2022 Traumatic Brain Injury Statistics

Traumatic Brain Injuries and Deaths in 2023

One moment someone could be walking down a crosswalk, and the next struck by a vehicle. They could wake up days later from a coma in a haze with their loved ones beside them in a hospital bed, to a new reality that is living with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Sustaining a TBI as a result from an accident is a horrific, life-altering experience.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 61,000 deaths relating to a TBI occurred in the United States in 2019. On average, there were 166 TBI deaths happening each day. This type of injury contributes to a third of all injury-related fatalities in the nation. Common factors that account for a TBI include falls, intentional self harm, motor vehicle accidents, and assaults.

If your TBI was caused by negligent actions committed by another party, you may be entitled to receive recoverable compensation for damages. At West Coast Trial Lawyers, our expert brain injury attorneys are readily available to offer legal assistance to victims of personal injury. We will help strengthen your claim and negotiate with insurance companies to get you a fair settlement offer.

To schedule a free consultation, please contact our 24/7 legal team by calling 213-927-3700 or filling out our quick contact form.

Traumatic Brain Injury Statistics in 2023

• In the United States, 13.5 million people live with a disability because of a traumatic brain injury.
• The estimated annual direct and indirect costs for a TBI is $76.5 billion.
• Patients who suffer from a mild TBI are expected to recover within a few days or weeks. About 30 percent of patients have post-concussion symptoms within 3 months after the initial date of injury.
• 227,000 TBI-related hospitalizations occurred in 2016 and 224,000 in 2017.
• Children who were 0 to 17 years old contributed 8.6 percent of TBI hospitalizations in 2016 and 7.8 percent in 2017.
• The most common age group with the highest rate of TBI-related hospitalizations include, in order: adults ages 55 and older, young children ages 0 to 4 years old, and young adults ages 15 to 24 years old.
• In 2017, unintentional falls accounted for 49.1 percent of TBI hospitalizations, while motor vehicle accidents contributed 24.5 percent.
• Suicide was the leading cause of TBI-related deaths in 2016 (33.8 percent) and 2017 (34.7 percent).
• Males (78.8 percent) were involved in more TBI-related injuries than females (21.2 percent).
• Sports-related activities accounted for 21 percent of TBI-related injuries among children and adults.

TBI Symptoms

Common symptoms of a TBI include, but are not limited to:

• Headache
• Confusion
• Lack of concentration
• Paralysis
• Coma
• Dilated pupils
• Dizziness
• Difficulty breathing
• Bladder or bowel control problems
• Ringing in the ears
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Cerebrospinal fluid oozing out of the ears or nose
• Blurred or double vision
• Intolerable to light

Symptoms may vary depending on the severity of the injury.

Long-Term Effects of Brain Injury

For some, brain injury is the start of a lifelong disease process. The symptoms for a moderate to severe TBI can be long-term or permanent. Many people have reported permanent physical or mental disabilities. Even patients who are showing signs of improvement may have long-lasting effects that won’t go away anytime soon.

Daily tasks and even work that was routine before TBI can be much more difficult to complete after the fact. And when TBI is the result of someone else’s negligence, having to deal not only with these new changes in a patient’s life, but also having to deal with the physical, financial, and emotional burdens can be taxing on a person and their family.

Statute of Limitations for a Personal Injury Claim

In California, it is required for the individual to file a personal injury claim within 2 years from the date of their incident. Failure to do so will result in their claim being barred. However, there are exceptions:

• The individual is suffering from mental or physical injuries because of the injury.
• The individual is a minor. The statute of limitation will commence once the individual turns 18.
• The “discovery rule” may take place if an injury was not immediately noticeable. The statute of limitations will begin once the individual discovers their injury.

West Coast Trial Lawyers Is Here to Help 

If you or a loved one were the victim of brain injury due to negligent acts committed by another individual, our skilled brain injury attorneys at West Coast Trial Lawyers will help you recover compensation for the losses you have suffered, including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. 

We offer a free, no-obligation consultation at our firm. No fees are paid until your case has been settled. Reach out to our 24/7 legal team by calling 213-927-3700 or filling out our quick contact form.