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A brain injury is one of the most devastating injuries a person can suffer and can often bring about life-changing consequences.

In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, traumatic brain injuries account for almost a third of all injury-related deaths and result in about 2.2 million emergency room visits and 280,000 hospitalizations each year in the US – numbers which have risen steadily over the past decade. If you or a loved are suffering as the result of a traumatic injury to the brain, get in touch with an experienced Winston-Salem brain injury lawyer as soon as possible. 

Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

A brain injury can be caused by either a blow to the head, or a penetrating injury in which an object pierces the skull and enters or impacts the brain. Some common scenarios that often lead to traumatic brain injuries include:

  •        Sports injuries
  •        Motor vehicle accidents
  •        Motorcycle and bicycle crashes
  •        Pedestrian hit by car
  •        Slip-and-fall incidents
  •        Workplace accidents
  •        Falls
  •        Assaults/violence
  •        Hit with a falling or flying object
  •        Explosive blasts
  •        Combat injuries, shrapnel  
  •        Firearm wounds

Traumatic Brain Injury Victims

Overall, falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries, accounting for about 40 percent of all such events, and the majority of brain injuries in both children and elderly persons. Unintentional blunt force trauma, such as accidentally being hit with an object, is the second leading cause of traumatic brain injuries, followed by motor vehicle accidents.

Assaults cause about 10 percent of all brain injuries, but violence is the leading cause of such injuries in young people age 15 to 24. CDC data also reports that men are almost three times more likely than women to die of a traumatic brain injury.

Effects of Brain Injuries

Victims who survive traumatic brain injuries can face years of rehabilitation and still may never fully recover. Because the brain controls and involves so many parts of a person’s body, the effects of a traumatic brain injury can be wide-ranging and potentially severe.

Memory, mobility, motor function, speech, communication, cognition, the ability to eat and swallow, eyesight and hearing, sensation, emotional regulation, personality, sleeping patterns, and even a person’s very consciousness, can all be altered by a traumatic brain injury.

Victims of traumatic brain injuries frequently suffer from nausea and vomiting, concussions, difficulty concentrating, depression and anxiety, dizziness, balance problems, seizures, weakness, numbness, confusion, slurred speech, headaches, and other pain. In more severe cases, traumatic brain injuries can result in coma, a vegetative state, fluid buildup and swelling in the brain, stroke, blood clots, paralysis, brain damage, and even death.

People who suffer traumatic brain injuries may also be at heightened risk of suffering from degenerative brain diseases later in life, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia, and for post traumatic stress disorder, and even suicide. If you are uncertain as to what the full repercussions of a brain injury are, especially concerning next steps and legal matters, seeking the guidance of a Winston-Salem brain injury attorney is highly beneficial. They will be able to guide you or your family through the entire process and provide the appropriate recommendations for next steps regarding your specific situation. 

Get the Help of a Winston-Salem Brain Injury Lawyer

Depending on the nature of the accident, parties other than the victim may sometimes be liable for causing a traumatic brain injury.

Property owners who do not maintain safe sites, employers who provide dangerous working environments, reckless or negligent drivers, assault perpetrators, and defective product manufacturers are just a few examples of parties who could have contributed to causing a victim’s traumatic brain injury. Therefore, consulting with and retaining the services of an experienced Winston-Salem brain injury lawyer is highly important. They can help a person determine an appropriate course of action to take, especially if the other party is at-fault.Â