Five Facts To Know During Brain Injury Awareness Month

Led by the Brain Injury Association of America, each March the country recognizes March as Brain Injury Awareness Month. Brain injuries are a very layered and difficult topic to unravel and therefore it is critical each March that more and more information is spread to the general population so that information regarding these types of injuries is de-mystified and can be easily digested.

There are a variety of areas that we discuss regularly on this website that may lead to a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI.) A TBI may occur as the result of a New Haven auto accident, depending on the circumstances and speed at which a vehicle is traveling would depend on the severity of the injury. In the event that you were involved in a New Haven slip and fall accident you may experience a TBI as the result of your accident. There are multiple other areas where a TBI could occur in the general course of your day to day life so it is important that you are aware of some of the facts around these injuries.

As with any “awareness” month it is not the intent to scare you into thinking that you are going to become injured, but rather to provide you with the information you need to be able to go through your day to day life and insure your safety. Things like wearing a seat belt or a helmet while in a car or a motorcycle could go a long way in protecting you from these dangers. Therefore, the more you know about them the more likely you may be to protect yourself against getting into a situation where you might become injured.

Between the International Brain Injury Association and the U.S. Centers For Disease Control (CDC) there is a lot of research and improving understanding around traumatic brain injuries. While experts are able to make some determinations based on the data, it is mostly data that is seen after the fact and therefore provides a cautionary tale for all of us. Some of the information below is from both of these organizations to give you a clear picture of the dangers of these types of injuries.

1.) 5.3 million people have disabilities that are a direct result of a brain injury.

2.) Nearly 1 million people are hospitalized each year in emergency departments throughout the country as the result of a TBI.

3.) Nearly 70,000 people die each year because of an injury that was sustained to the brain.

4.) Those who are at the greatest risk of experiencing these types of injuries are young people (ages 15-24 years old) and older adults (those over 75 years of age.)

5.) Men are most likely to experience a TBI. While females certainly do experience these types of injuries they are far less likely to experience them then men.

During National Brain Injury Awareness Month it is important to read about and spread quality information about the affects of TBI on our society as a whole. The more you know about these terrible injuries the more likely you will be to prevent them from occurring. The information above can be shared on social media so more people will understand the severity of the problem.

As you go through your day you will want to make sure you are taking precautionary steps that will help protect you from a TBI. That includes wearing a seat belt while driving in a car so that in the event that you are experiencing a New Haven auto accident you are protected. You will also want to wear proper footwear and watch your step, especially on higher platforms and stairs so you do not experience a New Haven slip and fall accident that would lead you to getting injured.

Traumatic brain injuries can be extremely serious and the incidents that led to them can become quite complex. If you or a loved one experience this type of accident and you are concerned that you have experienced a brain injury you should seek medical attention immediately. If you believe that the accident that led to this type of injury was not your fault, you may wish to speak to an attorney with experience with your kind of accident. Contact our office and one of our attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.