Head Injuries

Head injury can be defined as any injury to the scalp, skull, or brain resulting from a blow to the head. Head injuries are one of the most common forms of injury suffered by our society today and can range in severity from a minor bump on the head to permanent brain damage. According to the NIH there are about 2,000,000 instances of head injury per year with about 25% of these head injuries requiring hospitalization.

There are two major classifications of head injuries. The less severe and more common of these is external injury which is mainly comprised of damage to the scalp resulting in a laceration or some swelling. The often more serious internal injury or closed head injury can include injury of the skull, interior blood vessels, or the brain itself.

The causes of head injury are mostly accidental in nature such as: car wrecks, sports injuries, work injuries and falls but can also include physical assault or the negligent actions of ones self or another. Males age 17-25 are the most likely demographic to suffer a head injury as they comprise about 50% of all reported head injury cases. Most of these head injuries result directly from car accidents. Young children and the elderly are also vulnerable to head injury mainly from falls.

If a loved one has been the victim of a head injury, contact the Oklahoma City based personal injury law firm of Atkins & Markoff. We are here to help you with your Oklahoma head injury claim. Please fill out our contact form or call us toll free, we are here to help you.

TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury – Oklahoma Lawsuits

Of all types of personal injury, those to the brain are among the most likely to result in death or permanent disability. Estimates of traumatic brain injury (TBI) incidence, severity, and cost reflect the enormous losses to individuals, their families, and society from these created by traumatic brain injuries. According to the CDC, each year more than 80,000 Americans survive a hospitalization for traumatic brain injury but are discharged with TBI-related disabilities and 5.3 million Americans are living today with a TBI-related disability.

Twenty-two percent of people who have a TBI (traumatic brain injury) die from their injuries. The risk of having a TBI is especially high among adolescents, young adults, and people older than 75 years of age. For persons of all ages, the risk of TBI among males is twice the risk of traumatic brain injuries among females. The leading causes of TBI are motor vehicle crashes, violence, and falls. Nearly two-thirds of firearm-related TBIs are classified as suicidal in intent.

The leading causes of TBI vary by age: Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries among persons aged 65 years and older, whereas transportation (auto accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents) leads among persons aged 5 to 64 years. Traumatic brain injury can greatly affect many cognitive, physical, and psychological skills. Physical deficit can include ambulation, balance, coordination, fine motor skills, strength, and endurance. Cognitive deficits of language and communication, information processing, memory, and perceptual skills are common. Psychological status is also often altered. Adjustment to disability issues are frequently encountered by people with TBI.

Because the majority of traumatic brain injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents, many innocent people unnecessarily suffer because of the carelessness and negligence of others. The economic burden of treating traumatic brain injury patients is between 9 billion dollars and 10 billion dollars per year. It is estimated that persons suffering a severe traumatic brain injury may incur between 600,000.00 dollars and 1.9 million dollars in long term rehabilitative care.

If your family has been negatively affected due to the negligence of a defective product, motor vehicle accident or any number of personal injury matters resulting in a traumatic brain injury (TBI) contact the personal injury lawyers of Atkins & Markoff. With law offices throughout Oklahoma and Oklahoma City, we are prepared to review your potential case today. Please contact us by filling out our contact form or call us toll free. We are here to help you.