New study links brain injuries to homelessness

Each year, countless New Jersey residents suffer traumatic brain injuries in car accidents, workplace accidents or other serious mishaps. When these accidents result from the negligence of others — such as a negligent driver or employer — accident victims may be able to pursue damages in a personal injury lawsuit.

The problem with seeking damages after a traumatic brain injury is that it’s not always easy to determine the future complications and effects that the injury will cause. That’s why an experienced personal injury lawyer will often bring on medical experts, medical economists and other professionals who can help determine the financial scope of the injury.

Sometimes, these professionals will rely on scientific studies to help prove the financial effects of a brain injury. A new study that could be valuable in this way is one that shows a link between brain injuries and homelessness.

The study, which was conducted by researchers in Canada, involved 111 homeless men between the ages of 27 and 81. Researchers found that 45 of the men had suffered brain injuries in the past and 87 percent of these injuries occurred before the men became homeless.

The study also reported that assaults were the most common cause of brain injuries among the subjects, but car accidents were also a common cause.

The results of the study, which were published April 25 in the scientific journal CMAJ Open, could potentially be used as evidence in a personal injury lawsuit suggesting that a person’s future earning capacity and ability to provide for oneself could be significantly altered as a result of a traumatic brain injury.

The study also gives us a better idea as to how and why people become homeless, which is often due to no fault of their own.