Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyers: March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

March is brain injury awareness month, and the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) has launched its annual campaign.

The BIAA’s campaign has the goal of educating the public about the the needs of people with brain injuries and the needs of their families. As part of its campaign, the BIAA compiled a brain injury fact sheet that details the most common causes of brain injuries, the impact they have and who is affected by them.

Acquired brain injuries (ABIs) are injuries to the brain that are caused by events after birth, and not a consequence of genetic or congenital disorders. In other words, people are not born with acquired brain injuries; they suffer one from a specific event.

The BIAA listed the most common causes of ABIs. Over 12 million people have ABIs, with 3.5 million sustaining one each year. Among the most typical causes are toxic exposure, substance abuse, electric shock, lightning strike, oxygen deprivation, near drowning, seizure disorders, stroke, tumor, trauma, and infectious disease.

Trauma can also be a cause of traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs. External forces, such as car accidents or workplace injuries, cause this type of brain injury. Almost 3 million people suffer from TBIs annually, with 50,000 of them dying because of the severity. With numbers as high as these, the BIAA has determined that every 13 seconds a person gets a TBI.

The most common causes of TBIs are assaults, motor vehicle accidents, being struck by or against something and serious falls. As our attorneys know, workplace falls are commonplace, and many of our clients have been injured after being struck by or pinned by machinery on the job. Similarly, we have represented many clients who experienced serious, even fatal injuries as a result of car accidents where another driver was negligent, or because a mechanical defect was present.

ABIs and TBIs together affect nearly 6 million Americans each year. Every single day, 137 people die from traumatic brain injuries alone. Many people live on lifelong disability because they can no longer work as a result of their brain injury. So, these injuries affect more than just the person who has experienced them. Their spouses and children are affected. A survivor of a TBI or ABI will often take part in rehabilitation and therapy, accruing medical bills and spending much of their time trying to get better.

More than 17 million Americans are living with the results of acquired and traumatic brain injuries, and each year, more and more people will sustain them. The BIAA’s campaign wants to help raise awareness to promote research, treatment and support for people affected by ABIs and TBIs, as well as for their families and friends who suffer along with them.

Galfand Berger understands the importance of Brain Injury Awareness month because we have seen so many clients be affected by these types of injuries, and hope that the campaign helps to foster education and reminds those that have ABIs or TBIs that they are not alone.

Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyers at Galfand Berger, LLP Advocates for Victims of Brain Injuries

If you, a family member or friend has suffered a brain injury due to a workplace injury or car accident, please call the knowledgeable Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Galfand Berger, LLP. With offices located in Philadelphia, Reading and Bethlehem, we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. To schedule a consultation, call us at 800-222-8792 or complete our online contact form.