The leading causes of traumatic brain injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) affect thousands of children and adults every year in the United States. For this reason, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published vital statistics relating to TBI, its causes and who in the country is most affected by these debilitating injuries.
Let’s take a look at the leading causes of TBIs identified by the CDC related to data from 2013:
- Falls: Falls appear to be the primary cause of TBIs. Approximately 47 percent of brain injuries resulting in hospitalizations, emergency department visits and death happened after a fall.
- Struck by an object or hitting an object: Getting hit by an object or hitting against an object was the next most common cause of TBIs, causing approximately 15 percent of hospitalizations, emergency department visits and deaths.
- Auto crashes: The next most common cause of TBIs related to car accidents. These resulted in 14 percent of hospitalizations, emergency department visits and deaths. However, car crashes caused 19 percent of deaths.
- Self-harm: Finally, intentional self-harm resulted in 33 percent of deaths related to TBIs.
The sooner an accident victim suffering from a TBI gets treatment, the sooner that he or she can start to recover in the best way possible. In some cases, the only legitimate treatment for a TBI is rest and rehabilitative therapy; however, in the hours following an accident, certain treatments can help curb the worsening TBI to assist in the recovery process.
Traumatic brain injury treatments, rehabilitative therapies and occupational therapies after an accident are expensive. In some situations, though, a victim might be able to pursue financial damages in court with the help of a brain injury attorney.
Source: CDC, “TBI: Get the facts,” accessed Sep. 29, 2017