A split second can change everything. Imagine a young professional is stopped at a red light when a distracted driver plows into their vehicle. What initially seems like a minor concussion quickly spirals into persistent headaches, memory lapses, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating—jeopardizing their career, relationships, and overall quality of life.
For attorneys navigating the complexities of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) case, a comprehensive life care plan isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. More than a document, it serves as a clear and reliable roadmap outlining necessary medical treatment, long-term rehabilitation, and daily support. Ensuring your life care planning expert is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) can make all the difference in securing the care and resources your client needs.
The Role of a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) in Life Care Planning
A CBIS is a highly trained healthcare professional with expertise in brain injury rehabilitation. Certification through the Brain Injury Association of America requires at least 500 hours of hands-on experience with individuals with brain injuries and specialized training in cognitive, behavioral, and physical rehabilitation.
A CBIS with expertise in both clinical care and life care planning provides invaluable support to both plaintiff and defense attorneys representing personal injury cases. The ability to assess and project a TBI survivor’s long-term medical, rehabilitative, and supportive care needs ensures that litigation and settlements are based on reasonable, evidence-based recommendations.
Why Choose a Life Care Planner with CBIS Credentials?
A life care planner with CBIS certification offers a comprehensive perspective that integrates medical realities with practical rehabilitation needs. This specialized expertise helps attorneys navigate the complexities of brain injury cases by ensuring that care recommendations are neither overestimated or underestimated.
Key benefits of working with a CBIS credentialed life care planner include:
Specialized Knowledge and Expertise
CBIS professionals have specialized training and knowledge in the assessment, treatment, and ongoing management of brain injuries. This expertise can help to ensure that individuals receive the most effective and appropriate treatment and support. A CBIS has a unique understanding of the nuances of brain injury and its impact on an individual's functioning. They can provide a treatment path that accounts for the common thread of cognitive improvement that can touch every area of life after brain injury.
Comprehensive Assessments
CBISs experts conduct comprehensive assessments to evaluate an individual's cognitive, communication, behavioral, and emotional functioning. This assessment can help to identify specific challenges when developing an individualized life care plan. A CBIS’s assessment can include a special cognitive evaluation that can identify the need for a range of services, including rehabilitation, counseling, and education. A life care planner with CBIS credentials brings a broader view of future care needs and a better understanding of long-term care issues that arise from related chronic conditions.
Individualized Treatment Planning
CBISs develop tailored life care plans based on comprehensive assessments and collaboration with healthcare professionals. These plans address the unique needs of individuals with brain injuries, outlining essential care such as cognitive rehabilitation, behavioral interventions, and mental health support. CBIS experts also educate TBI survivors, families, and the courts on available resources, ensuring injured individuals receive the necessary support to achieve their recovery goals.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration
CBIS credentialed life care planners work as part of a multidisciplinary team, collaborating with other healthcare professionals such as physicians, neuropsychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and vocational rehabilitation counselors to ensure coordinated and comprehensive care.
Family and Caregiver Support
CBIS professionals provide education and support to family members and caregivers to help them understand and manage the challenges associated with caring for a loved one with a brain injury. They also know that many care elements get overlooked or presumed if you are not working with patients and their families. In a comprehensive life care plan, it is very important to include appropriate access to qualified caregivers beyond just what the family can provide. Connecting individuals and families who have experienced brain injuries to support groups can also be a valuable resource for emotional support and practical advice.
Improved Quality of Life
By addressing the specific challenges and needs of individuals with brain injuries, CBIS professionals can provide insight for a life care plan that helps to improve their overall quality of life. Working with a life care planner who has a CBIS credential can provide individuals with brain injuries and their families with the specialized expertise and support they need to manage the challenges associated with brain injury and achieve the highest possible level of independence.
What Makes A Life Care Planner with CBIS A Better Choice?
A benefit of working with a CBIS in life care planning is their ability to support reasonable outcomes. Developing a comprehensive LCP involves considering the individual's current and future needs and medical recommendations from treating providers and balancing these needs with available resources. A CBIS can use their expertise to develop a plan that provides the necessary treatment that can improve quality of life while distinguishing between what is necessary and unnecessary for optimal care.
CBIS Expert, Kristy Easley, MA, CCC-SLP, CBIS, CLCP
Kristy Easley, MA, CCC-SLP, CBIS, CLCP, is a Certified Life Care Planner and Certified Brain Injury Specialist with more than 20 years of rehabilitation expertise. Kristy brings extensive expertise from serving as a treating clinician in inpatient residential and outpatient brain injury rehabilitation, skilled nursing rehabilitation, and in pediatric home health and outpatient settings. Her work includes serving patients with traumatic brain injuries caused by accidents or other external events and non-traumatic brain injuries such as stroke, encephalopathies, and anoxic injuries.
Kristy’s unique perspective to the life care planning process and her work with support groups help her plan for the needs and goals of individuals with brain injuries, as well as the challenges that their families may face.
Life Care Planning Expertise When You Need It
Navigating a traumatic brain injury case requires a deep understanding of the long-term medical, rehabilitative, and support needs of the injured individual. A CBIS credentialed life care planner brings essential knowledge to the table, ensuring that every recommendation is based on clinical expertise and real-world rehabilitation experience.
At IMS Legal Strategies, we recognize the critical role that expert life care planning plays in TBI litigation. Our experts provide attorneys with comprehensive, evidence-based life care plans that stand up in court and support fair, well-informed case resolutions.
Partner with IMS Legal Strategies today to learn how we can help strengthen your case. Contact us at IMSLegal.com or call 866-751-6680.
In November 2024, IMS Legal Strategies welcomed the respected firm MacKenzie Life Care Planning, expanding our advisory services to support attorneys and healthcare providers seeking reliable life care plans and expert rebuttals for matters involving significant injuries.
