They may seem like mere numbers, but statistics and
demographics information can give important information on
who is affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI) - and
possibly shed light on how to prevent brain damage. This
article takes a closer look at who is impacted by TBI in an
attempt to show the true costs of brain damage to victims,
their families, and society at large.
Traumatic Brain Injury: Who Is Affected?
Though studies vary slightly, it is generally accepted that
at least 1.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain
injury each year in the United States. However, this figure
only reflects the number of patients who seek treatment at
the emergency department of a hospital or other medical
facility; the number who do not seek care is unknown. This
"mystery factor" in TBI demographics is of concern since
many of the effects of traumatic brain injury can take
months or even years to develop and manifest.
Gender
Men have been found to be as much as twice as likely as
women to sustain a traumatic brain injury. However likely
they are to be affected by brain damage, men have also been
found to have better outcomes from TBI treatment. Medical
professionals are unsure of the cause for worse brain
damage outcomes in female victims; however, it may have to
do with sex hormones or differences in brain structure.
Age
The population of brain-injured patients is generally
acknowledged to skew towards the young side; in fact,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), the two age groups most likely to suffer a brain
injury are aged zero to four and 15 to 19. This is due to a
high incidence of falls in the former group and motor
vehicle accidents in the latter. Elderly individuals above
75 years of age are also more likely to suffer from
traumatic brain injury due to slip and fall injuries
connected to the aging process and medications.
What Are The Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury?
There are many causes for traumatic brain injury, but motor
vehicle accidents are the leading cause of TBI in victims
across all age ranges and genders. Firearms and falls
follow, but the causes of brain injury change depending on
the age group in question. For example, the elderly are
almost as likely to sustain TBI after a fall than a motor
vehicle accident, while children often sustain TBI from
blows to the head in abusive situations. Attempted suicide
is an often-overlooked cause of TBI. Alcohol plays a
notable role in traumatic brain injury, with figures
ranging from 32 to 73 percent of all TBI incidents
involving some degree of alcohol abuse. Other causes of TBI
include boating, swimming, and occupational accidents.
What Are The Costs of Traumatic Brain Injury?
The most expensive and dramatic effect of TBI is death: out
of 1.4 million traumatic brain injury cases per year, at
least 50,000 patients die of their injuries. But there are
other costs and complications of TBI, one of which is
lifetime disability (80,000 of the 1.4 million cases will
result in long-term disability). Though it is possible to
survive a traumatic brain injury, the onset of disability
has other consequences, which include personality changes
and resultant family instability, financial insecurity due
to the inability to work or hold down a job, and resulting
lost productivity and reduced participation in activities
of daily living.
Though perhaps nothing can put a dollar value on an
individual's loss of independence and daily life skills,
there are distinct monetary losses associated with TBI.
These include lost wages, inability to work, and social
costs such as lost taxes and required state assistance.
Some statistics estimate that traumatic brain injury costs
the United States over $60 billion per year in combined
costs.
If You've Been Affected by Traumatic Brain Injury
If you or a loved one has experienced the cost of traumatic
brain injury, contact an experienced TBI attorney. Your
traumatic brain injury lawyer can help you file a lawsuit
and obtain the compensation you deserve for lost wages,
medical costs, rehabilitation and future medical care.
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Individuals who have suffered from traumatic brain injury
(TBI) can visit the information portal at
http://brain-injury.legalview.com for more on treatments
and causes. Also, use the LegalView homepage at
http://www.LegalView.com to learn more about other common
legal issues affecting Americans such as the serious
levaquin risks or the Singulair side effects.
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