Advancements in safety and medical technologies have played huge roles in preventing deaths caused by traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in recent years, but these improvements alone might not be enough. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently collected hospital records regarding TBI patients between 2001 and 2010 – the last year with completed, reliable data sets – to see if TBIs have become less of a concern in recent years. The statistics were mixed, as strange as that may sound.
According to the data the CDC analyzed, the number of recorded deaths caused by brain injuries in the United States has been steadily in decline since 2006. On the other hand, the total number of reported brain injuries has been on the rise since 2007, running parallel to a rise in the number of emergency room visits due to a head injury. Interestingly, the total number of extended hospitalizations for brain injuries has remained vastly unchanged since 2001. What is going on to cause this seemingly paradoxical set of data?
New Tech, For Better or For Worse
The decline in the number of TBI-related deaths can only be contributed to the advances in safety measures and medicine previously mentioned. What is causing the rise in TBI injuries, then? The culprit is probably once again improved technology.
Smartphones are a massive concern when it comes to driving safely. The CDC and other safety organizations estimate that anywhere between 20% and 40% of all car accidents are caused by someone using their cellphone instead of paying attention to the road. With this new tech in basically everyone’s hands in the last several years, the number of distracted driving accidents has also increased. This could be the cause of the TBI increases overall.
What to Do After an Accident
If you are in a car accident or any other form of accident that was jarring or particularly violent, you should always err on the side of caution and see your doctor as soon as possible, even if you think you are uninjured. You could have an underlying brain injury that needs to be detected and diagnosed before it gets worse.
To help pay for your medical costs and other damages, you may want to file a lawsuit against the negligent driver for compensation. This is where Michael J. Doyle, Attorney at Law can step in and make your life easier. Our Albuquerque personal injury attorney has more than a decade of trial-tested experience and offers free case evaluations to inquiring clients. Call 505.219.2176 to learn more.