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Smartphones are causing traumatic brain damage in the United States

On Behalf of | Dec 20, 2019 | Personal Injury |

New research that used data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) from the 20 years preceding 2017 indicates that cellphones are contributing to a surge in head and neck injuries — including traumatic brain injuries — among people in the United States.

The root cause of the problem, however, may not be what you might think.

According to the study, there have been at least 76,000 cellphone-related injuries — and around 13,000 of those were traumatic brain injuries. The vast majority of cellular phone-related injuries were found in people who were under 30 years of age. The real number of injuries may be even higher because the CPSC database only captures those who sought medical treatment after they were hurt.

What’s causing all of the damage? Mostly, it’s a case of human distractibility. Cellphone injury incidents have increased sharply after the advent of the Apple iPhone back in 2007. Texting while walking and texting while driving were related to over 14,000 injuries — and if you suspect Pokemon Go might have something to do with a lot of them, you’re correct.

Everyone needs to be careful when they are walking or driving not to get lost in their cellphones. If you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle, make sure that your cellphone is locked or off. If you don’t trust yourself, put it in the trunk until you get to your destination. If you’re a pedestrian, keep at least one ear free of your earbuds and put the phone in your pocket when you’re walking by the roadside or crossing the street.

Despite your own personal precautions, you may still end up suffering a traumatic brain injury or other catastrophic injuries due to a distracted driver. If that happens, it may be wise to find out what type of compensation is available to help secure your future.

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