Common Causes of Brain Injuries

The Superbowl officially puts football season behind us, and with it the focus on concussions in the media will likely fade until summer training camp. The harsh reality, however, is that head and brain injuries continue to impact the lives of many individuals, often with head injury survivors requiring lifelong medical care.

The first few days or weeks following a diagnosis of brain injury can be confusing and even frightening. When these injuries result from an accident or another’s negligent, reckless or intentional conduct, it may be possible for victims to recover damages.

What is a traumatic brain injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an insult to the brain caused by an external physical force, often occurring with:

• motor vehicle accidents;
• bicycle accidents;
• falls;
• assaults;
• sports-related injuries;
• proximity to explosions/blast injuries.

A concussion is a mild TBI.  A brain injury may produce a diminished or altered state of consciousness, and can result in impairment of both cognitive abilities or physical functioning.  These impairments may be either temporary or permanent and can cause partial or total functional disability.

According to the Brain Injury Association of NYS (www.bianys.org), every 13 seconds, someone in the United States sustains a TBI. Falls, a leading cause of death for adults ages 65 and older, also pose a significant threat for brain injuries.  Another leading cause of TBIs are accidents involving motor vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles.  Brain injuries are also common for those who engage in boxing, football, baseball, soccer, and hockey. Finally, violent crimes, gunshot wounds and explosions often result in traumatic brain injuries.

Recovery from brain injury

While there is no one size fits all solution, there are interventions that can be effective to help limit the impact of this injury. These measures include primary prevention, early management, and treatment of severe TBI.

In the end, traumatic brain injuries can have long lasting consequences. However, an experienced personal injury attorney can help victims recover damages for pain and suffering, present and future medical and rehabilitative costs, loss of function, and lost wages.