According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, traumatic brain injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in children and young people. In children and young people aged zero to 19, 62,000 children suffer brain injuries requiring hospitalization annually as a result of motor vehicle accidents and other causes. In addition, 564,000 children are seen and released in emergency rooms annually for traumatic brain injuries.
In children aged zero to 14, traumatic brain injuries cause 2,685 fatalities annually, 37,000 hospital stays and 435,000 emergency room visits. There are a variety of physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms that result from a TBI that the victim may experience in varying degrees. Communication, behavior and social problems may all result. In addition, recovery from and treatment for a brain injury can be difficult to determine. As a result, these types of injuries can be costly to treat.
The impact of a traumatic brain injury can be more serious in children. Victims of brain injuries in childhood may suffer from delayed effects. They may later demonstrate increasing difficulty processing information, impaired judgment and impaired reasoning skills. Children may suffer from lifelong physical and cognitive impairments associated with a traumatic brain injury.
Brain injuries can have a significant and lasting impact on victims, especially children. Legal options may be available to victims in order to receive compensation for the care they require and the costs and losses associated with TBI. It is important that victims who have suffered a traumatic brain injury due to the negligence of another party, such as a negligent driver, understand the options available to help them with the challenges they face.
Source: Brain Injury Association of America, “Brain Injury in Children,” Accessed Aug. 22, 2016
