March Is Brain Injury Awareness Month – Here’s What You Need To Know

March 2, 2023
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There are some pretty silly “National” months that have cropped over the years and you see them all over the Internet when the calendar changes to a new month, but March does have a particular significance to the health and well-being of all people.  March is Brain Injury Awareness Month and it is critical to getting the word out about how brain injuries happen, what types of brain injuries there are and how you can prevent a brain injury from happening to you.

With that in mind, today we’re going to highlight some of the ways you can get a brain injury through common everyday accidents like New Haven auto accidents or New Haven bicycle accidents.  This is in no way to startle you, but rather to inform and protect you as you participate in these necessary daily tasks that could put you at risk any month of the year.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can occur in many different ways, but one significant way is when you are driving in the car.  Accidents that involve motor vehicles traveling at a high speed can lead to severe injuries and sometimes death.  To avoid a brain injury that occurs as the result of an auto accident you will want to take some precautionary steps to keep yourself safe;

1.) Wear a seat belt: Seat belts are one of the best and scientifically proven ways to protect yourself from serious injury when driving a motor vehicle.  If you and everyone wears a seat belt and you get into an accident you may be injured, but the likelihood that the injury will be severe will be greatly reduced.  The chances of a TBI when getting into an auto accident while wearing a seat belt are greatly reduced as well.

2.) Drive at the speed limit:  Time and time again studies have shown that excessive speed leads to more severe auto accidents.  In fact, the data shows us that driving over the speed limit can greatly increase your risk of getting into an accident that will be fatal.  Keeping your speed reasonable will lead to safer travels for you and your passengers.

Another mode of transportation that can often lead to a TBI is riding a bicycle.  You may not often think about the types of accidents that can happen when you’re enjoying a ride on two wheels, but truth be told, if you’re not protecting yourself when you’re riding a bicycle there are a significant amount of serious injuries that can occur, leaving you with lifelong health issues.  If you want to avoid a brain injury while riding your bike there is one very specific thing you should do, WEAR A HELMET.  It may not be the “cool” thing to do, but it is absolutely the safe thing to do.  Wearing a helmet is the only proven way to protect yourself while you’re out riding a bike.  If you choose to go out without a helmet the possibility of getting seriously injured increases dramatically.

A New Haven bicycle accident or a New Haven auto accident are not the only two ways you could experience a traumatic brain injury in day to day life.   Things like slipping and falling down a flight of stairs or being involved in a motorcycle accident can also put you in a situation where you are injured, possibly with a lifelong injury, so you should take safety precautions seriously and keep yourself protected.

In the event that you do find yourself injured you may wish to speak with an attorney who has experience in situations like yours.  Contact our office and one of our attorneys to speak with them about your situation and how we can help protect your long-term interests.