Who Is at Risk for Traumatic Brain Injury?

traumatic brain injury
Virtually everyone is at some risk for traumatic brain injury, otherwise known as TBI. However, certain activities and behaviors tend to place some individuals at greater risk. A professional football player, for instance, is more at risk for TBI than a person of the same age who holds a desk job. Certain groups—especially age groups—are more at risk for TBI as well. A New York brain injury lawyer will tailor the injury lawsuit to the specifics of the case, but the good news for victims is that compensation to cover losses is often possible.

Children and Youth

One of the two groups most at risk for TBI is that which comprises those who are under age 19. Infants are vulnerable to falls and bumps on the head because their skulls are not fully formed yet. Toddlers may fall and suffer injury when they try to climb.
Sports and related activities however, account for the largest number of TBI accidents for which New York brain injury lawyers represent young victims. According to the Centers for Disease control, over 170,000 sports-related injuries among young people are treated in emergency rooms each year. The breakdown for the most common sports injuries by gender are:

  • Boys: Football and bicycling
  • Girls: Bicycling, soccer, and basketball
  • Children under Age Nine: Playground activities and bicycling

What is particularly distressing about such injuries is that cognitive development, and therefore learning can be permanently hampered. Children who suffer TBI often face memory problems as well as emotional/behavioral difficulties, the result of which all too often is a lifetime of impairment.

The Elderly

Older individuals are another group particularly at risk for TBI. Fall accidents comprise a significant percentage of brain injuries among this group. Unfortunately, the elderly face special difficulty in recovering from TBI because age tends to slow the body’s healing time.
Another issue facing the elderly is that often a TBI goes undetected initially. This is especially true for those who are in convalescent facilities and/or suffer other cognitive problems. An experienced and dedicated New York brain injury lawyer will likely be necessary to help such a victim gain compensation for his/her loss.

Other Groups

Certainly other groups are at risk of TBI as well. Workers in dangerous occupations such as construction and mining are in constant peril and must take precautions to ensure safety. Indeed, the CDC has spearheaded a campaign to inform the public about the need to take precautions and recognize the dangers of TBI.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident or has suffered TBI, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. One of our clients received a verdict of $43,940,000 in a case where brain injury was involved. Please contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800 WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800- LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at Work4YouLaw.com