During the course of 2019, more than 137 million Americans faced financial hardship brought on by medical expenses. In the case of traumatic brain injury (TBI), which affects nearly 1.5 million individuals in any given year, the financial burden can be colossal. Apart from having to contend with sky-high medical bills, TBI patients are often unable to return to work, resulting in an increasing pile of bills and a severely-compromised quality of life. While living with a TBI undoubtedly requires considerable adjustments, there are a number of ways to relieve the financial pressure somewhat. Apart from scrutinizing your monthly expenses and seeking compensation for damages incurred, it might also be worth looking into earning an income, even if only part-time.
Seek compensation for financial damages
Calculating the monetary value of a symptom related to a life-changing injury can prove to be extremely difficult. Thankfully, personal injury lawyers can help translate your suffering into tangible damages. In the case of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a team of brain injury lawyers can help you obtain fair compensation for damages arising from past, present, and future medical treatment, damage to property, and loss of income and earning potential. The compensation awarded will make it somewhat easier to cope with the immense financial burden brought on by the life-changing injury you experienced.
Analyze your monthly expenses
The first thing to do when faced with a significant financial burden is to scrutinize your expenses. Identify what can be cut to save money while still maintaining an acceptable standard of living. If you are still making payments on a luxury vehicle, consider trading it in for something more economical. Additionally, you can cut down on other luxuries such as cable TV, take-out meals, and family vacations. While spending $20 dollars on luxury food items a week may seem inconsequential, you could end up saving more than $1,000 a year by simply making more budget-conscious purchasing decisions. Where possible, also try to renegotiate any essential bills by requesting adjusted repayments or a downgrade in membership.
Consider a part-time job
Depending on your level of function, your TBI does not have to prevent you from earning an income. If you don’t experience any entrenched behavioral problems but can’t return to your previous place of employment, consider seeking employment in retail, the service industry or as a call center operator. If entrenched behavioral problems are experienced, however, a sheltered workshop or supported employment facility may be a good choice. Alternatively, a growing number of work-from-home opportunities such as blogging, data capturing, virtual assistant services, and transcribing are available for individuals living with TBI. Although the earning potential varies from job to job, even a basic income will help negate the financial burden brought on by the injury.
Living with a TBI can be very stressful, especially if the financial burden is immense. Cutting down on expenditure and receiving compensation for losses incurred can make a big difference in the life of a TBI patient.