An injury or medical event that affects the brain, such as a head injury during a car crash, may alter how you live your life from that moment forward. When the brain faces any damage, it can make it impossible for you to return to your previous career.
When you can no longer work due to a traumatic brain injury, you may need Social Security Disability Insurance benefits to provide for yourself and your family. Discover some of the factors that the Social Security Administration considers when deciding eligibility.
What are common changes a TBI may cause?
Your brain may experience damage due to a blow to the skull or forces that cause the brain to slide around. While some recover fully, you might not. Since the brain plays a part in every other body system, an injury can affect you in areas you do not anticipate. The most common effects of a TBI include:
- Loss of mobility
- Difficulty with processing
- Changes in moods and personality
- Impairment of senses
- Memory loss
- Overall dysfunction of body systems
How does the SSA classify a TBI?
Even if a TBI results from a car accident, you may have the right to begin receiving SSDI and related benefits. The SSA includes TBIs as one of the medical conditions that qualify for help. Your medical records should show that three months after a crash, you are either unable to ambulate freely or have limitations in cognitive functioning.
The goal of SSDI is to assist you with accessing the money you paid into Social Security while you were working. In the aftermath of a severe injury, such as a TBI, you should consider tapping into that money to help sustain your new lifestyle.
