Brain Injury FAQs

These brain injury frequently asked questions provide quick answers including what a traumatic brain injury is, who is at risk, what the consequences are, how to prevent TBI, and what you can do if you or you loved one suffers from a traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury caused by a jolt or blow to the head that disrupts normal brain function. This injury affects over 1.4 million patients a year, 50,000 of whom will die and over 200,000 of whom will require hospitalization. Though traumatic brain injury ranges from mild to severe symptoms, it may have lifelong effects that impact both patients and their families. These effects can range from mild concussive symptoms to permanent disability.

What Causes Traumatic Brain Injury?

There are many causes of traumatic brain injury. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that the leading causes of TBI are as follows:

  • Falls (28 percent);
  • Motor vehicle accidents (20 percent);
  • Other head blows (19 percent); and
  • Assault

There are many different mechanisms that can cause a traumatic brain injury. These include an open brain injury, in which the skull is fractured, contrecoup injuries in which the brain “bounces” off of the head after initial impact, causing double injury, and concussion, in which a blow to the head causes mild injury.

Who Is at Risk for Traumatic Brain Injury?

There are many risk factors in traumatic brain injury. However, it is commonly accepted that males are at least twice as likely as females to suffer a traumatic brain injury. TBI rates are higher among certain professions, such as military duty and construction. Children ages 0 to 4, teenagers aged 15 to 19, and elderly adults aged 75 and up are at especial risk. Traumatic brain injury seems to affect Native American and African-American populations at a higher rate, with African-Americans suffering from the highest traumatic brain injury death rate.

What Are the Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury?

Traumatic brain injury’s consequences range from mild to severe. A patient with a concussion may suffer from temporary disorientation and then recover quickly. However, traumatic brain injury can bring long-term changes and/or impairment to sensation, language, emotion, and thought processes.

TBI victims are at greater risk for amnesia, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and other brain disorders after their injury; they may also experience long-term cumulative effects of slight brain injuries sustained over a long period of time. The CDC estimates that at least 5.3 million Americans are permanently disabled due to traumatic brain injury; the total cost in terms of productivity and medical costs was an estimated $60 billion in the United States in 2000.

How Can Traumatic Brain Injury Be Prevented?

The proper use of vehicles, firearms, and heavy equipment can do much to prevent traumatic brain injury accident. Proper protective gear should be used when playing sports or performing activities that may carry a risk of TBI. In addition, safe living and working conditions can prevent slips, falls, and blunt head injuries, especially for seniors and small children whose gait may be unstable. Suicide prevention is another means of preventing TBI, since about 66 percent of traumatic brain injuries related to firearms carry suicidal intent.

I’ve Suffered From TBI. Who Can Help?

If you or a loved one have suffered from traumatic brain injury, you must seek medical attention immediately. Some forms of TBI are life-threatening, and medical intervention is necessary to prevent permanent disability or death.

After you have sought appropriate medical care, you may also want to contact an attorney with experience in brain injury litigation. A traumatic brain injury lawyer can help assess your potential claim and tell you if you might be eligible for benefits, which may include medical expenses, compensation for lost wages and future medical care, and/or a settlement related to a brain injury lawsuit.

2 thoughts on “Brain Injury FAQs”

  1. I have a question on symptoms.
    I had a double TBI situation many years ago. Only recently did I become informed as to the atrophy in my frontal lobe. Maybe 6 or 7 years ago I had a CT scan of my brain and people were saying I might have frontal lobe dementia. I was seen then by a highly regarded neurologist. From the office exam, she felt there was no lasting affects like, that I was affected. But then the past few years odd symptoms, returning, Then a few months ago while baking a cake, standing in my kitchen my head went down, hitting the counter. No explanation as to why. My question is this; Can symptoms come up later? I am being seen by a cardiologist, to check if that was not it. I am diabetic, but I checked that right off, as well as my BP. Both were good. And the really big symptoms of that TBI on the countertop, didn’t show up for 3 days. And it hit me big time.
    Can that also be that symptoms come later as years pass? And my eye doctor doesn’t see any issues with my eyes but for dryness. Still sometimes the glasses are in my way more than help. Other times not bad. I feel I am in big trouble, and the heart doctor said it could be many things. Even dehydrated or seizure.
    So, can symptoms show up later on? I also wish to know this; can it lead to other issues later on. Memory is so bad now. I make light of it. Joke about it. And I have not slept right at night for so long. No real reason.
    Over the years I have had such problem with high frustration at things. Can’t stop going on about it. And I get louder as I speak on it. Angery is what I call it. The symptom list, which seemed to be fairly soon after a TBI, talked about all over the place emotions. Yes, got that too, but didn’t show up right off, but many years it is growing more and more. I get it could be from other, but my question on this remains.
    I feel very cool headed on issues. I have been tested and told I have high mechanical functioning abilities. However, I don’t feel so safe driving. Can’t think of simple words. There is dementia in my family, and Parkinson’s. It is hard for me to deal with organization anymore. I just can’t seem to do it. I used to do wonderful and now I can get it together.

    Please tell me if this is possibly from the past TBI s and now also the recent one too. It does seem worse since the Aug. 2022 TBI.

    Reply
    • I have a question on symptoms.
      I had a double TBI situation many years ago. Only recently did I become informed as to the atrophy in my frontal lobe. Maybe 6 or 7 years ago I had a CT scan of my brain and people were saying I might have frontal lobe dementia. I was seen then by a highly regarded neurologist. From the office exam, she felt there was no lasting affects like, that I was affected. But then the past few years odd symptoms, returning, Then a few months ago while baking a cake, standing in my kitchen my head went down, hitting the counter. No explanation as to why. My question is this; Can symptoms come up later? I am being seen by a cardiologist, to check if that was not it. I am diabetic, but I checked that right off, as well as my BP. Both were good. And the really big symptoms of that TBI on the countertop, didn’t show up for 3 days. And it hit me big time.
      Can that also be that symptoms come later as years pass? And my eye doctor doesn’t see any issues with my eyes but for dryness. Still sometimes the glasses are in my way more than help. Other times not bad. I feel I am in big trouble, and the heart doctor said it could be many things. Even dehydrated or seizure.
      So, can symptoms show up later on? I also wish to know this; can it lead to other issues later on. Memory is so bad now. I make light of it. Joke about it. And I have not slept right at night for so long. No real reason.
      Over the years I have had such problem with high frustration at things. Can’t stop going on about it. And I get louder as I speak on it. Angery is what I call it. The symptom list, which seemed to be fairly soon after a TBI, talked about all over the place emotions. Yes, got that too, but didn’t show up right off, but many years it is growing more and more. I get it could be from other, but my question on this remains.
      I feel very cool headed on issues. I have been tested and told I have high mechanical functioning abilities. However, I don’t feel so safe driving. Can’t think of simple words. There is dementia in my family, and Parkinson’s. It is hard for me to deal with organization anymore. I just can’t seem to do it. I used to do wonderful and now I can get it together.

      Please tell me if this is possibly from the past TBI s and now also the recent one too. It does seem worse since the Aug. 2022 TBI.

      I would like to add to this some of the many things happening: sometimes my feet won’t cooperate, but then are fine, then not again. I drop stuff all the time, forget so badly I had post it notes to remember where the on button for my computer was, and also for the PIN to get it to do anything. I know my walking is off, for people are asking if I could use their help, offering me their arm for example. I have fallen. Miss steps I call them.
      Yes, I missed the step. I will read something and get all wound up and when I read it again, it didn’t say what I thought I read. I’ve never done that before. Routines help, but not always. simple words. Cane, road, etc. I use the word ‘thingy’ a lot now. Fatigue is huge some days. I am sure these could be a lot of things. But the feet not working when I want them to. Yes, I thought of the Parkinson’s. Yes, I am stressed, and older and then after blood work was done, I was told I was okay by my PCP. I was getting put right, for just saying “I’m not okay”. I know the different dementias or some of them. This doesn’t seem like any I’ve seen others going through. I get attitude when I look things up myself. So, I don’t usually. But please someone direct me

      Reply

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