Traumatic brain injury is a major cause of fatalities and injuries in Connecticut and throughout the United States. Nationally, 138 people die each day from injuries involving TBI. It also contributed to the deaths of over 50,000 people and was a factor, alone or with other injuries, in 2.5 million emergency department visits, hospitalizations or deaths in this country in 2010.
A bump, blow, a jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury causing disruption to the brain’s normal functions may become a TBI. Its severity may be mild such as a brief change in mental status or consciousness. The brain injury may range to severe which includes an extended period of unconsciousness or memory loss. Most TBIs are mild and are commonly referred to as a concussion.
Falls were the leading cause of TBI in the United States from 2006 through 2010 as it accounted for 40 percent of all TBIs leading to death, an emergency room visit or hospitalization. Being hit by an object, known as unintentional blunt trauma, was the second leading cause of a TBI. The third cause was motor vehicle accidents, which caused 14 percent of all TBIs. Assaults were the fourth leading cause and were associated with 10 percent of this injury in the United States.
TBI can also cause injuries that last from a few days to a lifetime. Its effects include impaired thinking or memory, movement, or sensation such and vision or hearing. It can also have an impact on emotional functioning such as personality changes or depression.
A person suffering a blow should seek medical assistance as soon as possible. Where the negligence or recklessness of another person was a factor in the loss of a loved one, prompt legal advice should be sought to assure that a deceased victim’s family can file a wrongful death lawsuit for compensation.
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States: Fact Sheet,” Accessed Nov. 3, 2014
