Brain Injury Awareness Week
14/03/2005
Thank you very much for the brilliant service, professionalism and caring attitude whilst handling my recent claim.
Vicki, Sheffield
Brain Injury Awareness Week is an annual campaign aimed at raising awareness of brain injury and its significant effects. Organised by Headway, the brain injury association, the week promotes a greater understanding of the issues affecting people who have suffered a brain injury their families and carers.
A spokesperson for Headway said: "Brain injury affects so many lives - not just the lives of those who survive a brain injury but their families and carers too. Brain Injury Awareness Week gives us the chance to tell people with a brain injury that we are here to help."
In 2005 the campaign focuses on the issues faced by brain injury survivors with elderly carers and the launch of the National Service Framework, which outlines a range of quality standards for improved health and social care services for people with long-term neurological conditions.
An estimated 1 million people in Britain attend hospital each year as a result of a head injury. Of these, 11,600 people suffer a severe head injury, and after five years only 15 per cent will have returned to work.
As health lawyers, Alexander Harris represent people who have suffered a brain injury, helping them to achieve compensation which will provide the support, resources, equipment and assistance they will need throughout their life.
We are currently handling over 160 cases in which people have sustained a brain injury following for example a road traffic accident, an injury at birth, an accident at work, overseas or as a result of a criminal act.
Lee's story
Lee celebrated his 13th birthday at home with his friends. He blew out the candles on his birthday cake and really enjoyed himself. The next day, Lee asked his mum why she had not bought him a cake. He just couldn't remember it.
Lee, aged 12, sustained a brain injury when he was hit by a car when crossing a road with his friends in Kings Heath. In hospital he was in a coma for a week, his family hoped he would pull through.
After 12 days in hospital, Lee opened his eyes and moved his arms and legs in response to commands but he was still not fully orientated.
The true impact of his injuries began to unfold as Lee was transferred to the hospital's head injury unit; he seemed like a different person. Lee's behaviour and language became aggressive.
"Now when Lee's manner is aggressive he is a completely different character and he can't be reasoned with. His temper is terrible. Before the accident Lee would rarely lose his temper. I now feel that we have to walk on eggshells with Lee because he can just fly off the handle at any moment." Lee's mum, Sandra Edge.
Lee's concentration has been affected. Sometimes you can speak to him and when you ask what you have just said he can't remember. He also has difficulty sleeping and wakes up at 1am in the morning. If he is over tired he can lose his balance. Lee has only recently managed to return to school on a part time basis.
Lee was discharged from hospital a month after his accident and was brought home. His family felt that they were not provided with enough support and assistance. Sandra had to give up work to help care for Lee.
Compensation helps to put in place support mechanisms to help a person with a brain injury, their families and carers cope. However not everyone is able to make a claim for compensation and they can often find it difficult to rely on family, friends and the State for support.
Richard's story
Richard had surgery to remove a large brain abscess when he was 13 which left a frontal lobe brain injury. He had suffered symptoms for some weeks which doctors considered to be flu. He was taken to hospital, where the abscess was detected, after he collapsed at home.
Richard's family began to notice significant changes in Richard's behaviour shortly after he returned home from hospital. He began swearing a lot, found it difficult to cope and became depressed. These are all typical features of a frontal lobe brain injury.
Richard and his family were not informed about what behavioural changes they could expect to see following his injury. They all felt unprepared of how to deal and cope with these changes.
Richard's mother, Christine had to give up work to help care for him. "I feel that there is a lack of support, funding and information offered to people with a brain injury and their family. Richard's injury has impacted on his future and the whole family.
Government initiatives
The National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions was launched by the government last week, setting out plans for improved health and social care services for people with long-term neurological conditions. The framework outlines a range of quality standards.
Hilary Pickup, specialist brain injury solicitor at Alexander Harris said:
"Our brain injured clients often highlight a lack of support and services available to them. We welcome the national service framework, and hope that it will help to establish a clear set of guidelines for healthcare and professionals to work with to provide brain injured survivors with the help and support they need."
Notes to Editors:
- Head injury is the common name for traumatic brain injury, a form of brain injury.
- Headway is a national charity which provides support to brain injury survivors. You can contact their helpline on 0808 800 2244.
- Statistics sourced from www.bbc.co.uk
For further information please contact our media department at Alexander Harris on 08700 77 88 77.
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