue.
• Penetrative brain injury, in which an object penetrates the skull and damages the brain.
• Hypoxic or anoxic brain injury, in which the brain is deprived of oxygen. The longer the brain is oxygen-deprived, the more tissue damage occurs.
• Internal causes, such as a blood clot or tumor.

Each type of injury can have an outside cause, including a tumor or blood clot. So, plaintiffs in a brain injury suit could have any one of these injuries.

Settling a brain injury lawsuit vs. going to trial

Sometimes, the defendant is so obviously to blame for the accident that caused your brain injury that their insurance company offers a settlement up front, potentially limiting the defendant’s exposure to your case. Even if this happens to your family, it’s better to consult with an experienced California traumatic brain injury lawyer before signing a brain injury settlement offer – once you accept a settlement, you give up your right to file a lawsuit.

This isn’t the only time that your brain injury case can settle. The plaintiff and defendant can settle the case anytime between when your brain injury attorney filed the lawsuit for damages and when the trial starts.

However, if the defendant challenges the estimated cost of future medical treatment or the settlement offer in general, the case goes to trial. If you win your case, you receive an award according to the jury’s decision.

Factors that impact your brain injury settlement

The purpose of a brain injury lawsuit is to return the victim to the financial state they were in before the accident and injury occurred. It includes paying for all medical treatment and related costs, from home modifications to accommodate someone with changed abilities, to lifelong care in a memory treatment home.

Several factors affect the amount of your brain injury settlement:

• How severe the injury is
• What your maximum medical improvement (MMI) will be – if you aren’t expected to make a full recovery, your case is worth more
• Whether you will be able to work again
• Whether you are permanently disabled
• If you need to move into a memory care home

Essentially, the more your cost of treatment and aftercare, the higher the settlement should be.

A final factor in your settlement amount is whether a judge assesses punitive damages against the defendant. Punitive damages are a financial judgment on the defendant meant to punish the defendant for their negligent or wrongful conduct, but are rare in a negotiated settlement.

Suppose a trial judge deems the defendant’s actions excessively reckless or negligent. In that case, they award the plaintiff punitive damages as a deterrent to other parties who may be tempted to cut the same corners the defendant did.

Advantages and disadvantages of settling out of court

Trial is unpredictable. That’s usually one of the biggest advantages of a mediated settlement. In mediation, you are in control of the terms of the settlement. If a case goes to trial, you have to live with the jury’s decision – and they could vote for the defendant.

Other advantages of a settlement include:

• Less expensive than a trial, so your legal fees are less
• Time – a trial can take months to prepare
• Privacy, as the terms of the settlement and your identity are usually sealed

Some advantages of a trial you may wish to consider are:

• There’s a good chance you’ll be awarded punitive damages if you win your case
• You receive a better sense of closure

It’s your decision whether to settle or go to trial. As your brain injury lawyers, we provide legal guidance and information so you can evaluate your options.

Don’t accept a brain injury settlement without seeking legal advice

Ernst Law Group is a team of skilled California brain injury lawyers who understand the complexities of treating these injuries – and how much it costs. We work with you to negotiate the maximum settlement for your injury to ensure you have access to the high-quality rehabilitation services you need for recovery. Contact us today at (805) 541-0300 for a free case review.

A brain injury impedes your ability to do things you enjoy, develop fulfilling relationships with others, and even care for yourself without help. Brain injuries are classified as either traumatic (caused by trauma to the head and brain tissue) or non-traumatic (caused internally by a blood clot or tumor).

Regardless of the cause, many of the effects are the same:

• Compromised motor function
• Difficulty with speech or memory
• Changes in personality, like outbursts of anger and irritability, or engaging in risky behavior
• Limited independence

Sometimes the brain heals itself, and the victim is restored to their pre-accident facilities. Other times, the victim needs lifelong care and assistance. No two brain injuries are alike, but all injuries improve with focused, purposeful brain injury rehabilitation.

Brain injury rehabilitation offers the best chance of recovery

Structured rehabilitation provides the best chance for recovery from a brain injury, but recovery looks different for everyone.

The goal of brain injury rehabilitation is fivefold:

• Restoring function and independence
• Maximizing potential for recovery
• Preventing secondary complications
• Enhancing quality of life
• Reducing long-term healthcare costs

Many people require professional caregiver services as they recover from a brain injury. Some families may be thrust into a caregiver role, while others may opt for a home health care nurse to provide personal care and therapy services.

If the brain injury is severe enough or results in cognitive decline, they may need to move into a dedicated memory care facility, which is a residential care home staffed 24-7 with nurses trained to care for people with compromised brain function.

Even if a brain injury victim has permanently changed abilities, therapy still offers the best chance for more independence and a better quality of life.

Types of rehabilitation services for brain injuries

The goal of brain injury rehabilitation is to relearn function. Because the brain is responsible for all bodily functions, therapy must address each of the brain’s primary jobs. It typically starts in an acute care facility or hospital, then, as the patient improves, therapy may be done in the home on an outpatient basis.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy improves the patient’s strength, balance, and coordination. Brain injury victims are susceptible to falls due to poor balance. Damage to the neurons reduces the brain’s ability to direct major and minor motor functions. Daily structured movement and prescribed physical activity restore physical communication between the brain and body.

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy addresses re-learning the activities of daily living. This includes dressing and grooming, showering and using the bathroom, and eating or preparing a meal.

Speech and language therapy

Injuries to the left side of the brain impact language, speech, and communication. A speech therapist may teach the patient how to learn to speak again. Left brain injuries also impact the patient’s ability to understand the words they hear. General language therapy helps patients re-learn vocabulary and syntax, improving their communication ability.

Cognitive therapy

Injuries to the right side of the brain result in difficulty with memory, reasoning, and attention. Cognitive therapy aims to strengthen the patient’s reasoning abilities and focused exercises to improve memory.

Psychosocial support

Not all brain injury rehabilitation is done under the structured guidance of a therapist. The support of friends and family as the patient recovers is necessary to motivate them and ensure they comply with “homework” tasks or practice assigned by the therapy team. Frustration at their compromised abilities is common; understanding and patience from the patient’s family can help redirect the patient and calm frustrations.

What factors affect the outcome of brain injury rehabilitation?

The extent of the victim’s injury usually indicates how successful brain injury rehabilitation will be. Head trauma is classed as mild, moderate, and severe. Mild trauma usually means a full or near-full recovery. Severe brain trauma usually doesn’t.

The quality of care a person receives after a brain injury also determines their outcome. Poor-quality care and inconsistent follow-up yields less positive results than good quality, dedicated rehabilitation and support from the victim’s family.

Challenges and limitations of brain injury rehabilitation

Brain injury rehabilitation may be challenging for even the mildest injury; the more severe the brain damage, the more challenging recovery is.

Other limitations for recovery include:

• Access to quality care
• Onset of depression (common in brain injury victims) that impedes progress
• Compromised sensory facilities

Has someone you love suffered a traumatic brain injury?

Brain injury rehabilitation costs easily run into tens of thousands of dollars, especially for people who will need lifelong treatment in a memory care facility. The party liable for your loved one’s accident should be the one responsible for paying their medical care and group housing costs.

We help California families just like yours file a suit for compensation. Contact Ernst Law Group today at (805) 541-0300 for a free consultation with a skilled California traumatic brain injury lawyer.

Since March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, it is a great time to educate yourself on what brain injuries are, how they can happen, and how you can help injured victims.

Types of Brain Injuries

There are two types of brain injuries that are not hereditary, congenital, or related to birth. These two types are Acquired Brain Injuries (ABIs) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs).

Acquired Brain Injury

An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) occurs as a result of internal causes, not from external trauma. Some causes of ABIs include but are not limited to:

• Aneurysms
• Strokes
• Brain tumors
• Meningitis
• Near drowning
• Heart attacks

Traumatic Brain Injury

A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can happen as a result of sudden external assault to the head that damages the brain’s structure and/or functioning. TBIs can be closed-brain injuries or penetrating brain injuries depending on whether the trauma caused a break in the skull or not.

An example of a cause of a penetrating brain injury is a gunshot wound to the head where the bullet enters the brain.

Closed-brain TBIs can be caused by sports accidents, car crashes, or falls, although any trauma to the head can cause internal damage and closed-brain injuries.

Symptoms of TBIs can include:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Slurred or slowed speech

Some milder brain injuries can heal over time, while some more severe brain injuries cause permanent disability and deficits in cognitive, motor, sensory, and communicative functioning.

Some Professions Carry a Higher Risk of TBI, but Anyone Could Be Affected

Brain Injury Awareness Month is an excellent time to evaluate your risk of sustaining a traumatic brain injury.

Some professions carry a higher risk of TBI. If you are an athlete, construction worker, or work in law enforcement or the military, you have a higher risk of TBI. Adhering to safety regulations in the workplace is imperative to lowering that risk.

While some people have a higher risk of TBI than others, anyone can be affected. Accidents happen and TBIs can never be 100% preventable, but there are steps you can take to lower your risk of brain injury.

• Read the instructions and heed the warnings on your medications. Some medications may have side effects such as dizziness or drowsiness that can increase your risk of falling, while some may warn against operating heavy machinery while taking them.
• Don’t drive under the influence, and always make sure all car passengers are wearing their seatbelts. Also, be sure to check that your airbags are working properly when you get your car serviced.
• Always wear a helmet when participating in sports with a high risk of falls and head injuries, such as horseback riding, skateboarding, biking, skiing, football, and hockey.
• If you have issues with stability or risk of falling, consider using a walker or a cane. Nearly 50% of all brain injuries are related to falls.

Brain Injuries in Women

Brain injuries are often more fatal among women than men. There’s a high incidence of assault-related TBIs due to the prevalence of violence against women.

Women are more likely to sustain assault-related TBIs in the workplace in the fields of education, social services, and healthcare.

Intimate partner violence is also a major cause of assault-related TBIs in women. If you are experiencing intimate partner violence, or believe there is a risk of violence in your home, reach out to your local domestic violence agency for immediate assistance and safety planning.

One common recommendation made during the safety planning process is to try to remove yourself from conflict in rooms such as the kitchen or bathroom. These rooms are more likely to contain hard surfaces and sharp corners that increase the risk of TBI.

If you are experiencing intimate partner violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE).

How to Observe Brain Injury Awareness Month All the Time, Not Just in March

• Educate yourself.

For more information, check out these videos covering a range of topics such as information on rehabilitation for TBIs, personality changes as a result of TBIs, ways to make your daily life better after a TBI, how to help TBI victims financially, and more resources for victims and their caregivers.

The Ernst Law Group’s California resource center for brain injuries is also a great place to educate yourself.
If you are a parent or caregiver of a young person with a traumatic brain injury, this free guide can give you valuable tips and resources to help support the TBI survivor in your life.

• Join a support group.

Brain injuries can permanently affect your life in significant ways, but you can still have a happy and meaningful life after sustaining a TBI.

Get involved in a support group – you are not alone and there are resources to help you.

• Help advocate for the injured.

Legal action can help injured victims of brain injuries. Ernst Law Group’s Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo Brain Injury Lawyers can help by advocating for you or your loved ones who have been affected by brain injuries.

If your brain injury was caused by another’s negligent, intentional, or reckless behavior, they should be held accountable, and you deserve justice and can seek compensation to pay for damages.

Under California law, the injured party can still recover some damages in the form of compensation even if they are partially at fault for the accident. While compensation may not always help a victim heal their brain injury, it can help their quality of life to be as close as possible to what it was pre-injury.

Treatment for brain injuries can be expensive and cost thousands or even millions of dollars for the remainder of the victim’s life. The Ernst Law Group has recovered millions of dollars for their clients in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits.

Ernst Law Group’s California traumatic brain injury lawyers believe that victims of TBIs deserve the highest quality of life possible all the time–not just during brain injury awareness month.

The Ernst Law Group has a proven track record and reputation for aggressive and experienced legal representation for victims of personal injury. Ernst Law Group takes cases on a contingency basis and there are no fees unless we win your case.  There are no up-front fees, and your first consultation is always free.

If you have a brain injury, even if it is a mild concussion, that may have been caused by someone else’s negligence, call 1-805-541-0300 to schedule a complimentary case consultation. You may also email us at [email protected].

There you are, driving down the 101, rockin’ out with your windows down. Just like every day, traffic in front of you has slowed to a crawl, so you slow down, too. Unfortunately, the driver behind you is on their phone and not paying attention. They hit their brakes, but it’s too late. Suddenly, they slam into the rear of your car, causing airbags to deploy and your head and neck to snap forward.
This is an event that happens many times a day throughout the state of California. Car crashes range
from fender benders to T-bone accidents to even flipped vehicles. But even the most minor accident can leave you with more than just bumps and bruises. Here’s how car accidents affect your body, and what kind of injuries you need to look out for.

The Simple Physics of It All

The way your body is affected by a car crash comes down to one simple fact: Your body is soft, and cars are hard. Cars are designed to withstand impact. The metal bodies and crumple zones ensure it doesn’t simply come apart during a wreck. Your body, however, is made of soft flesh and breakable bones. In fact, you would have to become something of a monster in order to withstand the impact of a car crash.
Nearly half of all wrecks involve at least two cars. In one of the most severe kinds of crashes, a head-on collision, hitting a car traveling 40 miles per hour while you are also traveling 40 miles per hour is similar to hitting a wall at 80 miles per hour. Luckily, this is the least likely kind of accident. Rear end accidents and fender benders are the most likely, though often they are the least severe. Even in these accidents, your body takes a beating.

Going Down the Body

Let’s go down the length of the body and look at the impact on each section:

• The head: Due to the laws of inertia, your body will continue to move forward, even when the vehicle lurches to a stop. Your head will likely snap forward, and can hit the dashboard, steering wheel or airbag. When this happens, your brain can slam into the inside of your skull, and the bones in your face may get broken. The brain injury may lead to a concussion or even swelling and death.

• The neck: As your head snaps forward, your neck reacts to the motion. It could cause whiplash, leading to dizziness and sometimes chronic pain. If the impact is severe enough, your neck could end up being broken.

• The abdomen: Your internal organs will also be carried forward by inertia. Your lungs and heart may slam into your ribcage, causing internal bleeding and bruising. This is especially true if your heart moves too violently and tears the aorta. Your ribs and arms may end up bruised or broken as well.

• The lower body: Depending on the nature of the accident, your legs may be slammed into the dashboard or steering wheel. Passengers who put their feet on the dashboard could end up being crushed by an airbag, which deploys at 200 miles per hour.

Car accidents are always a serious incident, no matter how minor they may seem. If you’ve been involved in a car crash,  contact our San Luis Obispo car accident lawyers today for a free consultation and to learn more about your legal options.

After a loved one suffers a brain injury, it’s not uncommon for friends and family to notice what seems like a personality change. This change can range from a mild or occasional bursts of aggression to long term, serious mood changes. In some cases they come and go, leaving the brain injury patient feeling as if they have two different people inside of them—or as if they have no control over themselves.
This apparent change in personality is one of the most disconcerting and painful aspects of a brain injury. But in most cases it is not a true personality change. Instead it is the net effect of stress, confusion and brain damage, which comes across as sudden changes in behavior. The person living with the brain injury may feel as if they are still the same on the inside, but their behavior is different outside.
These types of changes happen for five reasons:

• Damage to key areas that regulate emotional function. Different brain injuries cause damage to different brain areas, and some specific areas control or contribute to emotional function. If the frontal or temporal lobes, amygdala, or hippocampus are damaged, it may cause emotional volatility, increased aggression, agitation, sudden verbal outbursts, verbal or physical attacks, and loss of impulse control. This is the cause of the most dramatic changes in personality, which may come and go without warning.

• Stress and physical pain. Everyone, with or without a brain injury, is more likely to get frustrated, agitated or aggressive when they experience stress or pain. And there are few things more stressful than the sense of loss and day to day impairment that comes with serious brain injuries. Additionally, stress itself is one of the triggers for the personality changes listed above.

• Loss of executive functions. Some brain injuries, especially those to the front of the brain, damage what are known as “executive functions”: a person’s ability to sort information, make decisions, make plans, and control themselves. This can leave people feeling like they have no control in their life, which can lead to anger. More dangerously, impairment of executive functions can lead a person to ignore safety rules, take reckless risks, or ignore social conventions—because they can no longer see the reason behind these rules.

• Memory loss and confusion. Many traumatic brain injuries are accompanied by some form of memory loss. While most retrograde amnesia goes away with time, brain injury patients may continue to have memory “blackouts” during stressful times. Many will also experience confusion on a day to day basis. Both of these lead to increased frustration.

• Depression, anxiety and new habits. Like anyone else living with a life-changing injury, brain injury patients are prone to depression or anxiety. Serious depression itself is a change in personality. To complicate matters, brain injury can contribute to addiction/substance abuse issues, as drugs or alcohol may seem like a way to temporarily relieve the pain. These substances themselves then further contribute to an apparent change in personality.

If you or a loved one are living with a brain injury, remember that you may be entitled to compensation. This compensation can help pay for treatments that help you minimize or manage effects on your personality. To find out if you have a case for compensation, call the Ernst Law Group and get a free consultation today.