Anyone who sustains physical injuries, such as complex fractures or even amputations, can expect health insurance benefits to cover medical treatment and all required therapy for as long as it takes to heal. Unfortunately, injuries to the brain typically do not carry these same benefits. All too often, insurance companies shift these costs to the overburdened public sector, leaving victims without the full rehabilitative therapy they need.

Each Los Angeles brain injury lawyer at The Rudman Law Firm APC applauds the work of the California legislature and the Brain Injury Association of California (BIACAL)  to help future brain injury victims receive the same opportunities that are available to other injury victims. While the Brain Injury Access to Rehabilitation Act of 2015 (SB 190) has been delayed for further analysis, it will hopefully be enacted in the next legislative session.

Seeking Fair Insurance Treatment for Acquired Brain Injury Victims

The term, acquired brain injury is sometimes known as traumatic brain injury (TBI). It refers to brain function alteration that starts with an external force, which can be anything, such as chemical exposure, disease or blunt force trauma. Currently, more than 100,000 Californians seek emergency room treatment each year for TBI. Currently, one quarter of those people do not return to work due to disability. SB 190 would offer a number of vital benefits:

• Require that insurance carriers authorize appropriate rehabilitation
• Prevent cost-shifting to the public sector, potentially saving the state about $74 billion in lifetime costs by permitting patient treatment in appropriate treatment facilities
• Reduce or prevent disease progression after brain injury while helping protect injured Californians from depression, joblessness homelessness and more

Regardless of how brain injuries arise, it is clear that SB 190 can help protect injury victims while providing benefits to state taxpayers as well.

Many Brain Injury Victims Can Use Other Legal Means to Seek Full Treatment

The sad truth is that many traumatic brain injuries might be prevented if other parties acted responsibly. When a child sustains a blow to the head because a coach failed to require use of proper head protection — or a driver suffers a brain injury during a head-on collision with a wrong-way driver — the first step is to seek immediate medical attention to mitigate the chances of further injury.

However, obtaining timely help from an experienced California brain injury attorney is essential in helping pursue the compensation needed to pay for all necessary treatment and rehabilitation.

To discuss your case and rights under the law, call us toll free at (844) 478-3626 / (844) 4RUDMAN, or at our Los Angeles office (213) 375-3777, or at our Studio City office (818) 769-6969, or use our convenient online contact form.