Head Injury Patients Experience Greatest Recovery at Trauma Centers

Traumatic brain injuries can be caused when a fall or other misfortune causes a person to either hit their head or experience very rapid acceleration or deceleration. These traumas can cause extreme damage to brain tissue and result in a lifetime of impairment. Additionally, approximately 50,000 deaths in the United States every year are caused at least in part by head injuries. New research suggests that many traumatic brain injury patients do not get the most effective treatment possible.

The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania recently conducted the largest study of its kind regarding how traumatic brain injury patients recover from these injuries. The research suggests that traumatic brain injury patients who are taken to specialized trauma centers fare much better than those taken to hospitals. Unfortunately, about 44 percent of patients who sustain severe head injuries are taken directly to a hospital. Most hospitals do not have the specialized resources that these patients need.

The issue may be more serious for seniors than younger traumatic brain injury patients. Elderly individuals are at an increased rate of falling and often have other health issues which can exacerbate head injuries. Sadly, many elderly people who suffer traumatic brain injuries do not survive. The study showed that those patients aged 65 or younger were significantly more likely to recover without the need for inpatient rehabilitation if they visited a trauma center soon after their injury occurred. Patients over 65 were considerably less likely to die as a result of their injuries if they were taken to a trauma center instead of a non-trauma center. Many feel that this study highlights a serious inadequacy in the way medical professionals and authorities are handling traumatic brain injuries.

Emergency room visits and hospitalizations for head injuries increased from 521 to 824 per 100,000 people annually between 2000 and 2010. Traumatic brain injuries often result in permanent neurobiological damage that can produce lifelong deficits in concentration, memory, decision-making, speech and language skills, and sensory interpretation. Traumatic brain injuries can also cause problems regulating emotions, depression, and irritability. The chances of full recovery vary based on the individual and the brain injury itself, but many patients do not recover for months or even years after the injury took place.

If you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury while at work, you should know that you may be able to receive compensation for your medical bills and pain and suffering. The experienced San Jose workplace injury attorneys at Corsiglia McMahon & Allard, L.L.P. work with neurologists and other traumatic brain injury experts in order to get you the financial compensation you deserve. To schedule a free, confidential consultation of your case, call (408) 289-1417 today.

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