When Crashes Cause TBIs in Children

On behalf of Stephen G. Nagle & Associates posted in brain injuries on Friday, November 25, 2016.

Approximately 30 percent of injury deaths in the United States are the result of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) When a person suffers a TBI due to a blow, bump, or jolt to the head, their injuries may range from a mild concussion to more serious injuries that result in the loss of consciousness. Both minor and more serious TBIs may affect a person’s mental and physical ability to function and earn a living for the rest of their lives.

Childhood bicycle accident risks

A staggering number of TBI victims are children, teens and young adults. In order to help keep their children safe, many parents restrict their children’s involvement in sports, such as forbidding them from joining the football team.

However, the sport that is most likely to lead to a head injury is not football — it’s cycling. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, cycling was responsible for over 40,000 sports head injuries in 2009, nearly twice the number experienced during football. One of the reasons why cycling has such a potential for injury the risk of TBIs caused by collisions with motor vehicles.

Brain injuries are often worse in children

While some have hypothesized in the past that traumatic brain injuries might be less consequential in a child whose brain is still developing, further study has shown the opposite to be true. When a brain injury occurs early in life, it can affect personality development, and prevent a child from learning and understanding social boundaries that are key to their success later in life. It can impede their ability to learn and retain many basic skills, such as reading and math, and eat away at the foundation that should be setting the stage for the rest of their lives.

TBIs happen to kids for a variety of reasons, including falls, sports injuries, physical abuse, and motor vehicle accidents. Those brain injuries lead to hospitalization for a heartbreaking number of American kids each year according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overall, when kids under 14 suffer from TBIs, 435,000 visits to the Emergency Room, 37,000 admitted to the hospital, and nearly 2700 deaths occur annually.

Next steps

Navigating the aftermath of a childhood TBI is never easy. If your child has suffered a TBI, you are likely feeling overwhelmed. Once your child has received necessary medical care, please consider speaking with an attorney experienced in childhood TBI cases. An attorney’s assistance may help you to secure financial compensation that will be necessary to his or her future care. In addition, allowing an attorney to advocate on your behalf will allow you to focus on your child’s wellbeing and your own needs as opposed to the financial side of this situation.

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When Crashes Cause TBIs in Children