The consequences of TBIs can be lifelong, completely disabling, and resistant to rehabilitation. Even in instances where healing time or therapy, or both, can help return you to your pre-injury condition—or even just to a condition where you can once again function independently—it also is possible that such a recovery simply isn’t in the cards.
You could permanently suffer from limited use of some or all of your limbs, total loss of function of your arms or legs, impaired speech, impaired brain functions that interfere with your ability to concentrate or solve even simple problems, memory loss, or emotional regulation problems. Therapy may help you recover from some or even all of these problems, but it also is possible the conditions you suffer as a result of a severe TBI will be with you for the rest of your life.
Following a severe TBI, you may have to undergo years of rehabilitation therapy for both physical and mental impairments and still never totally recover. You may never regain the ability to properly perform your job, take part in community activities, or fully participate in your family life. In turn, these issues can harm your behavioral and emotional health above and beyond the immediate physical and mental injuries you already suffered.
