Falls are Number One Cause of TBIs
When speaking on the subject of personal injury, we often include traumatic brain injury (TBI) as an aspect of our legal practice. The perception, however, is that TBI is something most often caused by an automobile accident. The truth is that most TBIs are the result of falls. It needn’t take the impact of a motor vehicle to cause damage to the brain. In fact, the impact of someone’s head hitting a hard surface from a standing height is more than sufficient to cause this type of injury. The pain, suffering and potential life changes are the same no matter what the cause.
A study cited by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows that forty-eight percent of TBIs were the result of falls. This is nearly half the total number of falls in the study.
What is a TBI?
A traumatic brain injury is caused by a blow or impact to the head. If the impact is sufficient, it can cause damage to the brain which can be shaken inside the skull or otherwise damaged by the force of the object coming in contact with the head. Some TBIs can be classified as mild up to severe. In severe cases there may be loss of consciousness or memory following the incident. Some people may recover fully following a brain injury of this type, while others may suffer problems for months, years or even the remainder of their lives.
Unfortunate TBI Statistics
According to the study, the incidence of TBIs has risen over the past 15 years. The study was completed in 2014 and looked over data from 2006 to 2014. Within that eight-year period, the occurrence of traumatic brain injuries increased fifty-three percent. The study shows that in 2014 over 2.8 million cases of TBI were reported at the nation’s hospitals, although the rate of death for these injuries did go down by six percent.
Another statistic from the study was that hospitalization rates were greatest for people 75 and older.
What TBI Data Should Tell Us
While not all TBIs are the result of negligence, it should serve as a call to action for companies and other entities that own or oversee property to intensify their efforts to quickly address any potential hazards. This is especially true of places where senior citizens visit or patronize. With some seniors experiencing balance issues or decreased reaction times, what might have been a minor fall for a younger person could end up causing a traumatic brain injury in an older person.
Business owners, landlords or others with oversight of physical spaces always have a duty to address potential hazards (“duty of care”). When a TBI occurs as the result of a fall and that fall was the result of negligence it requires a good personal injury attorney to be able to prove in court that negligence was a factor in the injury.
Too often TBIs can affect a person’s mental or physical function or cause lasting pain and suffering that alters their life. If someone through negligence is responsible for those lasting effects, an injury lawyer can help hold them accountable and secure compensation for victims of this trauma. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury in Orange County, we urge you to consult with an accomplished brain injury lawyer like Kyle Scott in Tustin.
Justice for injuries due to negligence begin with a call to Kyle Scott Law at 714-544-1460 or 866-757-0959. Call today. The consultation is always free.