Virginia Brain Injury Victims without Private Funds Routinely End Up with Virtually No Care

When victims of brain injuries survive car accidents, a nightmare begins with few residential treatment centers taking insurance or insurance not paying for brain rehab, according to The Virginian-Pilot.  Treatment routinely gets offered only to people who have money, have workers' compensation, or a lawsuit settlement.

At the Neurological Rehabilitation Living Center in Virginia Beach, a residential center that cares for people with brain injuries, physical and cognitive rehab, vocational counseling and behavior management costs from $700 to $1,850 a day, depending on the person's injuries.

According to the Virginia Brain Injury Council, "There is virtually no system of care for individuals with behavior problems resulting from a head injury who cannot afford private care." The lack of income to care for head injury victims makes it imperative to contact a Virginia injury lawyer early on after a car or motorcycle accident to advocate for a settlement or judgment against the wrongdoer. Without care, an accident victim gets forced onto Medicaid, placed in a nursing home, or incarcerated in jail or prison for behavioral problems.

One Yorktown, VA man, at the age of 23, suffered a brain injury in a car accident in 2006. After a hospital stay and some time in a rehab center, he returned home to find the part of his brain that controlled impulses no longer working.  When he got angry, he lashed out at people.  The man had no insurance so he was put on Medicaid after the car accident.  His mother tried to find a brain injury facility in Virginia, but none accepted him.  His mother ended up taking care of him, and ended up with bruises, bites, and black eyes. 

Another man, age 55, of Chesapeake, VA was hit by a truck while riding a bicycle in 2008.  His brain scans showed a shattered skull. He survived, but had outbursts.  After moving to a Sentara nursing home in Norfolk, VA, he got into arguments with other residents. Court records showed he threatened residents, and got thrown in jail on a misdemeanor charge of abusive language.

A man from Virginia Beach, VA had a motorcycle accident in 2005. Part of his frontal lobe was removed, leaving him unable to reason or control impulses.  He was turned down for care at facilities across Virginia.

A brain injury from an accident is one of the most serious injuries a person can suffer. Almost everything in your life changes and becomes more challenging. If you or a loved one suffered head injuries in a car or motorcycle accident, check out our Frequently Asked Questions devoted to the subject.