Brain injuries are quite common in New Mexico. They can occur due to many different situations, which are often accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 percent of all deaths due an injury are because of a brain injury. There were 2.8 million brain injury-related deaths, hospitalizations and emergency room visits in 2013 with around 50,000 of those being deaths.
The most common cause of an injury to the brain is falls, which made up almost half of all occurrence in 2013. This is followed by being struck by an object or hitting an object and car accidents. The leading age group to die from such an injury are those 75 years old or older with falls being the main cause. However, car accident related injuries and death are highest among those between 25 and 64 years old. It is estimated that in the U.S. about 153 people die every day due to this type of injury.
It is important to note that most brain injuries are mild. You may have experienced one or known someone who has. Typically, a mild injury is called a concussion, although concussions can also be serious. Overall, injuries can be mild where you lose consciousness briefly or suffer only short-term issues or they can be severe where it causes major impacts to your abilities, thinking and life. Of course, injuries can also fall somewhere in between mild and severe. It takes medical attention to diagnose the extent of an injury. This information is only intended to educate and should not be interpreted as legal advice.