Brooklyn Personal Injury Attorneys: The Effects of Brain Injuries

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are about 138 Americans dying from injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, every day. Moreover, brain injuries have been the reason behind more than 280,000 hospitalizations, with sports activities and car accidents being the most common causes. These statistics indicate that a lot of lives have been negatively affected by head trauma that ultimately leads to traumatic brain injuries.

In recent figures from the CDC, falls are seen to be the leading cause of brain injuries, while unintentional blunt trauma (or getting hit by an object) and car crashes are second and third, respectively. The chances of acquiring brain injuries are higher in men than in women, and are more likely to occur in people aged 65 and older. In many cases, traumatic brain injuries are consequences of negligent, or even intentional, acts of others. Those who find themselves in such cases should get the help of a Brooklyn, NY personal injury lawyer to get due compensation for their sufferings.

Immediate effects on a person who suffered brain damage include a temporary loss of cognitive functions, confusion, vomiting, headache, nausea, depression, moodiness, and even amnesia. However, according to neuropsychologist Dr. Maryse Lassonde, even after these symptoms pass, it doesn’t always mean the brain has fully recovered. Symptoms may still manifest and conditions may sometimes take a turn for the worst. A study by Dr. Lassonde and her group found that an abnormal brain wave activity remains even years after trauma has occurred, while motor pathways in the nervous system were seen to be partially deteriorated.

Moreover, individuals, particularly older athletes, who have acquired brain injuries due to sports activities, were found to exhibit symptoms similar to those at the early onset of Parkinson’s disease. Researchers noted that older athletes who have incurred head trauma had experienced a thinning of the cortex in the part of the brain usually affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

These long-term effects of head trauma can greatly affect your life, and that of your family. It could affect your or a loved one’s ability to work optimally, and could require costly, long-term treatment. A personal injury attorneys in Brooklyn, NY, such as those from the Law Offices of Joseph Lichtenstein, can help you find compensation for the injury you or a loved one may be suffering and its consequences in your lives. The lawyer can assist in building evidences that would establish the responsibility of the other party, and make him/her accountable.

(Source: Concussions Cause Long-Term Effects Lasting Decades, Medical News Today)