How Brain Injuries Affect Daily Living Activities: Legal Rights After a Lafayette, Indiana Crash

 

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained in a Lafayette, Indiana motor vehicle accident can profoundly impact a person's ability to perform Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), fundamentally altering their independence and quality of life. These essential daily tasks—ranging from basic self-care activities like bathing, dressing, and eating to more complex instrumental activities such as managing medications, preparing meals, and handling finances—may become overwhelming challenges for TBI survivors. The impact on ADLs often extends beyond physical limitations to include cognitive difficulties with memory, concentration, and decision-making, potentially requiring long-term medical care, rehabilitation services, and personal assistance. When these impairments result from another driver's negligence, they become crucial factors in personal injury claims, as they directly affect compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and diminished quality of life.

Legal Rights and Considerations

Indiana follows a modified comparative fault system with a 51% threshold, meaning victims can pursue compensation if they are found to be 50% or less at fault for the accident. The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Indiana is two years from the date of the accident (IC 34-11-2-4). Insurance considerations typically involve both the at-fault driver's liability coverage (Indiana's minimum requirement is 25/50/25) and the victim's own insurance, including potential underinsured motorist coverage. Compensation may cover medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. When ADL impairments are documented, they can significantly impact the calculation of long-term care needs and overall damages. An experienced Lafayette personal injury attorney will handle all aspects of the brain injury claim.

Click the links below to learn how a good personal injury lawyer can help with your type of accident or injury:

Related Resources

Local Courts

  • Tippecanoe County Superior Court
  • Tippecanoe County Circuit Court
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division at Lafayette

Support Services

  • Indiana Brain Injury Association
  • Franciscan Health Rehabilitation Services - Lafayette
  • IU Health Arnett Hospital Rehabilitation Services
  • Lafayette Adult Resource Academy (for cognitive rehabilitation support)
  • Tippecanoe County Disability Services

Legal and Regulatory Resources

  • Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles
  • Indiana Code Title 9 (Motor Vehicles)
  • Indiana Department of Insurance
  • Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
  • Indiana Civil Rights Commission (disability rights)

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