What are the Chances of Surviving a Traumatic Brain Injury?
The chances of surviving a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, depend on the severity of the injury. Although most people will survive a TBI, many with moderate to severe damage will die prematurely from related effects of their injuries. Life expectancy is reduced by several years. However, the majority of those with a moderate TBI will survive their injury.
The aftermath of a serious TBI includes months or years of treatment and rehabilitation. The costs are enormous. Most survivors will no longer possess the ability to hold a job or live independently. If the TBI occurred to another party’s negligence, a Los Angeles traumatic brain injury lawyer at Ellis Injury Law will fight to hold them liable so that their victim receives the compensation they deserve. Our lawyers have recovered over $350 million in settlements and verdicts for injured clients.
Fatal TBIs
If the victim spends a substantial amount of time in a coma or minimally conscious state after a TBI, they are unlikely to survive. According to the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, the mortality rate ranges from 76 to 89 percent. Those who do survive are usually severely disabled or suffer permanent consciousness disorders.
Minor TBIs, known as concussions, are rarely deadly – but there is an exception. It takes the brain about a month to fully heal from the initial impact. If a second concussion occurs before healing takes place, a condition known as second impact syndrome, the result is usually fatal.
The first year
TBI victims are most likely to die within the first year after the accident. Common causes of such deaths include:
- Infection
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Pneumonia
- Seizures
- Septicemia
Statistics
According to the CDC, head injury deaths account for 34 percent of all traumatic deaths. About 50,000 people succumb to TBIs in the U.S. annually. Overall, approximately 288,000 people are hospitalized each year due to TBI. Between 80-90,000 of them will suffer permanent or long-term impairment.
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal TBIs. While falls account for a large percentage of TBI deaths, they are also a leading cause of non-fatal TBIs.
Long-term TBI effects
Long-term disability resulting from TBI may include:
- Memory loss
- Depression
- Impaired cognition
- Personality changes
- Impaired hearing or vision
- Speech and communication issues
TBI victims are at increased risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
A traumatic brain injury attorney has not only the legal knowledge to fight for TBI victims, but can access medical expertise when representing them or their families.
Contact a Los Angeles traumatic brain injury lawyer
TBI survivors face a long road toward recovery, and many will never recover fully. The TBI affects the entire family. If you or a loved one were the victims of a TBI because of another party’s negligence or deliberate actions, contact the experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at Ellis Injury Law. Schedule a free, confidential consultation by completing our online form or texting or calling 24/7.
Work is performed on a contingency basis, so you pay no fee unless you receive compensation.