Any type of fall can be far more serious for an older adult than for younger ones. Seniors are more likely to fracture a bone, for example, because bone density decreases as people age. It’s well known that older people have to be particularly careful during our New Jersey winters when ice and snow cover the sidewalks and tracked-in melted snow can make floors treacherous.
It’s not just fractures that become more serious with age. So do traumatic brain injuries. TBIs are another common injury suffered in falls. In fact, over 80% of TBIs suffered by seniors are the result of falls.
People often strike their head on the ground, the floor, a wall or even a post or other hard surface. A TBI, particularly for a senior, can too easily be fatal.
How do the changes that come with aging affect the brain?
Virtually every part of the body changes as people age. Often, these changes come with some shrinkage. The brain even shrinks a bit. That doesn’t necessarily cause people to become less intelligent or cognizant. It does, however, create more space between the skull and the brain it’s meant to protect.
This space allows more room for the brain to move if it’s jolted, such as if someone strikes their head (or something strikes it). Even a car crash where a person’s head is suddenly and quickly thrown back and forth can cause damage to the brain.
The bridging veins that connect the brain and the skull also shrink with age. That means they’re more easily damaged in a TBI.
The dangers of a subdural hematoma
A particularly dangerous outcome of a TBI is a subdural hematoma. That’s when bleeding occurs in the brain. If it’s not detected and stopped quickly, it can be fatal. That’s one reason older people in particular must be examined by a doctor as quickly as possible after a fall or other incident where there’s even the possibility of a brain injury.
Seniors and their loved ones must know that if they suffer a TBI due to someone else’s actions or negligence, they have just as much right to seek compensation for medical bills and other expenses and damages as anyone else. The at-fault party can’t rely on the defense that if they were younger, their injury wouldn’t be as serious. Getting experienced legal guidance as early as possible can help seniors and their families seek the compensation they deserve