The Hidden Crisis: Revealing the Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury

The figures relating to traumatic brain injury (TBI) in New Jersey and the nation are alarming. It happens far more than we think and leaves suffering and struggling in its wake. According to statistics for the state, roughly 175,000 New Jersey residents are living with disabilities from a TBI. 

The leading causes of this injury are car accidents, slip and fall accidents, assaults, and self-inflicted injuries, with the majority of such injuries affecting those under the age of 35. Those numbers and the demographics skew for those in the 65+ age bracket due to an increased incidence of falls. 

A traumatic brain injury is the result of an external force causing damage to brain tissues. Brain injuries take many forms, and their long-term effects are challenging to evaluate. However, identifying a brain injury is an important first step in treating it.

Nationwide, those who experience a TBI tallies approximately 1.4 million each year. This figure also represents 50,000 deaths, 235,000 hospitalized, and 1.1 million people going to ER facilities for treatment. There are approximately 5.3 million people in the nation who are living with a TBI, and are struggling to recover to live a better life.

The most at-risk population segments to sustain a TBI are children aged 0 to 14, 15 to 19 years old, and adults over the age of 75. Males are twice as likely to sustain a TBI compared to females. 

A concerning story revolves around the frequency of TBIs sustained by various age groups that can affect a person’s life temporarily or permanently, and that lies in the cause of the falls.

Ranking the Causes of TBI’s

• 28 percent of TBIs are the result of fall down accidents
• 20 percent arise from car accidents
• 19 percent are the result of being struck by an object – or the person striking an object
• 11 percent are attributed to violence

Most notably, sporting activities, which many Americans participate in daily, are the cause of many more TBIs. Those participating in sports, such as the following examples, run a higher risk of sustaining a traumatic brain injury:

• Cycling
• Football
• Baseball
• Softball
• Basketball
• Falls off recreational vehicles (such as ATV’s, motorcycles, etc.)
• Skateboards (manual and powered by a motor)
• Scooters (manual and powered by a motor)
• Soccer
• Skiing
• Sledding
• Snowboarding
• Various water sports, e.g., Water polo, scuba diving, surfing
• Riding horses
• Working out at the gym with weights
• Golfing
• Trampolines
• Hockey
• Cheerleading
• Gymnastics
• Skating
• Rugby
• Lacross
• Wrestling

According to recent brain injury data, roughly three-quarters of hospital emergency room visits involving a TBI are considered mild; yet nearly 70,000 people who sustain a TBI are left with permanent damage. 

Types of Traumatic Brain Injury Complications

Sustaining a TBI is not just a matter of hitting your head, or being hit in the head. It is a complex injury and can affect more than we may think is possible. It’s not just a simple injury, and it can impact a whole host of other things over the days, weeks, months, or years that a survivor is dealing with recovery.  Traumatic brain injury complications may include, but are not limited to:

• Alzheimer’s
• Balance issues
• Behavioral issues
• Concussions
• Coma 
• Cognitive disabilities
• Difficulty swallowing
• Epilepsy
• Hypoxia
• Infections
• Language difficulties
• Nerve damage
• Personality changes
• Parkinson’s disease
• Seizures
• Sensory problems

One of the reasons that caring for someone with a TBI is so expensive is that there are multiple approaches to dealing with it, ranging from cognitive therapy, counseling, speech therapy, rehabilitation, medications, and physical therapy. Additionally, as the individual with TBI changes over time, the treatments may need to change to keep pace. 

Contact a New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney Today!

If you have been in an accident and suffered a serious head injury, seek medical attention immediately and make sure to maintain all records of your diagnosis and treatment, and retain all receipts relating to your accident’s related expenses. This information should be kept for your traumatic brain injury lawyer. 

Your experienced New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury attorney from the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm will help you deal with insurance companies while you take the time to recover. Dealing with a brain injury may require numerous medications, speech therapy, home nursing care, assistive equipment, occupational/physical therapy, home modifications, cognitive therapy and more. These expenses may be recovered by filing a lawsuit against the negligent party. Additionally, your lawyer could recover other forms of compensation, such as lost wages, lost income, and pain and suffering. At the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, we have counseled and represented many traumatic brain injury and car accident clients for more than 35 years, and have significant experience obtaining maximum financial compensation. Our firm can help you recover the damages you need to get your life back on track after suffering a serious head injury. Contact us for a free, confidential consultation today at (973) 920-7900. There is no risk in calling, because we never charge a fee unless we can help you recover compensation for your injuries. We have offices conveniently located in Denville and Morristown.