Personal Injury News

March Is Brain Injury Awareness Month In North Carolina

Every 15 seconds in this country, someone receives a brain injury. Today, there are more than 5 million Americans permanently affected by a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that has left them needing some degree of help just to perform everyday activities most take for granted.

In keeping with national observances, Gov. Mike Easley has proclaimed March as Brain Injury Awareness Month in North Carolina.

According to Flo Stein, chief of Community Policy Management for the N.C. Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services, TBI survivors often have significant long-term disabilities and medical complications after receiving a brain injury. A TBI is caused by external physical force. It usually happens when the head hits something – a windshield during a car crash, the sidewalk during a fall or the bullet from a gun. Shaking a baby can cause a TBI. Symptoms range from mild to severe, depending on the extent of brain damage.

“The statistics for traumatic brain injuries should be a wakeup call for all of us. In North Carolina alone, more than160,000 experienced a TBI. In 2004, over 5,000 of these injuries required hospitalization, which cost over $190 million,” Stein said. “TBI costs the country more than $56 billion in lost wages, hospital costs and long-term care. Half of all TBI’s involve alcohol use and more than 50 percent of these injuries occur in a transportation-related accident.” Read more at dhhs.state.nc.us.

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	Did You Know?
	Children injured at playgrounds may be eligible get injury compensation from the owner Playground accidents result in about 200,000 emergency visits every year-that's one injury every 2½ minutes.