Houston Social Security
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Photo of David Dopkin

How brain injuries affect Americans

On Behalf of | Jul 13, 2017 | Social Security Disability Benefits for Injuries

One of the most important organs in the human body is the brain. Due to its location on the human body however, this leaves the brain vulnerable to injury, especially after a slip and fall, being struck by an object, common in construction accidents and sports, or a car accident. It should then come as no surprise that traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs are among the most common injuries in America. According to statistics provided by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, TBIs account for nearly one third of all injury deaths in the United States.

A traumatic brain injury includes any type of jolt or blow to the head that disrupts normal functioning of the brain. Mild TBIs often cause a minimal change to one’s mental status, but severe TBIs can lead to long-term change in consciousness, memory loss, or even death. Each year, it is estimated that approximately 50,0000 deaths are related to traumatic brain injuries.

The young and elderly are especially prone to falling. Over half of all brain injuries to children 14 or younger are due to falls. For older folks over 65, almost 80 percent of hospital emergency room visits were the result of falls. For children 14 and under, over half of all head injuries that led to emergency room visits were the result of falls.

Considering the potential long-term or life-long ramifications of suffering from a traumatic brain injury, it is important to remember that brain injuries are among the qualifying conditions for Social Security Disability Benefits for injuries. Long term symptoms include impaired thinking use of one’s senses, as sell as mental conditions including personality changes and even depression.

Source: Centers for Disease Control, “Traumatic Brain Injury & Concussions,” Accessed on July 10, 2017