If you slip in the grocery store or at the mall, you might be “lucky” to wind up with a sprained ankle or even a broken wrist. If that doesn’t sound like your idea of good luck, consider this: You could have wound up with a much more serious injury. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are some of the most serious head injuries a person can suffer. Veterans returning from war often have TBIs from the effects of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) they experience during their tour of duty. A serious slip-and-fall injury can be much the same.
What are the similarities?
How could a mere slip-and-fall at the local supermarket leave you with an injury as serious as that from a wartime explosion? Everything depends upon the location and severity of the blow to your head. Brain tissue is very delicate, although it is covered by a hard surface (the human skull). But slip-and-fall injuries can still cause the fragile organ beneath its outer shell to be jolted and to swell.When that happens, things get serious fast. Without immediate medical attention, the injury can be unsurvivable. That was the case with the actor Liam Neeson’s wife, Natasha Richardson, who died after a blow to the head on a ski slope. Of course, not every slip-and-fall injury will be life-threatening. But for those who do suffer a TBI, the road to recovery and a semblance of your former life can be long and grueling — and very expensive. Filing a claim for damages for your personal injuries may be necessary for you to be able to cover the costs of your recovery.