BRAIN INJURY FACTS
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brain injury occurs every 16 seconds; a death from brain injury occurs every
12 minutes.
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The national statistics cite between 50 and 70% of traumatic brain
injuries are the result of a motor vehicle crash (MVC).
» A person not wearing their seatbelt is 8.4 times more
likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness in a car
wreck.
» Nationwide, TBI leaves more than 17,000 children with a
permanent disability every year. |
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What is traumatic brain injury?
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What are the
most common causes of traumatic brain injury?
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What are
the side effects of brain injury?
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Who is most
at risk for sustaining a brain injury?
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What
physical damages can occur after a brain injury?
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How is a
traumatic brain injury diagnosed?
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What are
cerebral contusions?
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How many
people suffer traumatic brain injury each year?
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How is
traumatic brain injury treated?
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Can
traumatic brain injury be prevented?
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Why is
traumatic brain injury referred to as the “Silent
Epidemic”?
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What is
being done to raise awareness of traumatic brain injuries?
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If a
loved one or I have suffered a brain injury, should I
contact an attorney?
What is
traumatic brain injury?
Traumatic brain injury is any physical injury to the brain
caused by an external force. This force may produce a
diminished or altered state of consciousness. Trauma or
forces exerted on the brain cause damage which often are
at the microscopic level, resulting in a negative impact
on speech, cognition, behavior, personality, emotions, and
perceptions. Other times, the person may sustain no loss
of consciousness or coma or only a fleeting alteration in
consciousness. Nonetheless, there may be injury to the
brain, which can cause deficits in a person's functioning.
What are the most common causes of
traumatic brain injury?
- Motor vehicle crashes
cause roughly half of all brain injuries
- Firearm-related
incidents
- Slips and falls
- Acts of violence –
physical abuse, Shaken Baby Syndrome
- Recreational Accidents –
bicycle falls, playground equipment falls, all-terrain
vehicle accidents
- Industrial Accidents
What
are the side effects of brain injury?
There are numerous side effects affecting a person who has
suffered a traumatic brain injury. Below is a list of the
most common.
Cognitive effects:
- Short term memory
loss
- Trouble
concentrating
- Difficulty with
communication
- Spatial
disorientation
- Impaired judgment
- Unable to do more
than one thing at a time
Physical effects:
- Seizures
- Muscle spasticity
- Double vision or
blindness
- Loss of smell or
taste
- Speech impairments
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Balance problems
- Pain
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Emotional
effects:
- Difficulty completing tasks
- Increased anxiety
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Impulsive behavior
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Who
is most at risk for sustaining a brain injury?
Anyone can incur a brain injury. However, statistics show
that males are two times more likely than females to
sustain a brain injury. The highest rates of brain injury
typically occur in males ages 15-24. Young children and
individuals over 75 years of age are also more susceptible
to head injury due to falls. Individuals who have already
sustained a brain injury are also at an increased risk of
sustaining another brain injury.
What physical damages can occur
after a brain injury?
After a brain injury, a variety of physical damages may
occur including:
- Hematoma (epidural,
subdural and/or intracerebral)
- Brain swelling/edema
- Increased intracranial
pressure
- Cerebral vasospasm
- Intracranial infection
- Epilepsy
- Aphasia - difficulty
understanding and producing spoken and written language
How is
a traumatic brain injury diagnosed?
If there is evidence of gross damage to the brain, such as
hemorrhaging, swelling or contusions, these physical
findings are detected by CT scan or MRI. Where the damage
is minimal, a diagnosis is made by obtaining history from
the patient, the symptoms reported by the patient and the
results of neuropsychological testing. Patients with brain
injury require frequent assessments and diagnostic tests.
These include:
- Neurological Exam: A
series of questions and simple commands to see if the
patient can open their eyes, move, speak, and understand
what is going on around them.
- X-ray: A picture that
looks at bones to see if they are broken (fractured).
- CT scan (CAT scan): An
X-ray that takes pictures of the brain or other parts of
the body.
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance
Imaging) Scan: A large magnet and radio waves are used,
instead of X-rays, to take pictures of the tissues of
the body.
- Angiogram: A test to
look at the blood vessels in the brain. Using a
catheter, dye is put into an artery that supplies blood
to the brain. This test can tell if the blood vessels
are damaged.
What
are cerebral contusions?
Cerebral contusions are bruises on the brain caused by the
brain striking the wall of the skull. A severe contusion
will involve swelling of the brain. If swelling is severe,
these injuries can cause a severe headache, dizziness, and
vomiting. One pupil may be larger than the other.
Depending on which area of the brain is damaged, the
ability to think, control emotions, move, feel, speak,
see, hear, and remember may be impaired. The person may
become irritable, restless, or agitated.
How many people suffer traumatic
brain injury each year?
Approximately two million head injuries occur each year in
the United States and between 75,000 and 100,000 Americans
die each year as a result of those injuries. For those who
survive, at least 500,000 will require hospitalization and
70,000 to 90,000 will suffer long-term, physical,
intellectual, psychological and cognitive deficits. After
a brain injury, things that once were easy and familiar
become strange and difficult. The injured party often
becomes less efficient at their job and their livelihood
is jeopardized.
How is traumatic brain injury
treated?
The cognitive and communication problems of traumatic
brain injury are best treated early, often beginning while
the individual is still in the hospital. This early
therapy will frequently center on increasing skills of
alertness and attention, and focus on improving
orientation to person, place, time, and situation.
Long-term rehabilitation can be performed individually, in
groups, or both, depending upon the needs of the
individual. This therapy occurs in a rehab facility
designed specifically for the treatment of individuals
with traumatic brain injury. This type of setting allows
for intensive therapy by speech-language pathologists,
physical therapists, occupational therapists, and
neuropsychologists. Other courses of action may include
therapy at home by visiting therapists or on an outpatient
basis at a hospital, medical center, or rehabilitation
facility.
Can traumatic brain injury be
prevented?
Unlike most neurological disorders, head injuries can be
prevented. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
have issued the following safety tips for reducing the
risk of suffering a traumatic brain injury:
- Wear a seatbelt every
time you are in a car.
- Buckle your child into a
child safety seat, booster seat, or seatbelt (depending
on the child's age).
- Wear a helmet and make
sure your children wear helmets when riding a bike or
motorcycle; playing a contact sport such as football or
ice hockey; using in-line skates or riding a skateboard;
batting and running bases in baseball or softball;
riding a horse; skiing or snowboarding.
- Keep firearms and
bullets stored in a locked cabinet when not in use.
- Avoid falls by using a
step-stool with a grab bar to reach objects on high
shelves; installing handrails on stairways; installing
window guards to keep young children from falling out of
open windows; using safety gates at the top and bottom
of stairs when young children are around.
- Make sure the surface on
your child's playground is made of shock-absorbing
material.
Why
is traumatic brain injury referred to as the “Silent
Epidemic”?
Traumatic brain injury has been referred to as the “silent
epidemic" because of the staggering number of people who
are injured each year and the lack of public awareness
about its consequences. Statistically, only one person in
20 with a traumatic brain injury receives the
rehabilitation necessary to improve their quality of life.
What is being done to raise
awareness of traumatic brain injuries?
There are many ways the Center for Disease Control (CDC)
raises awareness of brain injuries. As part of a national
initiative to prevent brain injuries and improve clinical
management for patients with traumatic brain injury, the
CDC has developed a tool kit for primary care physicians.
The tool kit contains practical, easy-to-use clinical
information, patient information, scientific literature,
and a CD-ROM. The CDC has also developed a tool kit for
high school coaches to raise awareness about
sports-related concussions. This kit provides information
on how to prevent and manage sports-related concussions
appropriately.
If a loved one or I have
suffered a brain injury, should I contact an attorney?
It is important that a lawyer be contacted to evaluate
your case as soon as possible. Often, the circumstances of
an accident or injury must be investigated promptly or
valuable evidence is forever lost. In addition, statute of
limitations may apply in your state. Contact Diez-Arguelles & Tejedor today for a free consultation.
If you or a loved one have
suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) please
contact us or
complete our online
case evaluation for a free consultation. You may have
the right to seek compensation, let us help you and your
family.
Traumatic Brain Injury Legal Questions & Answers:
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What is a tort?
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What is negligence?
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What are compensatory damages?
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What are punitive damages?
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What does pain and suffering include?
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What is contributory negligence?
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I fell in a puddle of water at the grocery store. Can I
sue and win a lot of money?
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I didn’t have any medical expenses or lost income when I
fell in the store; can I still collect a settlement?
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How is negligence determined?
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I’ve heard the phrase “assumption of risk.” What does it
mean?
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I didn’t go the doctor right away and now I have pain?
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I can’t work; can I file for unemployment even though
litigation is pending?
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I can’t afford an attorney! What do I do?
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Diez-Arguelles & Tejedor
520 North Semoran Blvd.
Suite 200
Orlando, Florida 32807
407.705.2880
888.888.3773
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