Shortened life span may be result for brain injury victims

The impact of a traumatic brain injury is something that all Pennsylvania residents should be aware of. Brain trauma can result from many different situations including sports injuries, car accidents or falls that happen at work, when recreating and in other situations. The need to seek proper and prompt treatment for any form of brain injury is paramount to the long-term health of the victim.

A recent news release that was issued by an Oxford University medical research team indicates that patients who suffer traumatic brain injuries are much more likely to have a shortened lifespan. A study conducted of more than 218,000 subject and more than 150,000 of their siblings showed that the brain injury victims were three times more likely to die early than those people without such an injury. When compared to their siblings, to account for genetic factors, the same victims had more than a two-and-a-half percent chance of premature death.

Brain trauma can also be the result of a case of physician negligence or other medical error. Regardless of the reason for a brain injury, insufficient oxygen to the brain and other symptoms can truly leave lifelong consequences, as noted in the Oxford University article. Even in cases where victims appear to make full recoveries, the potential for loss of some portion of their lives exists when a traumatic brain injury has taken place.

If you or someone you love has been affected by a brain injury, it could be helpful for you to talk to an attorney who understands such a situation. Doing so may be able to help you learn if you can receive compensation and how best to proceed.

Source: University Herald, “Traumatic Brain Injuries Like Michael Schumacher’s Triple a Person’s Chance of Premature Death,” Russell Westerholm, January 16, 2014