Brain Injuries

Brian injuries are commonly referred to as traumatic brain injury (TBI). Traumatic brain injuries cause or contribute to many permanent disabilities and deaths. According to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (commonly referred to as “CDC”), recent data shows that, on average, approximately 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury annually.

Traumatic brain injury can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. It can be caused by a sport’s injury. It can also be caused by something penetrating the head that damages the brain causing a disruption of normal brain function. Of course, not all bumps, blows, or jolts to the head result in a traumatic brain injury. However, a “bump” that may be perceived as minor at the time may cause a traumatic brain injury. The severity of a traumatic brain injury may range from “mild” (a brief change in mental status or consciousness) to “severe” (an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury). The majority of traumatic brain injury that occur each year are concussions or other forms of mild traumatic brain injury. A medical professional should decide the severity of the traumatic brain injury and the treatment that is necessary.

If you suspect that you, a friend, or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, you should immediately seek the appropriate medical attention. Of course, for any emergency, you should call 911 or go immediately to the nearest emergency room. Any sports injury to the head or that causes a person to be disoriented, should be taken seriously and that person should be removed from the game and provided with medical attention. Always error on the side of caution when considering traumatic brain injuries.

If you suspect that you, a friend, or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury because of the negligence of another, you should consider speaking to a traumatic brain injury attorney such as John Bales Attorneys.

The following is some of the information provided by the CDC on its website of www.cdc.gov about traumatic brain injuries:

Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Concussions can also occur from a fall or a blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. Health care professionals may describe a concussion as a “mild” brain injury because concussions are usually not life-threatening. Even so, their effects can be serious.

Concussion

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Concussion?

Most people with a concussion recover quickly and fully. But for some people, symptoms can last for days, weeks, or longer. In general, recovery may be slower among older adults, young children, and teens. Those who have had a concussion in the past are also at risk of having another one and may find that it takes longer to recover if they have another concussion.

Symptoms of concussion usually fall into four categories:

Some of these symptoms may appear right away, while others may not be noticed for days or months after the injury, or until the person starts resuming their everyday life and more demands are placed upon them. Sometimes, people do not recognize or admit that they are having problems. Others may not understand why they are having problems and what their problems really are, which can make them nervous and upset.

The signs and symptoms of a concussion can be difficult to sort out. Early on, problems may be missed by the person with the concussion, family members, or doctors. People may look fine even though they are acting or feeling differently.

See Getting Better, for tips to help aid your recovery after a concussion.

When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention:

Danger Signs in Adults

In rare cases, a dangerous blood clot may form on the brain in a person with a concussion and crowd the brain against the skull. Contact your health care professional or emergency department right away if you have any of the following danger signs after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body:

• Headache that gets worse and does not go away.
• Weakness, numbness or decreased coordination.
• Repeated vomiting or nausea.
• Slurred speech.

The people checking on you should take you to an emergency department right away if you:

• Look very drowsy or cannot be awakened.
• Have one pupil (the black part in the middle of the eye) larger than the other.
• Have convulsions or seizures.
• Cannot recognize people or places.
• Are getting more and more confused, restless, or agitated.
• Have unusual behavior.
• Lose consciousness (a brief loss of consciousness should be taken seriously and the person should be carefully monitored).

Danger Signs in Children

Take your child to the emergency department right away if they received a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body, and:

• Have any of the danger signs for adults listed above.
• Will not stop crying and cannot be consoled.
• Will not nurse or eat.

How Many People Have Traumatic Brain Injury?

Data are critical to understand traumatic brain injury (TBI) as an important public health problem. This data can help inform traumatic brain injury prevention strategies, identify research and education priorities, and support the need for services among those living with a traumatic brain injury.

National Traumatic Brain Injury Estimates

Each year, an estimated 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury annually¹. Of them:

• 52,000 die,
• 275,000 are hospitalized, and
• 1.365 million, nearly 80%, are treated and released from an emergency department.

Traumatic brain injury is a contributing factor to a third (30.5%) of all injury-related deaths in the United States¹.

About 75% of traumatic brain injuries that occur each year are concussions or other forms of mild traumatic brain injury².

*The number of people with traumatic brain injury who are not seen in an emergency department or who receive no care is unknown.

Traumatic brain injury by Age¹

• Children aged 0 to 4 years, older adolescents aged 15 to 19 years, and adults aged 65 years and older are most likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury.
• Almost half a million (473,947) emergency department visits for traumatic brain injury are made annually by children aged 0 to 14 years.
• Adults aged 75 years and older have the highest rates of traumatic brain injury related hospitalization and death.

Traumatic brain injury by Gender¹

• In every age group, traumatic brain injury rates are higher for males than for females.
• Males aged 0 to 4 years have the highest rates of traumatic brain injury related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Traumatic brain injury BI Estimates by State

CDC currently funds 30 states to conduct basic traumatic brain injury surveillance through the CORE state Injury Program.

To find traumatic brain injury related death and hospitalization data by participating CORE states, see State Injury Indicators Web-based Query System. (Note: Not all states participate in the submission of traumatic brain injury - and other injury-related data compiled in this report.)

Costs of Traumatic Brain Injury

Direct medical costs and indirect costs such as lost productivity of traumatic brain injury totaled an estimated $60 billion in the United States in 2000.

References

1. Faul M, Xu L, Wald MM, Coronado VG. Traumatic brain injury in the United States: emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 2010.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Report to Congress on mild traumatic brain injury in the United States: steps to prevent a serious public health problem. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003.
3. Finkelstein E, Corso P, Miller T and associates. The Incidence and Economic Burden of Injuries in the United States. New York (NY): Oxford University Press; 2006.

Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

If you believe that you, a friend, or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury because of the negligence of another, contact a John Bales Attorneys traumatic brain injury attorney today. Complete a FREE Online Consultation Form or call us toll free 1-800-CALL JOHN (1-800-225-5564) 24 hours, 7 days a week.