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Mortality rates and mild traumatic brain injury

People in Oklahoma who have a traumatic brain injury or whose loved ones have had one may be interested to learn that a study has indicated that people with mild traumatic brain injuries have higher mortality rates than those without any history of such injury. Furthermore, people who sustained brain injuries when they were between the ages of 15 and 54 had a death rate that was 4.2 times higher than the control group while those who were over the age of 54 at time of injury had a risk of death that was only 1.4 times higher.

The study, which was published in the Journal of Neurology, NeuroSurgery and Psychiatry, was conducted by researchers in Scotland at the University of Glasgow over a 15-year period. It looked at more than 2,400 adults who had a mild traumatic brain injury and a control group of the same size. A third control group had non-brain injuries but a similar period of time in the hospital.

The researchers concluded that while death rates were higher for individuals with mild traumatic brain injuries, lifestyle factors did play some part. However, it is unclear how important these factors are. Researchers also found that repeated brain injury was a factor in fatalities.

A study such as this one indicates that even a mild traumatic brain injury can have significant long-lasting effects on a victim. People who suffer from a mild traumatic brain injury caused by another party, such as an auto accident or medical malpractice, may wish to consult an attorney. An infant may also suffer a traumatic brain injury during birth. Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible to obtain compensation through a personal injury lawsuit filed with the assistance of an attorney that would seek damages from the responsible party to cover the victim’s medical expenses and lifestyle alterations that resulted.