Traumatic brain injuries contribute to around 30 percent of all deaths across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 2.5 million people sustained a TBI in 2010 alone. A severe TBI can cause the victim to lose consciousness for an extended period of time after the injury or to suffer from amnesia. It also contributes to a number of long-term and short-term medical issues, which is why it is one of the most catastrophic injuries one can suffer.
A brain injury can affect cognitive facility, such as one’s attention span and memory. It can change someone’s balance and impair their coordination when it affects the victim’s motor functions. Sensations can be lost or altered-hearing, vision and touch can all become impaired if there is a brain injury. And, Washington residents may be surprised to hear that emotions can also change-someone suffering from a brain injury could suddenly struggle with impulse control, aggression or undergo other personality changes.
Not only does a TBI affect the individual who is suffering from it, but also their family and friends. They may no longer be able to maintain friendships or hold down jobs. Depending on the severity of the injury, they could also be unable to perform basic daily tasks, such as change one’s clothes or feed oneself. Those with severe injuries often require hospitalization and, of those who have been hospitalized, 43 percent were found to have a related disability a year after the injury was sustained.
Slips and falls and car accidents were the leading causes of brain injuries in most age groups, which means they are most often caused by someone else’s negligence. If this is the case, a victim might want to speak to an experienced professional about the legal options available to recover compensation to cover the medical expenses associated with their injuries.
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