A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a type of injury that damages the brain itself and causes it to malfunction. It usually results from a blow to the head or a jolt to the head and body. An object penetrating the skull can also cause a TBI.
Construction workers sustain more traumatic brain injuries than employees at any other type of workplace in the United States. That is because construction sites are much more dangerous than other places of employment. There is typically heavy machinery, constant motion, and high work surfaces involved in construction and the risks become greater when using this equipment.
Safety interventions must be emphasized in the construction industry. More than 2,200 workers died of a traumatic brain injury from 2003 to 2010. Traumatic brain injuries represented one-quarter of all construction fatalities during the eight-year period. More than half of fatal work-related traumatic injuries were a result of falls from roofs, ladders, cranes, and scaffolds.
How a TBI affects a person depends on its severity, and on where it occurs. There are various stages of severity. For example, a concussion is classified as a mild TBI. Some consequences of a TBI may include amnesia, coma, and even death.
A TBI is very difficult to treat because of the wide range of symptoms and complications it presents. Each injury affects a person differently, both physically and emotionally. Sometimes symptoms may not show up for days or even weeks after the injury has occurred. Confusion, persistent headaches, slow thinking or speaking, sleep changes, increased sensitivity to light and sound, tinnitus, and moodiness are all possible symptoms after a TBI. The more quickly a diagnosis can be made, the sooner treatment can begin.
In order to prevent a TBI, a construction worker must wear a hardhat and adhere to the safety precautions on their job site. Sometimes accidents do happen and Losi & Gangi will be there to represent you in your case. If you are currently experiencing a TBI from a construction accident and have any questions, please call us today at 716-854-1446 to speak to one of our attorneys.
For more information on traumatic brain injuries in construction workers, please see the below links:
