Attorney
U.S. researchers recently discovered that those in the military who suffer more than one mild traumatic brain injury face a much higher risk of suicide.
Craig J. Bryan of the University of Utah and associate director of the National Center for Veterans Studies surveyed 161 military personnel stationed in Iraq and evaluated them for possible traumatic brain injury.
“Up to now, no one has been able to say if multiple traumatic brain injuries, which are common among combat veterans, are associated with higher suicide risk or not,” Bryan said in a statement.
The study showed the risk for suicidal thoughts or behaviors increased not only in the short term but throughout the individual’s lifetime. The study, which was published in Psychiatry, said the risk of suicidal thoughts increased significantly with the number of traumatic brain injuries.
Results showed 21.7 percent who had ever sustained more than one traumatic brain injury reported thoughts about or preoccupation with suicide throughout their lives. For patients who had received one traumatic brain injury, 6.9 percent reported having suicidal thoughts, and 0 percent for those with no traumatic brain injuries.
Coping With a Traumatic Brain Injury? Let Our Lawyers Help
If you feel that your traumatic brain injury was due to the negligence of another person, you should contact a Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia injury attorney to assist you in recovering compensation for your injury.
Koonz’s Safety Tip: The best way to reduce your risk of traumatic brain injury is to take safety precautions in your daily life. In your home, remove tripping hazards and improve the lighting to prevent falls.
Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis L.L.P.
Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia Injury Attorneys