Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are serious conditions that happen when the brain gets hurt. They can happen for various reasons, but these TBIs can change your life in many ways.
A TBI victim can suffer changes to their speech or face challenges when trying to communicate. There are remedies for these conditions, but they can be expensive. However, if someone negligently caused the accident, a personal injury lawyer can help you get the support and compensation you need to recover from your TBI-related speech problem.
Speech Problems Associated with TBI
When the brain is hurt, it can make talking and understanding others hard. Traumatic brain injuries can range from mild to severe, and happen in a number of ways — work accidents, car accidents, or slip-and-falls.
There are different kinds of speech problems caused by a brain injury:
Aphasia
Aphasia is a condition where a person has trouble finding the right words or understanding what others say. It can make it hard to talk, write, and even understand language. People with aphasia might mix up words, use the wrong words, or have trouble putting sentences together.
Dysarthria
Dysarthria happens when the muscles used for speaking are weak or hard to control. It can make speech slow, slurred, or difficult to understand. People with dysarthria might have trouble moving their tongue, lips, or jaw, which affects how they form words.
Apraxia
Apraxia is when a person knows what they want to say but can’t say it correctly. It’s like the brain has trouble sending the right messages to the mouth muscles. People with apraxia might say the wrong sounds or have trouble putting sounds in the right order.
Sometimes, a person with a TBI can have a combination of these speech problems. For example, someone might have both aphasia and dysarthria, making it very difficult to communicate clearly. This can be very frustrating and requires special care and therapy to improve.
What Kind of Impact Can Speech Problems Have on Daily Life?
Having trouble talking can make many parts of life difficult. At home, it might be hard to tell your family what you need. At work, you might struggle to explain your ideas.
Speech problems can also make it tough to hang out with friends and feel good about yourself. You might feel like a burden when you struggle to make your thoughts heard or understand what your friends, family, or coworkers are saying to you.
These challenges can lead to feeling lonely or sad. It’s important to get help and support to improve communication skills.
Are There Ways to Help TBI-Related Speech Issues?
There are ways to help people with TBI improve their speech. These aren’t an automatic fix, and sometimes they are expensive. However, a skilled attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve to pay for these expenses caused by someone’s negligence.
Speech therapy
Working with a speech therapist can greatly help someone with TBI. A speech therapist will create a personalized plan to practice speaking and understanding better.
This can include exercises to improve the strength and coordination of the muscles used for speaking, strategies to help find the right words, and activities to improve understanding and following conversations.
Speech therapy can also involve using tools like pictures or electronic devices to help with communication.
Cognitive rehabilitation
This type of therapy focuses on improving overall brain function, which can help with speech and other skills.
Cognitive rehabilitation might include exercises to improve memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. It can also involve practicing everyday tasks in a way that helps the brain adapt and find new ways to process information.
For example, a therapist might help someone practice organizing their thoughts before speaking or using memory aids to help remember important words and phrases.
Legal Aspects of TBI and Speech Problems
When your injuries are caused by someone’s negligence, you are allowed to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. These claims are designed to provide you compensation to recover physically and financially for your damages.
A personal injury claim covers your economic losses. That means your current or future medical bills can be covered by a personal injury claim. If you’re being treated for a TBI-related speech problem, that cost could be covered by your injury claim. If you lose wages because of your injury, these could be covered by your claim as well.
You could suffer a variety of non-economic losses because of your accident. These are conceptual losses caused by your injury. Things like pain and suffering, mental anguish, or loss of companionship are considered here.
If your speech problem causes you public embarrassment which you can demonstrate, you can pursue those losses in your claim.
How Does a Lawyer Help Me in My TBI-Related Speech Problem Case?
A personal injury lawyer is a crucial ally after an injury accident. You’re trying to pursue financial compensation to be made whole. Your lawyer will be able to help you build your case.
An experienced TBI lawyer can:
- Identify who is responsible: Find out who caused the injury.
- Deal with insurance companies: Make sure you get the money you deserve.
- Maximize compensation: Get the most money to help you recover.
Why Choose Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C.
The brain injury lawyers at Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C. have helped countless clients with their TBI cases. They know how to handle the legal side of things so you can focus on getting better. They have helped many people get the money they need to recover.
They offer free consultations, so you can talk to them about your case without any risk. They will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
Call a Traumatic Brain Injury Claim Lawyer Now
Traumatic brain injuries can make talking and understanding others very difficult. It’s important to get the right medical help and legal support to improve your life.
If you or a loved one has a TBI, contact Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C. today for a free consultation. They are ready to help you get the support and compensation you need.
You don’t pay unless we win. Call (212) 490-5700 or use our contact form today.