Last updated on August 7th, 2023
How common are traumatic brain injury statistics in Ohio? Let’s break it down.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a contributing factor in 30% of all injury-related deaths. In Ohio alone, TBIs accounted for:
Survivors often suffer severe physical and emotional impairment, but also face the staggering financial costs of traumatic brain injury. TBI is the result of a direct blow to the head that is hard enough to damage the brain or cause it to move within the skull. It is a closed-head injury, where an object has not penetrated the skull and entered the brain but the injury itself can affect tissues throughout multiple areas of the brain.
Both falls and auto accidents are leading causes of TBI, but motor vehicle crashes result in the largest percentage of TBI-related deaths nationwide. There has been quite a lot of attention in recent years to the part played by contact sports like boxing and football in permanent brain injuries, but people who are age 60 and over have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and death of any age group.
Brain injuries are more likely than any other type of injury to result in death or permanent disability. Victims can suffer coma, amnesia, memory loss, attention deficit, mobility problems, speech issues, cognitive disabilities, vision issues, seizures, and emotional problems, such as depression and personality changes. Traumas range from mild to extremely severe.
Consider the following statistics:
Those who show recovery the quickest have the best prognosis for complete recovery.
In order to understand the prognosis and likely costs of a traumatic brain injury, it is helpful to look at how the injury is classified for severity. There are various systems.
The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) measures comas and diminishment of consciousness. Low scores signify more severe conditions. So a score of 3 to 8 signifies a severe traumatic brain injury, while a score of 13 to 15 is mild. There are other classification systems, such as the Trauma Score, the Abbreviated Trauma Score, and the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS).
Ongoing treatment, though extremely expensive, can help people recover and get back to work. The goal of rehabilitation therapy for traumatic brain injury is to minimize disabilities and enable patients to live as independently as possible. Those who do not get proper treatment, and even many who do, often never recover.
Treatment is in stages, though those with milder cases may not need all three stages.
Acute care is the care the patient receives right after the injury when they may be rushed to the hospital. This could include surgically relieving intracranial pressure and medications to prevent seizures.
Subacute care is the treatment the patient receives after they are stabilized. A patient may stay in a dedicated subacute treatment center or a designated area of some hospitals.
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Length of stay varies tremendously, and those with very mild cases of TBI may never receive subacute care. Therapies are focused on helping patients live as independently as possible. Doctors and therapists work with the patient to regain their physical functions, and specialists may also be called in to help the patient deal with mental and emotional trauma.
Chronic care or long-term rehabilitation may be the final step for those who cannot fully recover. Treatment varies considerably depending on the extent of the injury. For some, chronic care simply means regular doctor office visits while they live a mostly normal life. But the severely injured may spend years — or the rest of their lives — in a long-term care facility as their treatments continue.
Suffering an injury to the brain is the stuff of nightmares, but on top of dealing with the injury itself, many victims and their families struggle with the financial costs of a traumatic brain injury. The price of the treatment itself can be astronomical. Beyond that, many victims cannot work for an extended time, and some are never able to rejoin the workforce.
As medical expenses skyrocket and income stops or decreases significantly, families of TBI patients can very quickly find themselves in deep financial difficulties. Unemployment rates following a brain injury are heartrending. Two years after diagnosis, the unemployment rate was 60% for the average adult with brain injury at the time of a recent analysis. As a point of comparison, the average national unemployment average was 5.1% during the same time period.
It is eye-opening that up to 53% of homeless people are estimated to have a brain injury.
While potential lifetime costs of a TBI vary per person — an estimated $85,000 to $3 million depending on the severity of the injury — it’s important to think about the emotional cost, too. And that goes for all family members involved.
Traumatic brain injury can have tremendous financial costs. If you have suffered a brain injury, you may have medical expenses for years to come. The difference between getting the help you need to live a comfortable life and losing everything can be your legal representation. If you have suffered a brain injury, contact us at Dyer, Garofalo, Mann & Schultz today to discuss how we can help you get the most from your insurance and government benefits, plus receive the compensation you are entitled to for current and future expenses.
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Before establishing Dyer, Garofalo, Mann & Schultz L.P.A., Doug Mann, a top Ohio Injury Attorney served as a bodily injury claims adjuster at a major insurance firm. With over 40+ years of experience, Doug’s background has proven invaluable in securing maximum cash settlements for his clients swiftly. Since leaving the insurance industry, Doug has devoted his entire legal career to assisting injured clients during their times of greatest need.
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This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Doug Mann who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a practicing personal injury attorney.
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