March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month. Those living with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or caring for a loved one that’s in the process of recovering from a TBI can often feel alone. Understanding TBIs and the signs of TBIs is very important. and actually can mean life or death. This month of awareness helps to spread information about TBIs to the masses. Here’s a little more information.
Statistics on TBI
Here are some things you might, and might not know, about TBI.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in people aged 1 to 44.
- Brain injuries are typically caused by motor vehicle crashes, sports injuries, and simple falls.
- Every year approximately 52,000 die as the result of traumatic brain injury.
- An estimated 1.5 million head injuries occur every year.
- TBIs related to sports 1.6 million times a year.
- At least 5.3 million Americans, which equates to 2 percent of the U.S. population, currently live with TBI-related disabilities.
- There are three ranges of TBI: mild, moderate, and severe. It’s important to note that a mild TBI is just as serious as a severe one. The levels refer to loss of consciousness and the mental alteration that results from the trauma
- Moderate trauma increases your risk of Alzheimer’s disease 2.3 times. Severe trauma by 4.5 times.
- Males are roughly twice as likely as females to experience a TBI.
- Exposures to blasts are the leading cause of TBI among active duty military personnel.
- It’s unknown how many people that have TBI have not sought emergency care.
TBI and Personal Injury Attorney
If you or a loved one have suffered a TBI you should immediately contact a personal injury attorney that can build a case for you. You might be eligible to receive compensation for any medical bills or lost wages resulting from time spent in recovery.
