If you have woken up in the hospital after being out for a few hours or days, it can be overwhelming to hear a doctor tell you that you have sustained a traumatic brain injury. Although these injuries can range from mild to severe, those on the severe end of the spectrum have the potential to turn your world upside down. It’s believed that as many as 1.4 million people in the U.S. receive a TBI diagnosis every single year. While each case is unique, if your injury was caused by another person’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation in a personal injury claim.

When you discover that TBI diagnosis is going to affect your very ability to earn a living much less get through a day with the full faculties to which you were accustomed before the accident, life changes in an instant. You may be looking at expensive and extensive treatments. You may even not know how this will influence your future since scientific study of TBIs is still unfolding. Not enough is known about how a TBI diagnosis will change your life, which is why it’s even more important that you protect yourself and get medical attention and a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

Up to 50,000 individuals will die each year because of their TBI diagnosis. Those who live may find life extremely difficult. The physical, cognitive, and emotional impacts of a TBI can be devastating not just for the patient but for his or her family members, too. The only way to protect the future of someone who has recently been diagnosed with TBI is to follow-up on all medical treatment and reach out a lawyer to discuss the option of filing a personal injury claim.

As a TBI victim, paying attention to new developments and treatments for TBIs is important. Getting the help you need from a doctor who understands your situation is extremely valuable, especially right after the accident. You need to feel confident in your doctor’s ability to help you recover effectively. Given that you already have enough on your mind in the wake of a TBI diagnosis, surrounding yourself with people who are about your future and who will work hard to protect it can go a long way.