Houston Social Security
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Photo of David Dopkin
Photo of David Dopkin

Traumatic brain injuries and disability

| Dec 30, 2020 | Social Security Disability Benefits for Injuries

For those accustomed to working for a living, suffering a brain injury that prevents them from working is a traumatic event. Unfortunately, it’s fully possible that this will be the consequences after a person receives a blow to the head.

There are many ways that a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can impact the victim. Some have to do with memory and other cognitive functions. Those impacts can make it difficult to impossible for victims to hold a job.

How do cognitive impairments make working difficult?

A person with cognitive impairments due to a brain injury may have trouble following instructions. Some might be able to make things work by having the steps simplified, being given extra time and having someone help them.

However,, this isn’t always possible for businesses to do in all environments. There may also be a safety risk to have a person with cognitive impairments carrying out certain job duties.

Cognitive impairments can make it challenging to remember things. They  can also cause emotional outbursts and a lack of patience, both of which can be hard for businesses to reasonably accommodate. For some individuals who suffered a TBI, the cognitive impairments prove too difficult to overcome for employment.

What happens if a person can’t return to work due to cognitive impairment?

Individuals who suffer a brain injury that prevents them from being able to do the work they’re accustomed to doing might have to consider other options. In some cases, the person might be so disabled that they are unable to hold a job and support themselves. In this case, they might opt to seek disability payments. This is a long process, and it’s one that must be handled carefully. Working with an attorney who’s familiar with these cases can be  beneficial.