Study Shows Strong Link between Traumatic Brain Injury and Depression

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries are auto accidents, contact sports and assaults. Very often, victims sustain brain injuries as a result of someone else’s negligence. The negligent party may be a reckless driver, a governmental agency that fails to repair a dangerous roadway or an errant surgeon or physician. Brain injury is a catastrophic injury, which means that the damage and health effects caused by the injuries are usually irreversible.
Brain injury patients may be able to live a somewhat close to normal life with extensive rehabilitation and therapy. But such treatments, over the life span of the patient, can cost millions of dollars. Recent studies also show that brain injury victims suffer other adverse health effects including depression.
According to a news report, a study by the Vanderbilt University Medical Center shows that 30 percent of traumatic brain injury patients – about 360,000 patients each year – suffer from depression after their injury. In the United States, brain injuries result in 1.2 million emergency department visits each year. About 25 percent of those patients require hospitalization. The study has found that the incidence of depression among brain injury patients is 30 percent as opposed to 9 or 10 percent among the general population. The most common symptoms of depression among traumatic brain injury patients are irritability, restlessness, anxiety and sleeplessness.
If you or your loved one has sustained a traumatic brain injury as a result of someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, it is crucial to seek the counsel of an experienced New York personal injury lawyer, who will ensure that you receive fair and full compensation. A knowledgeable brain injury attorney will calculate current and future medical expenses as well as the cost of rehabilitation.
The New York personal injury lawyers with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm have successfully represented numerous catastrophically injured victims and their families over the last 40 years. We will fight hard for your rights and strive to ensure that you are fairly compensated for all your injuries, damages and losses. Call us today at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496) to schedule a no-cost consultation.
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Please visit our website: www.work4youlaw.com