A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can reduce a person’s ability to work, advance in a career or maintain prior earning levels – sometimes for years after the initial injury. In Georgia, a TBI claim may cover both future lost income and lost earning capacity. Future lost income covers earnings the injury may prevent, while lost earning capacity reflects its lasting impact on the ability to work and earn.
Factors that can affect a future income projection after a TBI
A TBI can cause long-term-effects that change a person’s career even after a return to work. Key factors may include:
- Cognitive problems: Memory loss, poor focus, slower thinking and poor judgment can make regular job tasks harder to complete.
- Fatigue and communication issues: Persistent tiredness or difficulty communicating can reduce work hours, productivity or job performance.
- Lower earnings while working: A person may keep the same job but earn less after losing overtime, commissions, bonuses or higher-paying duties.
- Lost career opportunities: The injury may limit access to promotions, professional licenses, special training or other ways to earn more.
- Age and career stage: A younger worker or someone early in a career may have more future work years and career growth at stake.
- Sustainable employment: A vocational expert can assess whether a job can be performed safely and consistently over time, not just whether it is technically possible.
- Actual career path: Work history, training, promotions, licenses and past earnings can show expected career growth better than a recent paycheck alone.
A well-supported projection considers not just current limitations but how the injury altered the career path the person was on before it occurred.
When is a future-income review needed?
A detailed future-income review may help when a TBI causes lasting or unclear work limits. Key factors include:
- Evolving symptoms: Memory, focus and fatigue problems may become clearer and more documentable over time.
- Work limitations: The injury may prevent a return to the same job or full-time employment.
- Career disruptions: A TBI may lead to lower-paying work or end a career path.
- Long-term impairment: Permanent medical or cognitive limitations may reduce earning ability for years to come.
Settlement timing also matters – when future work limitations are still developing, a closer review of income projections may affect how a claim is valued. Medical, vocational and financial records are typically needed to support the analysis. An attorney can review the evidence and assess whether a detailed analysis is needed. Reviewing the case thoroughly can help ensure that settlements account for the injury’s long-term financial consequences, not just the losses that have occurred so far.
What a future income review can show
The effects of a TBI can last well beyond early recovery. A clear income review can show the long-term cost of a career changed by the injury. A timely legal review can help make sure future income losses are considered before a settlement is reached.