Traumatic Brain Injuries: 6 Facts to Know When Applying for Disability Benefits (Pt. 1)

Traumatic brain injuries are among the various types of conditions that can make it difficult – if not impossible – for people to earn a living. While people living with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can apply for disability benefits to help them financially support themselves, the application process can be particularly challenging for these people due to the facts that:

• The severity of their brain injury may not yet be fully identified
• The injury itself can make it difficult to remember deadlines and follow through with all of the steps of the application process.

In this blog series, we will highlight some important facts for people to know when they or someone they love is living with a traumatic brain injury and is preparing to apply for disability benefits. If you have questions about your options and the process, don’t hesitate to contact the Denver disability insurance lawyers at McDermott Law, LLC. We have the experience, skills and knowledge you can count on to help you obtain the disability benefits to which you are likely entitled.

Traumatic Brain Injuries & Disability Benefits: Here’s What You May Want to Know…

Fact 1 – TBI is the leading cause of disability among people ages 1 to 44 years old.

As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)report, the number one cause of death and disability among people younger than 45 years old in the U.S. is sustaining traumatic brain injuries. Additionally, the CDC reports that:

• Approximately 1.7 million people sustain a new TBI every year in the U.S.
• More than 30 percent of all injury-related fatalities in the U.S. are caused by severe traumatic brain injuries.
• About 52,000 people in the U.S. die due to TBI complications each year.
• The majority of TBI cases in the U.S. are mild forms of TBI (like, for instance, concussions).

The bottom line here is that traumatic brain injuries are, tragically, an all-too-common injury; in fact, some public health officials consider the high incidence of traumatic brain injuries in the U.S. to be a national health crisis.

Fact 2 – There is a link between having moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries developing Alzheimer’s disease.

While researchers across the globe are still investigating the nature of the link between traumatic brain injuries and Alzheimer’s disease, the current consensus in the medical community is that there seems to a significantly high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease after having sustained at moderate (or worse) TBI. Specifically, the link between these two conditions has been pinpointed as follows:

• People with moderate traumatic brain injuries have about a 2.3 times increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
• People with severe traumatic brain injuries have about a 4.5 times increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Perhaps the bigger takeaway from this fact about traumatic brain injuries is that this type of impairment can and often does open people up to developing other serious impairments like, for instance, Alzheimer’s disease.

We will pick this discussion back up in a few upcoming parts of this blog series – we encourage you to check them out!

Denver, Colorado Disability Insurance Lawyers at McDermott Law, LLC

Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury or with any type of debilitating condition? If so, the Denver disability insurance lawyers at McDermott Law, LLC are here for you, reading to provide you with superior representation so you have the best chances of obtaining the benefits you need and deserve.

To learn more about how we can help you, schedule a free initial consult with our lawyers by calling us at 303-964-1800 or by emailing us using the contact form on this screen.

From our offices in Denver, we provide superior representation and legal service to people throughout Colorado.