Every 21 seconds, someone across America will suffer a traumatic brain injury. Over 15 million people each year suffer this serious and sometimes fatal type of injury, Moreover, nearly 5.3 million live with permanent disabilities resulting from traumatic brain injury, or TBI. A TBI can be one of two types. The most common TBI results from an outside force impacting the head, causing the brain to move within the skull or the skull itself to crack. Brain injury can also be acquired, resulting from a lack of oxygen to the brain.
TBIs can result from a wide range of incidents, with the most common causes in Mississippi including:
- Car accidents—car accidents are the number one cause of accidental injury throughout Mississippi, and traumatic brain injuries occur at alarming rates as the result of car accidents. Though seat belts have decreased such incidences, even seat belts cannot always protect against deadly head injury. Those who receive brain injuries in a car accident can seek compensation from the at-fault driver.
- Motorcycle collisions—traumatic brain injury occurs at high rates for those involved in motorcycle accidents. The use helmets can diminish the risk of brain injury, but do not eliminate it. Given the lesser protection afforded motorcycles than the passengers of motor vehicles, brain injuries are more likely to occur. Motorcycle accident attorneys can pursue an action against the at-fault driver for all injuries sustained.
- Truck accidents—accidents involving large commercial trucks are more likely to result in serious injury, such as traumatic brain injury, than crashes between two cars. Truck drivers whose negligence leads to the brain injury of another can be held accountable in a personal injury suit.
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents—this group represents the most vulnerable of individuals on the roadways. Pedestrians and bicyclists are often the victim of collisions with motor vehicles that fail to see these smaller road users. Brain injured pedestrians and bicyclists have the right to compensation for their devastating injuries caused by the negligence of the driver of the motor vehicle.
- Sports injuries—the recent high profile litigation against the NFL and other professional sports organizations has brought to light the grave potential for brain injury amongst sports players. Traumatic brain injury doesn’t just occur in the major leagues; individuals playing any sport with the potential for contact with other players or the ball can become the victim of traumatic brain injury. Youths involved in sports such as football, baseball, lacrosse, hockey, soccer, boxing, and cheerleading are all particularly vulnerable to traumatic brain injuries. The organizers of sports activities can be held responsible for traumatic brain injuries that occur to players as a result of their negligence.
- Violence—violent acts, such as domestic abuse, child abuse, gunshot wounds, and dog bites, accounts for approximately 10% of all traumatic brain injuries. When these violent acts occur as a result of negligent security, victims may have an action against the property owner under premises liability law. Those traumatically brain injured by animal attacks can pursue an action against the pet’s owner under strict liability law.
- Drowning—near drowning can lead to acquired brain injury, and children suffer this injury most frequently. If the near drowning occurs in the pool of a negligent owner, the property owner may be responsible.
Traumatic brain injury is considered a silent epidemic because so many suffer from this serious, often debilitating injury, but the public remains unaware of their plight. If you or a loved one may have suffered a TBI, an experienced Mississippi Personal Injury Attorney at Giddens Law Firm can help. Giddens Law Firm will aggressively fight for the maximum recovery of our brain injured clients. Call us today at (601) 355-2022 to schedule a free consultation.