In fact, victims of brain injuries in car accidents often go undetected in emergency rooms, creating a barrier for insurance companies to obtain adequate compensation. I recently had a call from a woman who was rear-ended at high speed in a car accident and hit the car in front of her. In other words, double impact. The mechanism of the accident was obvious, with her head bobbing violently back and forth twice.
In the emergency room, she had a headache but denied being unconscious, although she could not recall some of the incidents. Of course, a CAT scan of the brain showed no acute intracranial problems. As a result, she was released on possible mild brain damage. For some reason, she decided to see a chiropractor for a headache, and she went back to work. Work was a disaster for her. She is totally disorganized. She had extreme difficulty with memory and concentration, and had persistent headaches. Her colleagues noticed all her problems. Her family doctor referred her to a specialist.
This case is fresh in my memory, but it demonstrates several issues the customer is now facing with her insurance company. One problem is that she’s off work now, but the insurance company doesn’t want to pay her for lost wages. The insurance company couldn’t understand why she was off work now. After all, she went back to work after the accident. The reason was because she didn’t understand that she had suffered a traumatic brain injury.
This is a question of the credibility of the insurance company. As they now have questions about her injuries, she will be sent for an independent medical examination. That is, the insurance company has hand-picked the expert doctors. In this case, however, even their specialists will admit that the client is suffering the effects of a traumatic brain injury.
The challenge in these cases is a misunderstanding of the aftermath of traumatic brain injury. The person had a normal brain scan and looked normal, so they must be normal. Beneath the surface, however, their lives are falling apart.
I’ve read psychological evaluations where clients tell therapists they think they’re going crazy. They don’t have any energy. They are depressed all the time. They can’t concentrate like they used to. Headaches interfere with their concentration. These all contribute to mood and personality changes.
The insurer will then look for ways to respond to the client’s symptoms. They will try to find any problems with her history. Whether the client had a history of headaches or emotional and psychological problems prior to the accident. For example, a recent divorce might be a goal.
The best way to deal with the onslaught of insurance skeptics is a neuropsychological assessment. Neuropsychological evaluation can provide evidence of brain injury that cannot be obtained through routine neurological examination. Assessment is by individual objective tests and a combination of standardized tests. Neuropsychological examinations are designed to effectively detect or rule out malingering.
Most importantly, neuropsychological evaluations are the front line against rebellious insurance companies who want to deny or reduce the value of a claim after a severe brain injury in a car accident.
