What is the Leading Cause of Traumatic Brain Injury?

Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI), accounting for nearly 50 percent of such injuries, according to the CDC. Roughly half of these falls involved children under age 17. For those over 65, falls made up 81 percent of TBI cases.  

Falls were also the leading cause of TBI hospitalizations, followed by motor vehicle accidents. The latter make up the leading cause of TBI in young adults.   

A Los Angeles traumatic brain injury lawyer at Ellis Injury Law is familiar with slip and fall and car accident situations leading to TBI. Our attorneys have recovered over $350 million for clients in settlements and judgments.  

Falls and TBI 

TBIs range from mild to severe. A mild TBI, or concussion, usually heals within a few weeks, but the pain and cognitive side effects can last longer. The majority of falls result in a concussion, but a significant percentage are far more serious.  

Older people are more likely to fall while in the bath, heading downstairs, or using ladders. Young people often fall during sports activities or while playing.  

Motor vehicle accidents 

Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of TBIs in those between the ages of 15 and 44 -– a very wide range. They are also the most frequent fatal cause of TBI for people over the age of 75.  

Car accidents may involve penetrating TBIs. These occur when the skull is pierced and an object or hair, skin, or skull fragments lodge in the brain. 

Other leading TBI causes 

Other causes of TBIs include getting struck by an object. This type of accident happens more often to children than adults. Approximately 28 percent of TBI emergency room visits due to a blow to the head by an object involve victims under age 17.  

When someone is deliberately hit in the head, it is not an accident but the crime of assault. A gunshot wound to the head is a penetrating TBI.  

Intentional self-harm, usually referring to suicide, is a leading cause of TBI deaths.  

No matter the cause of the TBI, a traumatic brain injury attorney will investigate your claim thoroughly and determine which entities are liable for your injuries. Recovering from a TBI is a long, hard process, and some people do not fully recover. Those responsible for this injury should bear the costs of medical expenses, rehabilitation, vocational training, and other related needs.  

Contact a Los Angeles traumatic brain injury lawyer  

If you or someone you know suffered a TBI due to a slip and fall accident occurring because of another party’s negligence, you need the services of the experienced Los Angeles accident lawyers at Ellis Injury Law. The same holds true if your TBI resulted from a motor vehicle accident or another incident in which someone else was at fault. Discuss your options during a free consultation. Call or text us 24/7 or submit our online form to schedule an appointment.  

Because our dedicated attorneys work on a contingency basis, you pay no fee unless you receive compensation.