Effects of brain injury are long lasting, widespread

When someone is involved in a car accident and breaks his or her leg, the prognosis is fairly clear. Unless something drastic happens, the injured victim will likely recover and not face many long-term medical conditions because of the broken leg. With a brain injury, however, the immediate recovery is only part of what could be a long-lasting injury that pervades many aspects of a victim’s life. And, according to a recently published study, individuals with brain injuries are three times more likely to die prematurely than those people without brain injuries.

There are many different causes of brain injuries, but if someone in Pittsburgh is injured because of someone else’s negligence or recklessness, he or she can file a personal injury lawsuit and hold that individual responsible. Not only do these lawsuits force someone to account for his or her dangerous behavior, but it is also an important way to secure funds to cover the cost of long-term care.

According to this recent study, individuals with brain injuries are not only at a higher risk of dying, but there is also a high rate of drug abuse and psychiatric problems among people with brain injuries. For some people, the problems existed prior to the injury, but many of them developed these conditions following their injuries.

Moreover, individuals with traumatic brain injuries are susceptible to depression.

While the study has not found any causal links between brain injuries and these conditions, the fact that there is a higher correlation of these medical conditions following a traumatic brain injury is highly suspect.

Source: WebMD, “Brain Injuries May Raise Risk of Early Death,” Steven Reinberg, Jan. 15, 2014