A traumatic brain injury, commonly referred to as a TBI, is a type of injury caused when a sudden or repeated blow to the head occurs. These injuries can range from mild, such as having a mild concussion, to serious, such as resulting in a coma or worse. There are many causes of TBIs in children and adults, as a brain injury lawyer like one from Ward & Ward Law Firm can tell you.
Slip-and-Fall Accidents
Nearly half of all traumatic brain injuries that send people to the emergency room are due to a slip-and-fall accident. This can be a workplace injury, such as one that happens on a construction site, or it could be because someone slips down the stairs in his or her own home. In some cases, a customer slips on water or another substance on a floor and falls in a place of business. Although technically not a slip-and-fall accident, heavy machinery or equipment falling can also cause a TBI in the workplace.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Another common cause of TBIs is car accidents, many of which happen at work for people who are in industries like transportation, construction, or forestry. Whether the car accident was at work or during personal travel, quick stops, rolling the vehicle, or being hit head-on can cause serious brain injuries.
Sports Injuries
Sports injuries are a very common cause of traumatic brain injuries. In fact, one study showed that 110 of the 111 deceased NFL members in the research had at least mild brain damage. The constant rough tackles are the main cause of blame, but not only NFL players get head injuries in sports. Rogue baseballs cause injuries not only to players, but to fans in the stands from time to time, and one study showed that 54% of participating soccer players had experienced at least one soccer-associated concussion.
Violence
Unfortunately, violence is another cause of brain injuries, especially in children. Assaults, including shaken baby syndrome, and child abuse, commonly include punches, shoves, or other methods of violence that result in hard hits to the head. Sometimes, that violence escalates to gun-related traumatic brain injuries, which include attempted suicides.
Have you or someone you loved suffered a traumatic brain injury because of someone else’s carelessness? Diagnosing and treating a TBI can be quite expensive, especially if the injured person can no longer work. You may be entitled to compensation for the injury if it was through no fault of your own. Contact a brain injury lawyer for more information.
