Being involved in any type of accident can be very scary. While any type of injury can be challenging to deal with, an injury to the brain can be more significant and challenging to manage than an injury to any other part of the body. Unfortunately, traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, continue to be common in the United States.
Frequency of TBIs
A traumatic brain injury is typically defined as a brain injury that is acquired due to some form of trauma. It can occur when the brain and head are hit by another object or if an object pierces the skull. A TBI continues to be a serious risk and one that affects many people on a daily basis.
Overall, there are estimated to be more than 1.5 million TBI cases on a daily basis. Of these, many will not require significant medical attention. However, more than 50,000 people do die from TBIs on an annual basis and another 230,000 will require hospitalization and ultimately survive. Even if you do survive from a TBI, there are still risks that you will require serious and long-term care. Over 80,000 people each year do develop some form of long-term disability that will require support. It is estimated that more than 5 million people across the country are dealing with a TBI on a daily basis.
What are the Leading Causes of a TBI?
There are a variety of risks that could result in a TBI. What may surprise many is that the most common cause of a TBI is a slip and fall, which could result in head trauma. These account for just under half of all brain injuries. The next most likely cause of brain injuries is bad auto accidents, which account for around one-quarter of all TBIs. Some other common causes of a TBI include being a victim of assault, self-harm, or unexpectedly being hit by an object on accident. While self-harm accounts for a limited amount of total TBI injuries, these TBIs are far more likely to result in death. Overall, self-harm TBIs account for around a third of total brain injury deaths.
Certain Groups are the Most Likely to Suffer from a TBI
While TBIs are frequently experienced by all people, there are some groups of people who are more likely to experience one of these injuries. In general, men are about twice as more likely to have a TBI than women. While men are only 50% more likely to incur a TBI from a fall, they are twice as likely to get hurt in a vehicle accident and nearly five times as likely to suffer from a brain injury due to an assault or self-harm.
Further, young adults, teenagers, adolescents, and senior citizens are the most likely age groups to suffer from a TBI. Younger adults may be more likely to suffer from a TBI due to a higher likelihood to take risks while seniors are far more likely to suffer from a slip and fall, which could lead to a head injury.
Some TBIs may be Missed
While there continue to be a lot of documented TBI cases in the United States each year, there are situations in which someone may suffer from a TBI, but it is not diagnosed. A lot of the symptoms of a TBI can be shared with other health concerns and illnesses. Many of these symptoms, including agitation or forgetfulness, are also common symptoms for those that have dementia. Due to this, it is more common for a TBI to be missed in seniors citizens who may be assumed to have other ailments. To avoid this, physicians need to ensure they are confirming that their patients have not been involved in any serious accidents recently as a misdiagnosis can lead to even further setbacks in the future.
Impact of Brain Injuries
If you do suffer from a TBI, the impact on your life can be significant. Those who have a brain injury will need to receive substantial medical care and therapy to ensure they can recover as well as possible. In some cases, a TBI may require you to receive ongoing care and support for the rest of your life. Further, TBI victims may no longer be able to work or complete the same functions that they did prior to the injury. Overall, this can create a lot of personal and financial challenges in someone’s life.
If you or someone that you love has suffered from a TBI and the brain injury is caused by another person’s negligence, hiring legal representation is always a good idea. The legal team with Wapner Newman is well aware of the impact that a TBI can have on someone’s life. The team is very experienced in working with clients, insurance companies, and other attorneys to ensure their clients receive a fair settlement or judgment to compensate for their losses. Wapner Newman will offer you a full consultation and support throughout the process, which ensures you can focus on recovery without worrying about the legal TBI case.
