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What You Should Know About Brain Injuries

Posted on behalf of Arnold Law Firm in

brain-red-glow-middle-drawingAccording to the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), someone suffers from a brain injury every nine seconds in the United States. The BIAA estimates more than 3.5 million people sustain acquired brain injuries (ABI) every year, and this does not include degenerative, congenital, hereditary or birth injuries.

These are just some of the reasons why March has been designated as Brain Injury Awareness Month. Below, learn more about this year’s theme and the scope of the problem of brain injuries across the nation.

Change Your Mind

The Brain Injury Awareness Month campaign theme for 2020 is #ChangeYourMind. The goals for this campaign are:

  • Educate the public about the problem
  • Promote support for brain injury victims
  • De-stigmatize brain injuries
  • Empower brain injury survivors along with their caretakers

You can participate in this campaign by sharing flyers, posters and ads, along with the personal stories of brain injury victims, shared through BIAA. 

Facts About Traumatic Brain Injuries

One of the most serious types of ABI is traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI is sustained when there is an alteration of brain function, or other evidence of pathology, caused by an external force. TBI can cause permanent damage to the functioning of the brain and other parts of the body.

BIAA estimates that there are at least 5.3 million people living in the United States with a disability that was caused by some type of TBI, and that number could be even higher since not everyone seeks treatment for their injuries. This means that one in every 60 people living in the U.S. suffers from a disability caused by TBI.

An even more troubling fact is that 137 people die every day in the U.S. from TBI-related injuries — approximately 50,000 deaths every year.

People Affected by Brain Injuries

When an individual suffers from a serious brain injury, it may also affect additional people, such as the victim’s spouse, parents, siblings, guardians, neighbors, friends and other loved ones. The effects of TBI can impact all aspects of life, including sleep, memory and attention, mood control, anxiety and depression, personality changes, and employability.

Others who could be affected include:

  • Caregivers
  • Health care providers
  • Employers
  • Educators
  • Insurance companies
  • Attorneys
  • Government agencies

What Causes Brain Injuries?

BIAA estimates that 47 percent of TBI cases are caused by some type of fall, the leading cause for these types of injuries. Other common reasons for brain injury include:

  • Substance abuse/overdose
  • Infectious disease
  • Electric shock
  • Oxygen deprivation (Hypoxia/Anoxia)
  • Stroke
  • Tumor
  • Lightning strike
  • Near drowning
  • Toxic exposure
  • Seizure disorder

Contact the Arnold Law Firm to Discuss Your Brain Injury

If you or a loved one suffered from some type of brain injury, contact an experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer from the Arnold Law Firm. Our team of licensed attorneys are prepared to hear the details of your injury claim in a free consultation.

Call us at (916) 777-7777 or fill out a Free Case Evaluation form.

Settlement - $3,767,000

Truck Accident

A 20-year-old man who had been married for just 12 days left home on his way to work. He was driving on Pleasant Grove Road in Sutter County in the early morning when he came upon a slow-moving truck. As he pulled out to pass the truck, the truck driver turned left in front of him. The young man attempted to steer back into his lane but his vehicle struck an un-flagged piece of metal extending from the back of the truck. He died in the resulting crash.

Expert witnesses brought in by the Arnold Law Firm proved that the truck, owned and operated by a hauling firm, should never have been on the highway that morning. Specifically, the rear and side turn signals did not work and the rear-view mirror was in a poor state of adjustment at the time of the collision. As a result, the driver, who had failed to properly inspect the vehicle before setting out that morning, couldn’t see the young man’s vehicle as it attempted to pass.

The poor condition of the truck, its lack of maintenance and the manner in which it was operated were found to be substantial factors in causing the collision that killed the young man. The testimony also established that the man had been making a lawful pass at the lawful speed limit and acted reasonably when he attempted to avoid the collision.

The man’s 20-year-old widow was awarded $3,767,000.77, his parents were awarded $185,131 and the family was reimbursed $11,899 in funeral expenses. Though money is a poor substitute for a young man’s life, this verdict demonstrates that drivers who endanger the lives of others will be held accountable for their actions.