Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) come in all shapes and sizes. Some TBIs are so severe that an individual suffers catastrophic medical effects. Large periods of unconsciousness or brain damage so severe that people can no longer regulate their own body temperature reading are some of the worst-case scenarios for brain injuries. Moderate brain injuries could cause issues with balance, problems with cognitive function and even motor function issues.
Any brain injury that causes severe consequences at first or lingering effects can have an impact on one’s earning potential and result in massive medical expenses. If you hope to avoid suffering a TBI or help your family stay safe, you first have to understand what situations are most likely to result in a brain injury.
- What many think is the top cause is actually a distant second
If you were to ask someone that you work with or a stranger on the street what causes most brain injury, they will probably tell you that car accidents cause brain injuries. While it is certainly true that motor vehicle travel is a leading cause of TBIs, it is not actually the top cause.
According to an analysis of emergency room data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the top cause of TBIs. Falls are responsible for 52% of all overall TBI-related hospitalizations. Falls are the reasons for 49% of children requiring emergency care for TBIs and 81% of adults aged 65 or older. Car crashes are in a distant second place, although they are responsible for about 20% of all TBI hospitalizations.
In other words, you have more risk for suffering a brain injury because a business doesn’t keep its floor swept or your landlord doesn’t replace the light that burned out in a stairwell than you do from a car crash.
- Many TBI sufferers have access to insurance benefits
If you suffer a brain injury on the job, whether you were driving someplace or fell while working in construction, workers’ compensation will cover your medical costs and at least a portion of the wages you don’t learn during your recovery.
If you got hurt in a car crash that happened during your personal time, you may be able to make a claim against the other driver’s policy. Slip-and-fall incidents that happened in public spaces or on someone else’s property can give you grounds for a premises liability insurance claim or even a civil lawsuit.
Looking at the long-term cost of the TBI on you and your family and the circumstances that led to your injury can help you make the best decision for yourself in the people that you love.