A traumatic brain injury can leave a victim with unimaginable consequences. A person who was once an intelligent and outgoing individual with a bright future may be left unable to perform even the most basic tasks learned during childhood.
As our Boston traumatic brain injury (TBI) attorneys can explain, medical bills are often only the beginning. The cost in future medical bills and rehabilitation expenses can be seemingly limitless. This is made even worse by the fact that, in many cases, a family member will have to stop working, so he or she can take care of the victim full time, as many traumatic brain injury patients need assistance for even simple tasks.
However, these are examples of some of the worst instances of traumatic brain injury. There are many victims who have a TBI that leaves them with difficulty concentrating, painful headaches, vision problems, motor control problems, and other mental and physical problems, but they still fare much better than other TBI patients. These victims can function in society and take care of themselves, but may find it difficult to work or engage in social relationships to the extent possible before the accident.
According to a recent news feature from Medical News Today, there is now convincing evidence a traumatic brain injury can lead to attention hyperactivity deficit disorder (ADHD). A Canadian study found links between adults with a brain injury and a history of ADHD. Research suggests brain injury patients may benefit from ADHD screening and treatment options.
A researcher quoted in the article said the link is significant and that patients who suffered a traumatic brain injury are more than two times more likely to develop ADHD than those who have not suffered a serious brain injury. ADHD is described as a chronic impulse behavioral disorder and involves difficulty with sustaining attention.
This is not only significant by itself, but also when we consider the rate at which traumatic brain injury is increasing across the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by the year 2020, traumatic brain injury will become the world’s third most frequent medical issue, behind heart disease and depression. The reason for this is not that more people are suffering head injuries than ever before, but that with modern medical advances, doctors are able to save more people who have suffered catastrophic injury.
For example, in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we had more troops return from the battlefield with a traumatic brain injury than in previous conflicts. This is true even though hundreds of thousands more U.S. troops were killed in prior conflicts. The reason is because, in past years, many of these troops would have never made it off the battlefield; however, today, rescue workers are able to airlift them to Combat Support Hospital for immediate surgery and then airlift them to a regular military hospital for rehabilitation. This is similar to accident victims who can now be saved, but may have lasting consequences in terms of TBI.
If you are injured in an accident in Boston, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
New study supports link between ADHD and traumatic brain injury, August 23, 2015, Medical News Today
New Guidelines for Identifying Causes of Newborn Brain Injury, October 21, 2014, Boston Personal Injury Lawyer Blog