Texas brain injury victims: will your insurance company keep you from getting the therapy and rehabilitation you need?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is yes. Unless you have incredible health insurance or you are a high-profile person with access to the best medical centers you could be left struggling to recover on your own after suffering a traumatic brain injury.

The disparity between the treatment and care given to well-known public figures like congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and that given to average members of the public and even the military is shocking. Unfortunately, most brain injury victims will find themselves without adequate rehabilitation therapy - if they get any at all - after a serious accident. This fact is unfortunate, especially considering that Texas is home to several cutting-edge medical care centers, like TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital in Houston.

Why insurance companies don't cover rehabilitation care for Texas TBI victims

There are several challenges that you will face as a brain injury victim in Texas as you try to recover:

• If you are covered by Tricare, the health plan for military members, you may not have access to cognitive rehabilitation services. Tricare literature states that there is no scientific evidence that cognitive therapy works for brain injury victims, despite claims from advocacy groups like the Brain Injury Association of America.
• Your insurance company may not have in-network long-term care options available for brain injuries. This forces you to go out-of-network and pay for care yourself, or fight a difficult battle with your insurer to secure coverage.
• The hospital that cares for you immediately after your accident may be pressured by the insurance company to release you as soon as possible, with no long-term care or rehabilitation plan.
• If you are covered by Medicare or Medicaid, you may not qualify for rehabilitation therapy or long-term care.
• If you were hurt because of somebody else's negligence, you may find yourself fighting with their insurance company for coverage.
• Worst of all, you may not even know that your brain injury could be helped with long-term care and rehabilitation because insurance companies often tell hospitals to not even offer these services if they are not covered by a patient's healthcare plan.

These challenges can leave the burden of care on your family and friends, who may not have the time, the skills or the money to get you the help you need. Recent research has shown that without comprehensive, aggressive rehabilitation therapy, brain injury victims will not recover to their fullest potential.

Without the proper long-term care, your quality of life and your family's quality of life could be severely compromised. If you find yourself without adequate rehabilitation and long-term care after a serious accident, please talk to an attorney about your situation. A skilled brain injury lawyer like those at Vujasinovic & Beckcom can fight for your rights and secure the compensation you need to recover.