Myth: Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) Are not serious or disabling. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), this myth is false and can cause dangerous repercussions for individuals who do not take the proper action following a traumatic accident. In fact, the NIH claims that consequences of TBI include dramatic changes in the individual’s life course. This can go so far as to disrupt the dynamic of a family or catalyze enormous loss of income or earning potential and large expenses over a lifetime.
Unfortunately, traumatic brain injuries occur every day, with approximately 1.4 million individuals who sustain such injuries each year. Emerging from this number, fifty thousand victims will die each year from TBI, with an additional 300,000 who are hospitalized, and 1.1 million who are treated in emergency care. This staggering number reveals that, on average, an accident involving a brain injury occurs every 22 seconds with the largest demographic of patients that suffer from traumatic brain injuries are children under the age of 10.
Brain injuries are unlike any other injury because brain injuries can occur on a microscopic level, many times unable to be detected by CT scans, EEGs, and X-Rays. However, despite the lack of physical evidence, brain injuries have serious consequences. Approximately half of injured patients will receive some sort of surgical repair or removal following the incident. In the United States alone, costs of TBI reach upwards of $56 billion each year (as estimated by the California Brain Injury Association). Clearly, the cost to the patient for treating a traumatic brain injury can end up costing more than what many people may earn in a lifetime. At an estimated 50%, victims suffer TBI’s as a result of motor vehicle accidents, physical blows, and assaults – which results in innocent civilians being brutally harmed. Why then, should you be responsible for paying the cost to treat your injury? Shouldn’t the party at fault be held responsible for their actions? Many patients are simply victims that find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and are sometimes forced to deal with physical side effects and symptoms that can be prolonged for years. Moreover, the social consequences of mild, moderate and severe TBI are many and serious, including increased risk of suicide, divorce, chronic unemployment, economic strain and substance abuse.
The laws of California allow victims of brain injuries to sue a negligent party for damages caused by such negligence that may have resulted in their brain injuries. More so, victims or individuals suing on behalf of their loved ones deserve to be fairly compensated for their pain and losses. Our attorneys will determine who wrongfully caused such injury and help to recover compensation that may include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Rehabilitation therapy
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
- Other accident related expenses
For any additional questions or information regarding traumatic brain injuries, please contact California personal injury lawyer Emery Ledger of Law Offices of Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or visit his website www.LedgerLaw.com.
