The Costs of Accidents Involving Traumatic Brain Injury

Jurors in California awarded a man $6.4 million in damages for traumatic brain injuries he suffered in a public transportation accident in 2008. A quadriplegic, the man used a wheelchair to get around. As he was using a lift to get onto a bus, the platform broke, and he rolled backwards off it, falling six feet onto his head. He has lost his senses of smell and taste and now has short-term memory troubles as a result of the accident.

Boston University's medical school has recently begun a program to examine the effects of brain trauma on people's personalities and functioning. The program is looking at athletes, particularly hockey and football players, who experienced repeated concussions throughout their careers. Researchers have so far noticed a link between depression and an inability to control impulses and brain trauma. If an accident has caused traumatic brain injury to you or a loved one, a Boston injury attorney can help you determine if you are eligible to receive compensation for injuries.

Accidents Involving Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death in the United States for people under 45. It occurs every 15 seconds and most commonly results from accidents where a person's head strikes something else, such as in car accidents, falls or sports injuries. Whiplash, a common injury suffered in car crashes, is particularly harmful to the brain.

Accidents that cause traumatic brain injury are costly because of the effects of damage to the brain. These accidents can affect a person's balance, motor skills, strength, endurance, language, memory and psychology. In some cases, people may be suffering from traumatic brain injury and may not even be aware of it. They may appear to be fine on the surface, but have trouble functioning as a result of an accident from years ago.

Because of the major effects of traumatic brain injury, the costs associated with accidents that cause these types of injuries are high:

• Lifetime costs for a person with severe traumatic brain injury range from $600,000 to nearly $2 million
• Medical and non-medical costs for someone who suffered a traumatic brain injury average over $150,000
• Nearly 100,000 people that have the most severe traumatic brain injuries never return to their original lifestyles
• Of the 1.7 million that sustain a traumatic brain injury each year in the United States, 52,000 die and 275,000 must receive treatment in a hospital

 

Any accident involving traumatic brain injury is serious. Whether or not effects manifest themselves immediately, people involved in such accidents should take all precautions and protect their rights. If you or a loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury, contact a Washington DC injury lawyer at Pollack & Flanders, LLP to learn whether you can obtain compensation for your medical bills.