Today is Brain Injury Awareness Day at the United States Capitol, where there will be a congressional briefing given by representatives of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) to Congress, as part of the annual Brain Injury Awareness Month public awareness campaign BIAA hosts every March.
For over 30 years the Brain Injury Association of America has promoted public awareness of the growing prevalence of brain injury victims in this country, and the particular needs not only facing victims of serious brain injuries but also their caretakers and loved ones.
Every nine (9) seconds someone in the United States sustains a serious brain injury. Each day, 137 people die because of a TBI- related head injury.
This year, Brain Injury Awareness Month is focusing upon three issues:
- De-stigmatization of brain injury;
- Empowering those who are traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors as well as their support system (caregivers, family, friends); and
- Educating the public on the various types of support that can be given and which are available to those suffering everyday with the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury.
Accidents Cause Most Traumatic Brain Injuries
A traumatic brain injury is caused by trauma to the brain from an external force. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, accidents are the reason that most Americans suffer serious head trauma and traumatic brain injury.
- Over 40% of all traumatic brain injuries are caused by a fall (slip and falls, trip and falls).
- Motor vehicle accidents are the reason for 14.3% of traumatic brain injuries in this country.
- Another 15.5% of traumatic brain injuries are caused by the victim being struck by or against a solid force in the head (head trauma, sporting injuries, etc.) .
For more, read: 10 Different Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries Caused by Accidents.
Accident Victims Living With Traumatic Brain Injury
Most accident victims who suffer head trauma will survive. Millions of Americans are disabled as a result of head trauma. They face a lifetime of living a compromised lifestyle because they have sustained a traumatic brain injury.
According to BIAA, at least 2.5 Million people sustain a traumatic brain injury in this country every year. While 50,000 people die each year from traumatic brain injuries, most survive the head trauma and must learn to cope with life in the aftermath of a TBI-related injury.
The cataclysmic force the TBI accident has upon the accident victim’s life cannot be underestimated. Not only does the accident victim have to deal with the initial issues of recovering from the accident’s injuries, but there will be a variety of long-term health care needs as result of the severe head trauma.
TBI accident victims will need the following, often for the remainder of their lifetimes:
- Specialized medical care (additional surgeries, etc.)
- Rehabilitation
- Physical therapy
- Psychological counseling.
Additionally, the accident victim can expect to suffer from weaknesses to his body which may result in other significant health issues over the course of his or her life which includes:
- Seizures
- Severe and chronic fatigue
- Incapacitating headaches
- Dementia
- Parkinson’s disease.
Others Who Suffer as a Result of a TBI Accident
When an accident occurs, the victim of the accident sustains bodily injury in the form of head trauma, but the ramifications of that traumatic brain injury are many. Everyone in relationship with the TBI Accident Victim will be impacted by the accident and its consequences.
After a traumatic brain injury, the relationships between the TBI Accident Victim and those around him change. Often these changes are permanent.
Some whose lives are permanently changed by an accident resulting in a traumatic brain injury are:
- Parents
- Children
- Brothers and Sisters
- Grandparents
- Grandchildren
- Friends
- Co-workers
- Employers
- Educators
- Creditors
The devastation of a serious accident resulting in its victim suffering a traumatic brain injury is catastrophic.
There will be changing responsibilities for accident victims suffering from traumatic brain injury. Roles will be altered, and stress will skyrocket. The financial impact alone to a family after a TBI Accident cannot be underestimated.
Consider the following:
- The family breadwinner may no longer be able to hold a job.
- The person responsible to care for the home and the children may be unable to do so.
- The accident victim may no longer be able to walk; clean up after themselves; to drive a car; or talk on the phone.
There may be a change in personality, as well. Many spouses in the aftermath of a TBI accident will explain to their medical professionals, as well as to their accident injury attorney, that after the accident, they feel that they are “married to a stranger.”
Seeking Justice for All Victims of TBI Injuries
There are a variety of accident scenarios that can result in severe head trauma and a traumatic brain injury. Victims come in all age groups and backgrounds. The accident victim who suffers the bodily injury will have the ability to seek justice against the wrongdoer who causes the traumatic brain injury under state law (and sometimes federal statute).
It’s important for those who suffer alongside the TBI Accident Victim to know that there is legal respect for their suffering, and that legal avenues exist for them to seek justice, too.
If you or a loved one has suffered head trauma or a debilitating brain injury in an accident, then please know that legal remedies exist to help you deal with the consequences of a traumatic brain injury. Please be careful out there!
