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A Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyer Talks About Traumatic Brain Injury and Brain Injury Claims

According to the National Institutes of Health, “Traumatic brain injury (TBI), broadly defined as brain injury from externally inflicted trauma, may result in significant impairment of an individual's physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning. In the United States, an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people incur TBI each year, principally as a result of vehicular incidents, falls, acts of violence, and sports accidents. The number of people surviving TBI with impairment has increased significantly in recent years, which is attributed to faster and more effective emergency care, quicker and safer transportation to specialized treatment facilities, and advances in acute medical management. TBI affects people of all ages and is the leading cause of long-term disability among children and young adults.

Each year, approximately 70,000 to 90,000 individuals incur a TBI resulting in a long-term, substantial loss of functioning. The consequences of TBI include a dramatic change in the individual's life-course, profound disruption of the family, enormous loss of income or earning potential, and large expenses over a lifetime. There are approximately 300,000 hospital admissions annually for persons with mild or moderate TBI, and an additional unknown number of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that are not diagnosed but may result in long-term disability.”

TBI results principally from vehicular accidents, falls, acts of violence, and sports injuries. It is more than twice as likely in males than in females. The highest incidence is among persons 15 to 24 years of age and 75 years and older. Given the large toll of TBI and absence of a cure, prevention is of paramount importance.

Available evidence supports the use of certain cognitive and behavioral rehabilitation strategies for individuals with TBI. Increased understanding of the mechanisms of TBI and recovery hold promise for new treatments. Persons with TBI, their families, and significant others are integral to the implementation of the rehabilitation process and research. Rehabilitation services, matched to the needs of persons with TBI, and community-based nonmedical services are needed to optimize outcomes over the course of recovery.