Brain Injury
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, you need to speak with an experienced Missouri brain injury lawyer. At The Bradley Law Firm, we have helped numerous families with loved ones suffering from traumatic brain injuries in Missouri. There are very few Missouri personal injury law firms that have the necessary experience with brain injuries to handle these types of cases.
Traumatic brain injury can range from mild to severe. The brain injury statistics are startling. Each year, there are approximately two million people that sustain some level of brain injury. Of these two million victims, around 15 percent will require a hospital stay and 5 percent will have some level of permanent disability. Fifty thousand brain injury victims die each year from head trauma. Statistically, men have double the risk of sustaining a brain injury than a woman. Part of this anomaly is accounted for in that men traditionally have occupations that involve more risk than females. People between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four are most likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury. However, small children are at the greatest risk for traumatic brain injury because they have not fully developed. On the opposite end of the age range, seniors are also at a higher risk due to their propensity of falling.
In Missouri, forty four percent of all brain injuries are caused by car crashes. Next, twenty six percent are accounted for by slip and falls. Sports injuries cause thirteen percent of all Missouri brain injury. The remainder of Missouri brain injuries are caused by assaults and shootings.
Nationwide, traumatic brain injuries cost over 50 billion dollars. Most victims of traumatic brain injuries will need some level of assisted care for the rest of their lives. For those who suffer the most severe brain injuries, depending upon their age and life expectancy, the lifetime cost for medical and other care expenses can reach over $8,000.000.00. A Missouri TBI costs around $1000 per day for medical care alone. Typically, the acute phase of care for a TBI is around 50 days.
For every eight mild brain injuries, there is one moderate brain injury and one severe brain injury. Mild brain injuries sometimes require hospitalization. In addition, even mild brain injuries have the capability of impairing lives. Sometimes, family and friends may not even realize a loved on has suffered a TBI until that individual attempts to resume his or her normal daily activities. Once the demands of daily life are once again imposed on the TBI victim, the effects of a TBI become pronounced. Many brain injury victims have psychological consequences from their inability to perform every day tasks like they once did.
The social consequences of mild, moderate, and severe TBI include:
- Loss of sense of one’s self
- Isolation from others
- Suicidal thoughts
- Marital troubles
- Unemployment
- Financial strain
- Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Family and friends of the brain injury victim will certainly be affected by these conditions. The physical and emotional exhaustion in caring for a loved one with a TBI can be overwhelming. Many times, families benefit from seeking guidance from a psychologist. The brain injury lawyers at the Bradley Law Firm have worked with leading psychologists in St. Louis, Missouri and can make a recommendation to you and your family. In addition, we can make referrals to the best St. Louis brain injury doctors so you can be assured your loved one is getting the very best medical treatment for his or her condition. Feel free to call and speak to an experienced St. Louis brain injury attorney at The Bradley Law Firm.
Here are some web links you may find useful:
CDC Resource Page - Traumatic Head Injury