Head Injury Any change in mental or physical functioning following a trauma to the head is referred to as a head injury (see the image below). In the United States, traumatic brain injuries cause more than 50,000 fatalities annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Almost twice as many individuals have lasting impairments. TBI was a contributing factor in around 2.8 million emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, or fatalities in the US in 2013—either on its own or in conjunction with other injuries. Both closed and open head injuries are possible (penetrating). A closed head injury occurs when you strike your head against something hard, yet the skull is not broken. When you sustain an open head injury, also known as a penetrating head injury, the skull is broken and the brain is struck. When moving quickly, such as when crashing through a windshield in an automobile collision, this is more likely to occur. Additionally, a gu...