Researchers Draw Link from Traumatic Brain Injury to Homelessness. TBI Lawyers Can Help.

A St. Michael’s Hospital study found that almost half of all homeless men studied suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI).  87% of those brain injuries happened before becoming homeless.  The doctor who led the study said brain injury could be a risk factor in causing homelessness.

St. Michael’s Hospital is not the only institute to find links between traumatic brain injury and tragic social fallout.  Researchers at the Brain Injury Research Center at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York have found that therapy for underlying brain injury can resolve problems like learning disabilities and chronic homelessness.  The researchers have said that traumatic brain injury cost some victims their ability to read, stay clean, and keep up friendships.

Mount Sinai’s researchers also found that many children in school with learning disabilities were victims of a serious blow to the head.  The head injuries though often were recognized days or months after the injury.  As a result, victims had a hard time relating their injury to their more serious learning problems, problems with relationships, and other health conditions.

What is Traumatic Brain Injury?

A bump, blow, jolt, or head injury can cause traumatic brain injury.  The symptoms can appear later, even days or weeks after the initial injury, which makes it hard for victims to tie their injury to an accident.  A traumatic brain injury lawyer and your medical professionals can help you determine the cause of the traumatic brain injury and give help.

A concussion is a form of brain injury.  Victims with traumatic brain injury can also be suffering headaches, neck pain, nausea, ringing in the ears, dizziness, and tiredness.  More serious symptoms can include:

1. Worsening Headaches
2. Slurring speech
3. Vomiting and nausea
4. Dilated pupils
5. Weakness in arms and legs
6. Sensitivity to light
7. Loss of balance
8. Sleep disturbances, insomnia etc.

(Note, these are not all of the symptoms of traumatic brain injury and do not substitute for reviewing your case with a medical professional)

What Caused the Traumatic Brain Injuries in Homeless People?

 According to the National Institute of Health, millions of people in the United States suffer brain injuries. Over 50% of those brain injuries are bad enough to require hospitalization and serious brain injuries can cause permanent damage or death.

Falls and vehicle accidents caused about 40% of those brain injuries reviewed by St. Michael’s Hospital.  Assaults caused approximately 60% of the brain injuries in homeless people studied by St. Michael’s Hospital.  The National Institute of Health has found that approximately 50% of all traumatic brain injuries—in homeless people and people with homes–are from motor vehicle accidents.  The United States Center for Disease Control says that 5.3 million Americans suffer from mental or physical injury from brain injury.

These numbers may be lower than the actual figures because many people suffering from traumatic brain injury did not receive treatment or may feel that their inability to think clearly is just how they are, rather than the effect of an accident or injury.

Do I have a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Victims may not realize they are suffering from a traumatic brain injury. Feeling nauseated, foggy, dizzy, or having headaches may not seem to have come from a blow to the head since symptoms might develop after the incident.  That is why it is so important to get medical treatment after a serious accident and carefully monitor yourself to see if you feel any of the symptoms above.

If you believe you suffered a traumatic brain injury you should seek immediately medical treatment.  Medical treatment will ensure you are doing all you can for your health and will create a record in case you need future care.  Doctors can diagnose traumatic brain injury by discussing your symptoms and by performing MRI scans, EEG tests, CT neuro-imaging, sleep studies, swallow studies, balance and audiology studies, lab and blood tests.

Be sure to consult with an experienced and knowledgeable physician who treats traumatic brain injuries induced by what you believe caused your injury.  For example, if you believe an accident (car crash, a fall etc.) caused your brain injury, seek treatment from a doctor who specifically treats people injured by a blow or jolt as opposed to a physician who exclusively treats neurological diseases (e.g. Alzheimer’s) unrelated to blows, jolts, or traumatic injuries.

Help for People with Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury lawyers can help victims get treatment and services before their cases resolve.  Several institutions help people who suffered traumatic brain injury.  A few are:

Long March Home, a program to help veterans, many of whom suffered traumatic brain injury and now need help to return to civilian life.

The Brain Injury Association of New York is a non profit program that advocates for and assists TBI sufferers and their families.

New York State Department of Health recognizes traumatic brain injury can interrupt housing and can help

Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers

Traumatic brain injury lawyers will help victims stay in treatment, review the victim’s needs carefully, and build cases around restoring victims and their families to security and stability.

If you believe you or someone you know was hurt in an accident and needs help from a traumatic brain injury lawyer, call us to discuss your matter. Consultation is free, honest, and confidential.

Clifford Tucker at Fisher Injury Lawyers