Recovering from a serious injury often involves more than just initial medical treatment. Many individuals need ongoing therapies for months or even years, which can be expensive and time-consuming. If you need long-term rehabilitation for an injury caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for these future costs. Schedule your free case evaluation with a New Jersey injury lawyer at Laddey Clark & Ryan, LLP for more information and legal counsel.

What is Rehabilitation?

Rehabilitation, often called rehab, is the process of restoring function, mobility, and independence to an individual after they have sustained a serious injury, illness, or surgery. The goal is not just healing the initial wound, but also maximizing the patient’s physical and cognitive abilities and helping them return to a normal, productive life. This process involves a program of therapies tailored to the specific injury and the patient’s needs.

Common types of rehabilitation therapies include:

  • Physical therapy (PT): Focuses on restoring movement, strength, balance, and coordination, often used to treat broken bones, torn ligaments, spinal cord injuries, and amputations.
  • Occupational therapy (OT): Helps patients relearn and adapt daily living skills like dressing, cooking, and working, and is crucial after traumatic brain injuries (TBI), stroke, or serious burns.
  • Speech pathology: Addresses communication, swallowing, and cognitive disorders, often needed after TBI or injuries that affect the head and neck.
  • Cognitive therapy: Specialized programs for addressing memory, attention, and executive function issues common after concussions and other brain trauma.

Long-term rehab is necessary for injuries that cause permanent or prolonged functional issues, ensuring the highest possible quality of life is achieved.

Can I Recover Compensation for Long-Term Rehabilitation After an Injury in NJ?

Yes, you may be able to recover compensation for long-term rehabilitation costs after an injury caused by another party’s negligence in New Jersey.

Under NJ personal injury law, a plaintiff may be entitled to full financial recovery for all foreseeable and necessary medical expenses resulting from the accident. This encompasses not only immediate emergency care and surgical procedures but also future costs, which can include long-term rehabilitation and therapy.

To recover these future costs, your legal team must demonstrate that the ongoing rehabilitation is medically necessary due to the injury sustained and provide a reliable projection of these expenses. This is typically achieved by obtaining expert testimony from medical professionals who can detail:

  1. The specific type and duration of therapy required
  2. The estimated cost of each session or treatment
  3. How these therapies are essential for maximizing your recovery and quality of life

Since long-term rehab often represents a substantial financial burden over decades, securing compensation for these future medical needs is one of the most important parts of a successful personal injury claim or lawsuit. Your claim may seek damages for physical therapy, occupational therapy, assistive devices, home modifications, and in-home care related to your long-term needs.