When Words Fail: Representing Clients with Traumatic Communication Disorders

In the aftermath of a serious accident, victims often face challenges that extend far beyond physical injuries. For some, the trauma impacts their ability to communicate, affecting everyday life. At The Floyd Law Firm, we understand that representing clients with traumatic communication disorders requires not only legal expertise but also patience, creativity, and a deep commitment to ensuring every voice is heard.

Understanding Traumatic Communication Disorders

Traumatic communication disorders can result from various types of accidents and injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, or severe psychological trauma.

Common conditions include aphasia (word-finding difficulties), apraxia (speech coordination problems), dysarthria (slurred speech), selective mutism (situational inability to speak), and cognitive disorders affecting organized communication.

The Legal Challenges We Face Together

Representing clients with communication disorders presents unique challenges that require specialized approaches:

Building Trust and Understanding

Establishing rapport with clients who struggle to communicate requires extra time and patience. We’ve learned to create comfortable environments where clients feel safe to express themselves at their own pace. This might mean longer meetings, alternative communication methods, or involving family members and caregivers who can help facilitate understanding.

Gathering Evidence and Documentation

When clients cannot easily articulate their experiences, we must be more creative in documenting their injuries and impacts. This often involves working closely with medical professionals, speech-language pathologists, and other specialists who can provide detailed assessments of the communication disorder and its effects on the client’s quality of life.

Alternative Communication Methods

We’ve embraced various communication aids and methods to ensure our clients can participate meaningfully in their legal proceedings. This includes written communication, communication boards, assistive technology, or working with interpreters who are trained in alternative communication methods.

Advocating for Fair Compensation

Communication disorders can have profound impacts on a person’s ability to work, maintain relationships, and engage in daily activities. When calculating damages, we consider:

Economic Losses: Lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and the cost of ongoing speech therapy and communication aids.

Non-Economic Damages: Pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, plus the emotional distress and frustrations that come with losing the ability to communicate effectively.

Future Care Needs: Long-term therapy (because injuries extend beyond the initial hospital visit), assistive devices, and potential modifications to living and working environments.

Impact on Relationships: The strain that communication disorders can place on family relationships and social connections.

Working with a Multidisciplinary Team

Successful representation often requires collaboration with various professionals:

• Speech-language pathologists who can assess the extent of communication impairments
• Neuropsychologists who can evaluate cognitive impacts
• Occupational therapists who understand how communication disorders affect daily functioning
• Vocational rehabilitation specialists who can assess work capacity and retraining needs
• Technology specialists who can recommend assistive communication devices

Preparing for Depositions and Trial

When clients with communication disorders must participate in depositions or trial testimony, we take special care to:

• Request accommodations such as additional time, breaks, or alternative questioning methods
• Prepare clients thoroughly, using practice sessions to reduce anxiety and improve communication
• Work with court reporters who understand speech difficulties
• Educate opposing counsel and judges about the nature of our client’s communication challenges

The Importance of Patience and Advocacy

Perhaps most importantly, The Floyd Law Firm never allows communication barriers to prevent us from fighting for our clients’ rights. We’ve learned that behind every communication disorder is a person with a story to tell and a future that deserves protection.

We take the time to truly understand each client’s unique situation, working around communication challenges rather than seeing them as obstacles. Whether through written communication, family interviews, medical records, or innovative communication technologies, we find ways to ensure our clients’ voices are heard LOUD AND CLEAR in the legal system.

Moving Forward Together

At The Floyd Law Firm, we refuse to accept that a communication disorder should silence anyone’s right to justice. We don’t just accommodate our clients’ needs. We revolutionize our approach to ensure their voices command respect. Communication disorders don’t diminish our clients’ stories; they make us fight harder to tell them.

If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic communication disorder due to someone else’s negligence, know that you have advocates who understand your challenges and are committed to fighting for your rights. Your voice matters, and at The Floyd Law Firm, we’re here to help it be heard.

The Floyd Law Firm is committed to providing accessible legal services to all clients. If you need accommodations for communication challenges, please let us know how we can better serve you during your consultation. Schedule one, today!