The set of circumstances that reportedly killed popular comedian and TV actor Bob Saget last month are not uncommon, according to health officials.
Approximately 166 Americans die from traumatic brain injury (TBI) related events each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Some individuals are at greater risk for suffering a TBI or having worse health outcomes after an injury, the CDC said on its website. Falls are responsible for nearly half of the TBI-related hospitalizations, according to the federal agency.
Saget, the beloved star of the sitcom “Full House,” host of the long-running “America’s Funniest Videos,” and legendary stand-up comedian, reportedly died of a head injury Jan. 9 in an Orlando, Florida, hotel room.
In a statement obtained by E! News and Yahoo! News, Saget’s family said authorities concluded the 65-year-old actor “accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep.”
“In the weeks since Bob’s passing, we have been overwhelmed with the incredible outpouring of love from Bob’s fans, which has been a great comfort to us and for which we are eternally grateful,” Saget’s family said in a statement, according to multiple reports. “Now that we have the final conclusions from the authorities’ investigation, we felt it only proper that the fans hear those conclusions directly from us.”
There were no signs of alcohol or drugs in his system, according to the statement.
Bob Saget and John Stamos starred in “Full House” together. (Getty Images)
As Fox News previously reported, Saget’s body was found at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Orlando. At the time investigators reportedly saw no signs of foul play or drug use.
Dr. Fred Davis, D.O., an emergency medicine physician at Northwell Health outside New York City, is not privy to Saget’s case but told Fox News that head injuries are especially dangerous in individuals who are older or take certain medications.
“Blood thinners put people at greater risks for bleeding if they get a head injury,” Davis told Fox News.
Dave Coulier and Candice Cameron Bure remembered Bob Saget in matching Instagram posts. (Getty Images)
It’s important for individuals who suffer a head injury to be aware of certain signs and symptoms, Davis added.
“Head trauma where there is loss of consciousness can be concerning,” he said. ” Specific factors that are cause for further evaluation include if the person is not back to baseline two hours after the injury, if there is concern for a significant enough impact to cause a fracture to the skull, if there is bruising around the eyes, vomiting more than two times, or age greater than 65 years old.”
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An individual should be taken for immediate medical attention if “the person passed out after a blow to the head, has episodes of vomiting, or is not acting right,” he added.
“Full House” stars, from left, Jodie Sweetin as Stephanie Tanner, Bob Saget as Danny Tanner, Mary-Kate or Ashley Olsen as Michelle Tanner and Candace Cameron Bure as D.J. Tanner. (Getty Images)
Bill Schwartz is a physical therapist who deals with concussions and head injuries in athletes at the Schwarz Institute for Physical Therapy and Performance in Massapequa, New York. Schwarz treats NFL players and college athletes and says head injuries can be dangerous.
Individuals who experience loss of consciousness, neck pain, vomiting, numbness or tingling in arms, confusion /amnesia should seek immediate medical attention,” Schwarz told Fox News in an interview.
According to the CDC, those who suffer a head injury should rule out a concussion and subdural hematoma, a condition in which blood pools in the brain. While epidural hematomas are relatively uncommon, there have been reports of these fatal injuries.
In 1920, Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman was hit by a baseball, stood up woozily, then collapsed of a concussion, yet recovered enough to continue playing only to die within hours. On March 19, 2009, actor Liam Neeson’s wife, Natasha Richardson – also an acclaimed actor – died from an epidural hematoma due to a blunt impact to the head after reportedly falling on a Canadian ski slope at age 45.
Natasha Richardson is seen with husband Liam Neeson in New York City, May 8, 2008. Richardson died from a head injury the following year. (Photo by Shawn Ehlers/WireImage)
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Blows to the head should not be ignored, and they should be evaluated by medical professionals, health experts told Fox News.
As for the Saget family, their statement also said, “As we continue to mourn together, we ask everyone to remember the love and laughter that Bob brought to this world, and the lessons he taught us all: to be kind to everyone, to let the people you love know you love them, and to face difficult times with hugs and laughter.”
