By John Cooper, Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney in Virginia

Few of us ever prepare for a traumatic brain injury. They are unforeseen and very often catastrophic. They can also lead to a “treatment gap” as sufferers struggle to pick up the pieces of their lives.

But there are hopes that the gap can be bridged. U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell from New Jersey will join with leaders from the Kessler Foundation and the Kessler Institute to campaign for brain injuries to be covered under the Affordable Care Act.

“We want to help people get better,” Jordan Grafman, director of traumatic brain injury research at the Kessler Foundation said. “It is critical that patients with brain injury have access to these irreplaceable individually tailored rehabilitation therapies.”

See this video about living with a traumatic brain injury:

As experienced Virginia (VA) traumatic brain injury attorneys, my colleagues and I are well aware of the devastating effect these injuries can have on victims, and we welcome efforts to improve the lives of sufferers. A TBI can cause persistent migraines, memory loss and impaired cognition. In other instances, a TBI can leave someone virtually incapacitated and dependent on the assistance of others to do even the most basic things such as eat and dress.
And the problem may be becoming worse. A recent report pointed to a large increase in the numbers of young athletes seeking treatment in emergency rooms for concussions — also known as mild TBIs. Plenty of other evidence indicates brain and head injuries can have tragic consequences. In September 2011, we reported on how an apparently happy high schooler in Virginia committed suicide after receiving a blow to his head during a football game.

Our firm has represented many clients who have suffered from traumatic brain injuries. We obtained the largest personal injury verdict in Virginia history as of 2000 — $46 million — for a gas station attendant who suffered a brain injury and orthopedic injuries when he was pinned inside a building by a derailed Norfolk Southern train.

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About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. Our injury lawyers also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard blogs as pro bono public information services. While not every brain injury case meets our criteria, if you or a loved one is thinking about taking legal action against a possibly at-fault person or company that caused your injury, call our office at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, be sure to leave a voicemail. We will return your call.