Traumatic brain injury is damage done to the brain as a result of an outside force. Around 2.5 million deaths, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations related to serious injury to the brain took place in 2010, of which a number were in New Mexico. Of the total in the United States, over 50,000 people passed away due to traumatic brain injuries.
External forces that may cause traumatic brain injury include a foreign object’s penetration of the skull, a sudden jolt that causes the brain to violently bounce or twist, or a bump to the head. Concussions are considered to be medium or mild forms of traumatic brain injury. The individuals who are most susceptible to traumatic brain injuries are kids, particularly newborns to those 4 years of age.
Other groups that are highly susceptible to brain injuries are young adults between 15 and 24, as well as people who are 75 years old or older. Symptoms of traumatic brain injury can be challenging to recognize since they differ based on how severe a person’s injury is. These symptoms may include headache, lightheadedness, tired eyes, and even mood or behavioral changes.
From 2006 to 2010, falls led to 40 percent of traumatic brain injuries in the United States. Meanwhile, vehicle crashes accounted for 14 percent of injuries, assaults accounted for 10 percent, and unintentional blunt trauma accounted for 15 percent. When a person in New Mexico suffers a serious injury to the brain because of the carelessness of another entity or person, he or she has the right to file a personal injury claim against that party, seeking damages. An award of damages may prove helpful for covering the person’s ongoing medical costs and other losses stemming from the brain injury-causing incident.
Source: livescience.com, “Traumatic Brain Injury: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment“, Alina Bradford, March 9, 2016