Brain and Spinal Injury Information Injuries to the brain or spine are a serious medical issue. Unfortunately, many people do not realize just how common or catastrophic even seemingly minor brain injuries can be. Brain and spinal injuries are caused by falls, bumps, impacts, and other accidents that bruise or tear sensitive brain cells or spinal tissue. If you or a loved one has suffered such an accident, here are some facts you may need to know: Brain injury is more common than most people believe – Traumatic injury to the brain isn't regularly regarded as a common ailment, but the numbers say differently. According to recent statistics, acquired brain injury in Canada occurs 44 times more often than spinal cord injuries, and 30 times more common than breast cancer. To put it another way, 452 Canadians suffer a brain injury every day, adding up to more people suffering a brain injury every year than are afflicted with multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, breast cancer, and HIV/AIDS combines. Many brain and spinal cord injuries lead to permanent disability or death – Because the brain is so central to the proper functioning of the body, many brain injuries lead to partial or permanent disability, or even death. Of the roughly 165,000 brain injuries that occur in Canada every year, over 11,000 result in death and over 10,000 lead to disability. Spinal cord injuries also often lead to disability or death, including paralysis, loss of feeling, loss of motor control, and other serious ongoing health issues. Brain injury is the #1 cause of disability of Canadians under 40– Traumatic brain injuries afflicts over 50,000 Canadians a year, and that number is only rising. Instances of brain injury are so high that it has become the number one cause of disability for Canadians under 40. Men under 40 are twice as likely to suffer a brain injury than women in the same age group. Traumatic brain injury is the #1 cause of death among Canadian children – Brain injuries are most commonly caused by car accidents and sports injuries, and account for the largest number of child deaths each year than any other cause. At least 30% of brain injuries every year occur in children and youths. Brain injury can lead to other medical and behavioral issues – Brain injuries often do not stop at just the initial injury. Damage to the brain can lead to other serious issues such as chronic depression, loss of sleep, uncontrollable mood swings, and other mental health problems. Even minor brain injuries such as concussions have been shown to have lasting negative impact on the brain and its functions, and studies have found that more than half of Toronto's homeless population has suffered a traumatic brain injury. Of those who did, 70% had their first injury before they became homeless. Each severe brain injury case costs the healthcare system over $400,000 per year Another one of the problems concerning brain injuries is the cost of care. One severe brain injury costs the health care system over $400,000 at the time of the injury, but the cost does not stop there. Because severe brain trauma has ongoing effects, the cost remains the same for every year that the effects of the injury continue, which for many patients will be the rest of their lives. In total, brain injury care costs in Toronto alone reach between $2-3 billion annually.
If you suffer a brain or spinal injury, you are not alone – Despite claiming more yearly victims than even the cold and flu, brain injury research and care is severely underfunded nationwide. However, that does not mean that you are alone or have no resources to turn to. By contacting a brain injury lawyer, you can consult with an expert in brain and spinal injuries that can help you find the right treatment options, and potentially recover damages for the accident that caused your injury or disability. Because brain and spinal injuries often have serious and long lasting effects, it is crucial to consult with an injury lawyer as soon after your injury as possible to make sure you get the care you need.