New Study Shows Higher Rates of Fall-Related TBIs in the United States

Whether you live in Vista or elsewhere in Southern California, it is important to take steps to avoid a serious personal injury. Injuries can happen almost anywhere, and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can result from many different types of accidents. Motor vehicle collisions, slips and falls, and other kinds of accidents can lead to severe head trauma. According to a recent report from U.S. News & World Report, rates of fall-related TBI deaths are on the rise in California and across the country. In other words, more people are sustaining fatal brain injuries in fall-related accidents than in previous years and decades. The study shows that fall-related TBI deaths increased steadily between 2008-2017. We want to take a closer look at that study and to consider what it means for Vista residents who sustain brain injuries in falls.

More People are Suffering Deadly TBIs in Falls

Traumatic brain injuries, according to researchers, are head injuries that are “caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body, or a penetrating head injury that results in disruption of normal brain function.” In general, TBIs can be mild, moderate, or severe. Concussions are one type of mild TBI, and although they may result in life-threatening problems later on, most mild and moderate TBIs do not immediately cause a person’s death. The key piece of information from the report is that more people are sustaining fatal TBIs in fall-related accidents. Yet there is more to the data than that. More of the people falling are older adults, and more of them live in rural areas of the country. Rates of fall-related brain injury deaths have risen across age groups and geographic regions, but those specific risk factors showed particular growth.

Specifically, the study reports that brain injury deaths rose by 17% between 2008 and 2017, with continuous increases every year. In 2008, there were a total of 12,311 deaths from TBIs caused by falls, and in 2017, a total of 12,311 people sustained fatal brain injuries in falls. A total of 49 out of 51 jurisdictions in the U.S. showed a year-after-year rise in TBI deaths caused by falls. While the researchers emphasize that any person of any age can unexpectedly fall and suffer a TBI, people aged 75 and over tend to be at much greater risk not only of falling, but of dying from the injuries sustained in that fall.

There is a Need to Educate Patients About Fall Prevention

The researchers in the recent study suggest that healthcare providers have a duty to provide patients with more information about fall-related accident risks and brain injuries. In addition, the researchers intimate that healthcare providers, especially those providing generalized care to older adults, should be assessing a patient’s risk of suffering a fall-related injury and discussing ways to avoid a TBI.

If there were more public awareness about the seriousness of falls and resulting TBIs, according to the U.S. News & World Report article, fewer people would die each year from brain injuries they sustained in falls.

Contact a Vista Brain Injury Attorney

If you have questions about seeking compensation for a TBI, an experienced brain injury lawyer can assist you. Contact the Walton Law Firm to speak with an experienced San Diego County personal injury attorney about your case.

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