Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City have completed a 16-year study of brain injuries and have found that brain injuries increase the risk of re-injury but do not raise the risk of dementia. The study looked at over 4000 older adults and also concluded that a serious brain injury that included unconsciousness increased the risk of death for the brain injury patient for a number of years following the injury. In fact, the study’s authors concluded that a serious head injury leading to loss of consciousness more than doubled the patient’s risk of death in the years following the injury.
Researchers concluded that those who sustained a head injury after the age of 55 were at the greatest risk of re-injury. According to the study authors, this may be because some age-related issues (such as mobility issues and age-related vision problems) may increase the risk of re-injury. Patients who sustained an initial brain injury before the age of 25 had double the risk of a re-injury, when compared with non-injured peers. For injured patients who sustained a serious injury after the age of 55, however, the risk of re-injury was quadruple.
Subsequent injuries after an initial head injury can cause serious symptoms and can create complications for the patient. If you have sustained a head injury, you will want to take extra steps from sustaining a secondary injury. In order to do so:
1) Take time away from higher risk activities, including contact sports. Many head injuries in North Miami and across Florida occur due to contact sports and other high-risk activities. Rather than risk reinjuring yourself, stay away from these activities – even if you wear a helmet – until you are fully healed.
2) Once you recover fully from your injury, wear a helmet when taking part in any high risk activities. Before returning to a sport or other high-risk activity that puts you at risk of a head injury, consult with your doctor first. Only resume a sport once the doctor has given you the go-ahead. Then, wear a helmet and take extra precautions to avoid re-injury.
3) Protect yourself against slip and fall accidents. Slip and fall accidents in North Miami and across Florida are a leading cause of head injuries, especially for the elderly. You can help prevent head injuries caused by slip and fall injuries in a number of ways. First, you can ensure that you take care of your vision and that you have good visibility to prevent slip and fall injuries. Secondly, you can wear practical shoes that provide good support and good treads. Finally, you can make sure that your property is safer for you by removing rugs and other obstacles that can pose a trip hazard.
If you have sustained a personal injury in North Miami that you believe was caused by someone’s recklessness or negligence, contact a local personal injury attorney for legal advice and assistance. You may be entitled to compensation that can help pay for medical care, lost income, travel expenses to doctors’ appointments, and other costs related to your injury.
Have you sustained a serious injury in North Miami that you believe was caused by someone’s negligence or recklessness? Contact the Flaxman Law Group legal team at any time to arrange for a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your case.