Virtually all Hawaii residents are aware of the physical damage that victims of automobile accidents can suffer. While the human body is an amazing and resilient thing, we are also incredibly vulnerable to a wide range of injuries. Some of this damage, including catastrophic injuries, are not easy to visually identify, but can cause lasting problems for the individual involved. Such is the case for comedian and actor Tracy Morgan, who suffered a serious brain injury during a highway crash involving a tractor-trailer.
Known as traumatic brain injury, this type of damage to brain tissue manifests itself in a wide variety of ways. The initial force of impact causes damage to brain structures and blood vessels. In addition, the connections that allow signals to travel throughout the brain can also be damaged, changing the way that the affected brain functions. Swelling follows, which can bring on further damage.
In Morgan’s case, his attorney has released a statement saying that the comedian has encountered difficulties in the recovery process, and is struggling to move beyond the serious brain injury he experienced during the car crash. As with all such injuries, it is impossible to accurately predict the course of his recovery, and it will take a very long time before his medical team can determine the extent of lost brain function. In the meanwhile, he is working through an intensive rehabilitation program to try and mitigate the damage brought on by this incident.
When an individual sustains any such damage, ranging from minor to catastrophic injuries to the brain, obtaining the proper medical care is key to achieving a positive outcome. Part of that process involves extensive rehabilitation efforts, which can be lengthy, arduous and expensive. These services are not always covered by an individual’s health insurance, leaving many patients unable to get the best available treatment. For those in Hawaii facing this scenario, it is important to know that a personal injury lawsuit is one way to secure the funding needed to recover to the greatest extent possible.
Source: The Daily Beast, “Understanding Tracy Morgan’s Traumatic Brain Injury“, Jean Kim, Nov. 20, 2014