A Montana woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident 12 years ago hasn’t let it slow her down: she made plans to cross the finish line in this year’s Missoula Marathon.
The woman was 19 when a rollover accident left her with brain damage. Before the crash, the woman was on her high school track and swim teams. After the crash, she had to learn to walk all over again through years of therapy and rehabilitation.
During physical therapy on a treadmill, her therapists noticed she was trying to walk faster. They gradually increased the treadmills’ speed, and when it reached the point that she was running, she took to it naturally. The therapists believe that the woman finds it easier to run, rather than walk, because of her previous athletic experience.
The woman’s mother began logging her miles on the treadmill earlier this year. By early July, the woman was less than 2 miles short of the 26.2 mile official marathon distance. At the marathon’s finish line, the woman will cover the last 5 to 10 steps with the help of a walker and her caregivers.
Severe brain injuries are all too often the result of motor vehicle accidents. Because of the life-long care and rehabilitation required, the past and future medical bills can be staggering. In addition, family members may have to work virtually full-time to attend to the daily needs of their loved one.
If an accident was caused by the negligence of another driver, a civil lawsuit may provide some compensation. In severe brain injury cases it is essential to identify all applicable insurance policies and other possible sources of recovery and to thoroughly develop the damages claim to maximize the verdict or settlement. An attorney will ensure you obtain the best result.
Source: The Missoulian, “Woman who suffered brain damage in crash to cross finish at Missoula Marathon,” Chelsi Moy, July 2, 2012
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