Brain Injuries and Mass Trauma Events: Information for
Clinicians (see also Information for the public) Traumatic Brain
Injury Facts - An estimated 1.4 million Americans sustain a
traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year, most often due to falls,
motor vehicle-traffic crashes and being struck by persons or
against objects. - The severity of a TBI can range from “mild,”
i.e., a brief change in mental status or consciousness, to
“severe,” i.e., an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia
after the injury. - In disaster events, such as the World Trade
Center attack or the Oklahoma City bombing, TBIs can be caused
by flying debris, falls, being trampled, or blast waves from an
explosion. - In the chaos following mass casualty events,
diagnosis of a TBI may be missed. - Timely diagnosis and
treatment of long term consequences of a TBI is needed. Signs
and Symptoms of a TBI The signs and symptoms of a TBI can be
subtle. Symptoms of a TBI may not appear until days or weeks
following the injury or may even be miss