Why are head injuries so common in crashes?
In Toronto, car accidents frequently lead to severe injuries. Among the most common and most severe are traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), often referred to simply as TBIs.
But just how prevalent are crash-related brain injuries in Toronto? What types of TBIs do individuals typically sustain in car crashes? And why do car accidents result in so many brain injuries? Moreover, what legal options are available to those who have suffered brain injuries? Let the Toronto car accident lawyers at Smitiuch Injury Law shed light on these crucial questions.
How common are traumatic brain injuries in Toronto?
Brain injuries happen at an alarming rate in Toronto and throughout Canada. Nationwide, roughly 165,000 people each year sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Canada, according to Brain Injury Canada, a nationwide organization created by brain injury survivors and caregivers throughout the country. That 165,000 figure equals roughly 500 TBIs for every 100,000 people in Canada.
Based on such statistics, that works out to roughly 72,500 traumatic brain injuries every year in Ontario. As for Toronto, people here sustain 14,650 brain injuries each year on average, according to Brain Injury Canada data.
How often do car accidents cause TBIs in Toronto?
Unfortunately, car accidents remain a common cause of brain injuries in Toronto. Car crashes involving pedestrians, in particular, often result in traumatic brain injuries.
Among children and younger adults between the ages of 5 and 30 and adults over 50, about 55 percent of all pedestrian TBIs nationwide involve being hit by a car while crossing the street, according to a traffic safety study conducted by the Government of Canada. In addition, motor vehicle accidents overall are the third-leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in Canada, according to the same study.
As for Toronto, traumatic brain injuries caused by car accidents have long been a serious problem. Notably, the number of pedestrians and cyclists who sustain TBIs and other serious injuries in Toronto due to being hit by a car might be even higher than official accident statistics, according to a recent study.
"One of the surprises in our study is that, both for hospitalizations and for emergency department visits, about 80 percent of the bicycle-related injuries (in Toronto) were not reported to have involved motor vehicles," Alison Macpherson, a professor at the School of Kinesiology & Health Science at York University, said in an interview with The Toronto Star about the more up-to-date accident data.
What are common car accident brain injuries?
Traumatic brain injuries caused by car accidents can cover a wide range. Some of the most common TBIs due to car crashes include:
- Concussion
- Contusion (brain bruise)
- Hematoma (blood clot in the brain)
- Brain hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain)
Why do car accidents cause so many brain injuries?
The powerful force of a car accident is one of the main reasons why traumatic brain injuries often occur. This is especially true if a car hits a pedestrian or a cyclist and their head hits the ground or the car itself.
But brain injuries also often occur when two vehicles crash into each other. Sometimes, these injuries involve the driver or passenger’s head hitting the dashboard, windshield, or another part of the car’s interior.
However, car accident brain injuries can also occur without someone’s head hitting any part of the car. That’s because the force of a collision can often whip a person’s head quickly forward and backward, resulting in an injury to the brain.
How does negligence contribute to brain injuries in car accidents?
In Toronto, car accidents resulting in traumatic brain injuries often stem from drivers' failure to adhere to the rules of the road. Examples of car accidents leading to TBIs due to negligence include:
- Speeding drivers who fail to decelerate in time to avoid colliding with another vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist.
- Aggressive drivers who disregard traffic signals, run red lights, or fail to stop at stop signs.
- Distracted drivers, particularly those engaged in texting while driving.
- Impaired drivers operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Why should I hire a Toronto car accident lawyer?
Toronto car accidents that result in brain injury often quickly turn into complicated legal cases. This is why you should always talk to a lawyer as soon as possible after your car crash to learn more about your legal rights.
An experienced Toronto car accident lawyer at Smitiuch Injury Law can help you every step of the way. We know the laws that apply to car crashes that result in serious injuries in Ontario. That’s because we have been doing this work for years in Toronto.
Learn more about how our law firm can help you by contacting us and scheduling a free consultation. Our law firm has three offices conveniently located in Toronto, Brantford, and Simcoe, Ontario.
