California residents may know that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention keeps statistics on a wide variety of topics, one of which is the occurrence of traumatic brain injuries in America. While the controversial topic of concussions in sports typically gets the most media attention in the realm of traumatic brain injuries, also known as “TBI,” the reality is that there are many different causes for these serious injuries. One of the main causes of TBIs are car accidents.
According to the CDC, car accidents are responsible for 14.3 percent of all TBIs. Among the four most well-known causes of TBI, that ranks as the third most common cause. The first, by far, is falls. And among those individuals in the age range of 15-years-old to 44-years-old, car crashes were actually the leading cause of TBI hospitalizations.
Any type of brain injury is a serious concern, but TBI, by its very name, indicates an injury that can be substantially more severe than any other. Those who suffer a TBI will hopefully be diagnosed with the condition early on, as it could be anything from a severe concussion to penetrating damage to the brain. The trickiest aspect of TBIs is that sometimes they are not immediately apparent. A person who suffers a severe concussion may experience extremely painful headaches, nausea or dizziness — but they may not even consider that they have suffered a TBI.
Fortunately, if a car accident occurs, emergency responders are usually on the scene fairly quickly. These highly trained individuals typically know how to spot the symptoms of TBI. That being said, the medical expenses incurred in treating a TBI can be costly, as can any rehabilitative therapy an individual may need. If a person suffered a TBI in a car accident caused by another individual, he or she may want to consider the possibility of taking legal action.
Source: cdc.gov, “TBI: Get the Facts,” Accessed May 29, 2016
