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A recent article concerning brain injuries revealed a frightening statistic – the number of youth athletes suffering from brain injuries has surged by 60% in the last nine years. The leading causes of head injuries include bicycling, football and playground accidents. Traumatic brain injuries are not only caused by sports accidents, but may occur whenever an individual sustains a blunt trauma to the head. These injuries may be the result of any kind of accident including car accidents, slips and falls, amusement park accidents and medical malpractice.

Where a personal injury occurs as the result of another’s negligence, a victim may be entitled to compensation. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, an experiencedCalifornia brain injury lawyer can review the incident, provide answers to your brain injury questions and determine your next steps.

According to the study, the incidence of traumatic brain injuries among youth rose from around 150,000 in 2001 to close to 250,000 in 2009. The director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention noted that the dramatic increase is likely fueled in part by an increased awareness of the dangers of head injuries and the need for children to been evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible following an accident.

Many times, brain injuries occur without an individual ever losing consciousness and symptoms may not be immediately present – sometimes not showing up until days or even weeks after an accident occurs. Symptoms of even mild traumatic brain injuries may include headaches, dizziness, slurred speech, vomiting and seizures. With immediate treatment, the effects may be lessened or even reversed. However, more severe injuries and those brain injuries left untreated may result in long-term disabilities including:

• Headaches
• Short-term and long-term memory loss
• Confusion/inability to process information
• Communication difficulties
• Paralysis
• Death

The study also found that football was particularly dangerous to youth, with 57% of trauma-related sports deaths attributable to the sport. In 12% of these football deaths caused by neck and head injuries, youth were sent back into a game after sustaining a concussion. As a result of increased awareness, 36 states have concussions laws. California currently does not.

For more information about traumatic brain injuries or if you or a loved one has been injured in a sports or any other California accident, contact the dedicated Elk Grove brain injury lawyer and personal injury lawyer at Sette Law Office.