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Workplace brain injuries don’t always heal

On Behalf of | Jul 16, 2024 | workers' compensation

One of the most serious injuries that a worker can suffer on the job is a traumatic brain injury. This could be a closed head injury, meaning that the skull itself is fully intact. But the brain can still be damaged due to a violent movement within the skull. For instance, a worker could fall from a ladder and strike their head on the floor, leading to serious brain injuries and a trip to the hospital.

In some cases, workers will recover and be able to return to the workforce. But a brain injury can be a bit trickier. In some cases, TBIs don’t always heal, and this could derail a person‘s entire career.

Why won’t the injury heal?

The lack of healing is just because the brain can’t create most neurons on its own. The brain cells can’t replicate. So if there’s significant damage to the brain and some cells die, they can’t be replaced like skin cells or blood cells.

The brain does have other options, and it can look for new neural pathways or connections. This is why you get some healing. But it doesn’t mean that healing will ever be 100% complete.

In some cases, people are left with limitations that make it impossible for them to work. For example, someone who was once a very skilled surgeon may have cognitive complications where they can no longer remember these complex surgical procedures. Or they could have trouble with fine motor skills and other physical limitations. They still understand the job that they’re supposed to do, but they are no longer physically able to do it.

In a case like this, it’s very important to consider these long-term costs when looking into workers’ comp benefits. A serious injury could lead to a loss of future earning capacity.

 

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