With last month being Brain Injury Awareness Month, as celebrated by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), the Tennessee Department of Health put out a press release touting the importance of wearing helmets while operating a motorcycle or bicycle.
According to the Department of Health (TDH), Tennessee ranks number six in the nation for lives and economic costs saved due to helmet use among cyclists and motorcyclists.
“No one expects to suffer a brain injury, but it can happen to any one of us anywhere at any time,” TDH Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, said in a press release. “Many brain injuries are preventable, from following guidelines after a sports concussion to a decision to wear a helmet when riding a bike or motorcycle. We urge Tennesseans to learn more about this issue and how they can prevent traumatic brain injuries and the significant personal, medical and disability costs that can go with them.”
According to the release, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the United States saved $3 billion due to helmet use in 2010, and could have saved an additional $1.4 billion that same year if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.
Each year in the Tennessee, approximately 8,000 people are admitted to the hospital with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). In addition, approximately 1.7 million Americans suffer a brain injury every year.
I HAVE BEEN INJURED IN A NASHVILLE BICYCLE OR MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
While wearing a helmet may reduce your chances of suffering a TBI, it does not always prevent an injury when someone is involved in a motorcycle or bicycle accident. Long-term effects of brain injuries include behavior disorders, depression, seizures and memory loss, among other things.
Brain injuries often lead to costly extended medical care and physical therapy.
If you or a loved one has sustained a TBI that was the fault of another party, contact our Tennessee law firm to schedule a free initial consultation by calling (615) 866-3938.
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” – Mark 9:23
Davis’ Did You Know? According to the CDC, the use of a helmet can reduce the risk of a head injury in a motorcycle accident by as much as 69 percent.