June 2015 is Brain Injury Awareness Month in Canada, and at Cariati Law, Toronto and Mississauga Personal Injury law firm, we want to do our part to help spread education and awareness about these debilitating injuries.
Brain injuries are complex, and people sustain devastating medical conditions that impact hundreds of thousands of Canadians every year. One of the country’s leading causes of death and disability, brain injuries are often notoriously hard to diagnose and treat. Brain injuries can come in all different types and levels of severity, and can manifest themselves in a wide variety of symptoms. Just as no two brains are exactly alike, treatment options for patients can vary dramatically depending on the circumstances under which the injury was sustained.
Here are some statistics from the Brain Injury Society of Toronto that demonstrate just how widespread this problem has become for Canadians:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are the number one cause of death and disability for Canadians under age 40.
- 50% of TBIs are sustained in car accidents.
- Including brain injuries sustained from concussions, approximately 587,025 Canadians will sustain a brain injury every year.
- The annual incidence of TBI in Canada is greater than that of Spinal Cord Injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, and Breast Cancer combined.
- The financial cost associated with TBI in Ontario is estimated to be around $2-3 billion annually.
These figures are shocking, and demonstrate the scope of this serious public health issue. One of the biggest concerns surrounding brain injuries is the overall lack of education about these serious medical conditions. Brain injuries and the victims that suffer through them are often misunderstood and unfairly stigmatized in society. This is one of the reasons that it is so important to share these facts during Brain Injury Awareness Month.
Here are some additional facts about brain injuries, their symptoms and how they can be sustained:
- The four most common causes of Traumatic Brain Injury are falls, car accidents, violence or gunshot wounds, and injuries sustained by military personnel in battle.
- There are two main types of brain injury:
- Closed Head Injuries occur when the skull suffers a concussive or forceful blow. These types of brain injuries are commonly associated with falls, car accidents and sports injuries such as concussions.
- Open Head Injuries occur when a foreign object enters or penetrates the skull. These types of brain injuries are commonly associated with violence and injuries suffered by military personnel in combat.
- Brain injuries can also occur even when no external force or action has taken place. These are referred to as Non-Traumatic Brain Injuries, and can result from medical conditions including stroke, lack of oxygen to the brain, tumors, and brain infections or inflammation.
Symptoms of brain injuries are difficult to predict, and depend largely on the type of brain injury, how it was sustained, and what part of the brain is affected. Symptoms of brain injury can be either physical or emotional.
Physical symptoms can include:
- Headaches
- Loss of balance
- Blurred vision
- Loss of motor skills
- Seizures
- Changes in sleep patterns
- And many other symptoms
Functional and emotional changes can include:
- Changes in personality
- Depression or loss of interest in hobbies or passions
- Difficulties controlling emotions or mood swings
- Loss of short or long-term memory
- Disorientation
- Difficulty speaking
During Brain Injury Awareness Month, it is vitally important to share this information with as many friends, family members and fellow members of the Ontario community as possible. Knowledge is power, and the more we know about these terrible injuries, the more effective we can be at preventing and treating them in the future.
If you or a loved one has sustained a brain injury in a vehicle collision, slip and fall, workplace accident, or any other type of incident that was not your fault, you will need an experienced Toronto, Ontario Personal Injury lawyer by your side. At Cariati Law, our legal team has both the legal and medical knowledge required to help provide the answers that you and your loved ones seek.
If you or a family members Traumatic Brain Injury was caused in a serious accident, call Cariati Law for help. It won’t cost you anything to discuss your possible case, and Cariati Law professionals will help guide you in the right direction and fight to protect your rights.
Let Cariati Law protect your rights as a victim and get the compensation you and your family deserve for a lifetime of care. Call us today at 905-629-8040 to receive a FREE, confidential and no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced Toronto, Ontario Personal Injury lawyers.
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