A team of researchers is calling for a redefining of brain injury as a chronic disease , which would allow for better monitoring of patients, tracking of symptoms and overall, enhanced care. This would not only allow for more effective treatment of a patient’s symptoms in the future, but would also allow for periodic reimbursement from insurance companies as the symptoms progress.
Just about everybody agrees that even mild brain injuries like concussions, can result in complications as the years progress. The more severe the brain injury, the greater the number of complications and side effects as the years go by. Patients suffering from a brain injury have a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. They may be at a higher risk of depression and neuroendocrine disorders. Brain trauma can result in the development of epilepsy, and contribute to symptoms of sleep apnea. There are other side effects that include sexual dysfunction and other conditions.
In fact, as far as the long-term effects of brain injury are concerned, there is still much that we don’t know. In a situation like this, it would be wrong to treat brain injury as simply another severe injury. Two researchers have published a review of scientific literature in the Journal of Neurotrauma. In it, they’re calling for a redefining of brain injury as a chronic, progressive disease, because it is linked with a series of continuing symptoms over the years. Treating brain injury as a disease would allow patients to be monitored regularly for symptoms, in much the same manner as a diabetes patient is, and would allow for better tracking of a patient’s progress and treatment. Patients could be reimbursed by insurance companies as new complications and symptoms from the injury present themselves.
It is an interesting idea, and it is based on a solid premise. As maritime accident lawyers, we frequently come across the devastating long-term consequences of suffering a brain injury. Treating a brain injury as a progressive and chronic disease could have a positive impact on the quality of care that patients receive.
