Important Facts about Traumatic Brain Injury
One of the most pervasive, yet least understood types of physical injury, is traumatic brain injury, also known as TBI. There are myriad reasons for the relative lack of public awareness and knowledge surrounding TBI, but one of the primary contributing factors is the inability of the person experiencing TBI, and anyone around the TBI victim, to physically see the injury itself. While some of the manifestations of TBI exhibit external physical symptoms, many of the more debilitating aspects of such injuries are internal, mental, and therefore, naked to the human eye, often being falsely attributed to something else. Despite this lack of visibility in the public conversation, the statistics surrounding TBI are astounding.
There are over one and a half million people who suffer from a TBI every single year. Of that staggering number, fifty-two thousand die. If that wasn’t enough, close to three hundred thousand are hospitalized. Close to eighty percent of them are sent to an emergency room after an accident before they are released. Of all deaths related to injury in the United States, TBI is a contributing factor in at least one-third of all cases.
Demographic statistics reveal that TBI does not discriminate. In terms of age, everyone from infants to the elderly, teens to adults in their thirties, are impacted by TBI. In terms of gender, TBI rates are higher for males than females. With regard to cost, it is estimated that up to sixty billion dollars are lost every year due to TBIs.
A common cause of TBI is automobile accidents. The impact of an automobile accident can lead to everything from minor concussions to full blown brain damage. Bruising on the brain can occur from the brain bouncing against the walls of the skull. These are just a few examples of the types of injuries that can occur after an accident. Because TBIs can be so debilitating, and the effects of their injuries so wide-ranging, it’s important to not only receive the appropriate medical attention immediately, but to make sure one has the necessary legal representation to address medical costs, damages, and future loss of income and lifestyle.
To find the right lawyer for the job, it is important to find someone with the kind of in-depth knowledge about the specific types of TBIs related to your specific accident or circumstance. Getting the most you can out of such cases rests upon the ability of your lawyer to navigate the particular nuances of these highly specialized cases. It is important to conduct the appropriate research to find the right lawyer for you. Especially when dealing with cases that rely upon an in-depth knowledge of TBI.
