Dec
14
Did You Suffer a Mild Brain Injury
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Arnold Hernandez inquired:
Obviously geringf
Obviously geringf
Nov
26
Automobile Accidents and Traumatic Brain Injury
Filed Under Law | 2 Comments
Alan Haburchak inquired:
Of the 1.4 million Americans who sustain a traumatic brain injury each year, half of them will be involved in an automobile or motorcycle accident. The National Institutes of Health cite automobile accidents as the number one cause of traumatic brain injury in people under 75.
Accident-Related Brain Injury: Mechanisms
In an auto-accident-related TBI, the victim is jolted violently, sometimes against an object. This causes the brain to twist within the skull and bump against the skull walls, damaging the brain’s axions, which are the connections between neurons. This disrupts the brain’s internal communications, reducing the patient’s ability to perform basic functions. Patients with more severe axion damage may go into comas or die immediately. Other types of brain injuries that are commonly caused by an auto accident include concussion; contusion, or bruising of the brain tissue; skull fracture; and anoxia, a lack of oxygen to the brain.
A closed brain injury, in which the skull is not broken or penetrated, is the most common kind of TBI caused by auto accidents. It is also more difficult to diagnose than a penetrative brain injury, because the symptoms may not be obvious at first. Right after the accident, victims may feel fine, or show only a short loss of consciousness or a mild headache. They may be sent home from the hospital with a clean bill of health. However, more symptoms can appear in the days and weeks after the accident. They include:
* Headaches
* Dizziness and lightheadedness
* Double vision or blurred vision
* Confusion or agitation
* Fatigue
* Memory loss
* Mood or behavior changes
* Trouble concentrating
* Slurred speech
* Dilation of the pupils
* Repeated vomiting or nausea
* Loss of coordination
These secondary symptoms can occur when the brain swells in response to the original trauma. Because the brain is trapped inside the skull, this swelling can cause complications of the original, seemingly mild, injury. About 40 percent of TBI patients develop some of these symptoms, sometimes called post-concussion syndrome, in the days or weeks after an accident. Accident victims who show any of these symptoms should insist on being thoroughly rechecked for a traumatic brain injury, even if doctors originally said they were fine.
Costs of Automobile Accident-Related TBI
The costs, both personal and financial, of a traumatic brain injury can be high. Because brain tissue cannot regenerate the way other body tissues can, brain-damage patients may never fully recover from their injuries. Such patients will live the rest of their lives with disabilities such as trouble seeing or hearing, memory loss, motor skills damage, depression and personality changes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than 5 million Americans need help with daily tasks because of a traumatic brain injury. All of these things take a toll on the lives of the patients and their loved ones, as well as costing millions of dollars to treat.
To minimize the chance of living with a disability, accident victims who think they might have a TBI should insist on a thorough medical evaluation after an accident, so they can begin treatment as soon as possible. If you believe that someone else may be at fault for an auto accident that caused you or a loved one to sustain brain damage, or if you believe you are being unfairly denied treatment or compensation, you may wish to speak to an experienced brain injury attorney.
Of the 1.4 million Americans who sustain a traumatic brain injury each year, half of them will be involved in an automobile or motorcycle accident. The National Institutes of Health cite automobile accidents as the number one cause of traumatic brain injury in people under 75.
Accident-Related Brain Injury: Mechanisms
In an auto-accident-related TBI, the victim is jolted violently, sometimes against an object. This causes the brain to twist within the skull and bump against the skull walls, damaging the brain’s axions, which are the connections between neurons. This disrupts the brain’s internal communications, reducing the patient’s ability to perform basic functions. Patients with more severe axion damage may go into comas or die immediately. Other types of brain injuries that are commonly caused by an auto accident include concussion; contusion, or bruising of the brain tissue; skull fracture; and anoxia, a lack of oxygen to the brain.
A closed brain injury, in which the skull is not broken or penetrated, is the most common kind of TBI caused by auto accidents. It is also more difficult to diagnose than a penetrative brain injury, because the symptoms may not be obvious at first. Right after the accident, victims may feel fine, or show only a short loss of consciousness or a mild headache. They may be sent home from the hospital with a clean bill of health. However, more symptoms can appear in the days and weeks after the accident. They include:
* Headaches
* Dizziness and lightheadedness
* Double vision or blurred vision
* Confusion or agitation
* Fatigue
* Memory loss
* Mood or behavior changes
* Trouble concentrating
* Slurred speech
* Dilation of the pupils
* Repeated vomiting or nausea
* Loss of coordination
These secondary symptoms can occur when the brain swells in response to the original trauma. Because the brain is trapped inside the skull, this swelling can cause complications of the original, seemingly mild, injury. About 40 percent of TBI patients develop some of these symptoms, sometimes called post-concussion syndrome, in the days or weeks after an accident. Accident victims who show any of these symptoms should insist on being thoroughly rechecked for a traumatic brain injury, even if doctors originally said they were fine.
Costs of Automobile Accident-Related TBI
The costs, both personal and financial, of a traumatic brain injury can be high. Because brain tissue cannot regenerate the way other body tissues can, brain-damage patients may never fully recover from their injuries. Such patients will live the rest of their lives with disabilities such as trouble seeing or hearing, memory loss, motor skills damage, depression and personality changes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than 5 million Americans need help with daily tasks because of a traumatic brain injury. All of these things take a toll on the lives of the patients and their loved ones, as well as costing millions of dollars to treat.
To minimize the chance of living with a disability, accident victims who think they might have a TBI should insist on a thorough medical evaluation after an accident, so they can begin treatment as soon as possible. If you believe that someone else may be at fault for an auto accident that caused you or a loved one to sustain brain damage, or if you believe you are being unfairly denied treatment or compensation, you may wish to speak to an experienced brain injury attorney.
Oct
13
Facts about Brain Injuries
Considered as one of the leading causes of fatalities and disabilities in the United States, traumatic brain injuries can be so devastating for those who will incur it. Yet, these injuries can be more painful and disastrous if brought about by other people’s negligence, wrongdoing or failure to act.
Brain injuries may result from a sudden physical strike of bump on a person’s head. In addition, it can also be a product of medical malpractice or drug overdose. Depending on certain conditions proximate to the incident, these injuries may range from mild to serious, which causes great effects to major areas of the brain.
Here are some of the possible effects that TBI may cause to a patient:
• Cognitive defects
• Motor sensory problems
• Perceptual defects
• Language and Interaction difficulties
• Functional impediments
• Social and psychiatric disorders
• Death
Yearly, over 50,000 citizens die from TBI, not to mention those millions who need to suffer from these injuries fro the rest of their lives.
Fortunately, people living in Los Angeles who sustain brain injuries from unlawful acts are guaranteed of suitable legal remedies depending on the extent of the damages inflicted on them.
Brain Injury Law and Legal Procedures
Because of the burden that a person with TBI has to face, he definitely needs proper attention to be given by his family. Yet, due to the tremendous amount of money that he needs to sustain his treatment, he therefore necessitates the financial assistance of the party responsible for his injury.
Under the prevailing Federal and California Laws, brain injury victims may file their lawsuits against the negligent individuals. However, they must first establish these aspects of their cases in order to gain a successful verdict:
• The defendant has been negligent, committed a wrongful act or failed to act accordingly
• Such inaction or neglectful act is the proximate cause of his brain injury
• He has indeed sustained brain injuries based on his medical records
Meanwhile, the procedures in filing a lawsuit may be challenging and complicated for the victims and their families. This is the main reason why it is very essential for them to appoint their Los Angeles brain injury lawyers to guide and represent them with their cases.
A legal advocate’s expertise in handling these types of lawsuits can assure that their rights under the existing laws will be duly protected. In various accounts, these experienced lawyers are also capable of increasing the amount of possible recoveries. With the aid of Los Angeles brain injury lawyers, the injured victims will have better chances of acquiring these remunerations:
• Payment for their pain and suffering
• Recompense for their hospital and medical treatment expenses
• Reimbursement of their past and future loss of wages
• Compensation for their emotional and mental distress
• Payment for their property damages
• Payment for their lawyer’s professional fee
Nonetheless, the laws require the patient victims to file their respective personal or wrongful death cases as soon as possible. This is due to the “statutes of limitation” that apply in these legal actions. If they fail to meet the allowable period in bringing their cases in court, they may lose the opportunity to obtain justice.
For better chances of recovering high settlements or verdicts for your case, visit our website and contact our Los Angeles brain injury lawyers. We promise to help you in resolving your personal injury case at the soonest time possible.
Written By: Rainier Policarpio
About the guy/gal that wrote this:
Considered as one of the leading causes of fatalities and disabilities in the United States, traumatic brain injuries can be so devastating for those who will incur it. Yet, these injuries can be more painful and disastrous if brought about by other people’s negligence, wrongdoing or failure to act.
Brain injuries may result from a sudden physical strike of bump on a person’s head. In addition, it can also be a product of medical malpractice or drug overdose. Depending on certain conditions proximate to the incident, these injuries may range from mild to serious, which causes great effects to major areas of the brain.
Here are some of the possible effects that TBI may cause to a patient:
• Cognitive defects
• Motor sensory problems
• Perceptual defects
• Language and Interaction difficulties
• Functional impediments
• Social and psychiatric disorders
• Death
Yearly, over 50,000 citizens die from TBI, not to mention those millions who need to suffer from these injuries fro the rest of their lives.
Fortunately, people living in Los Angeles who sustain brain injuries from unlawful acts are guaranteed of suitable legal remedies depending on the extent of the damages inflicted on them.
Brain Injury Law and Legal Procedures
Because of the burden that a person with TBI has to face, he definitely needs proper attention to be given by his family. Yet, due to the tremendous amount of money that he needs to sustain his treatment, he therefore necessitates the financial assistance of the party responsible for his injury.
Under the prevailing Federal and California Laws, brain injury victims may file their lawsuits against the negligent individuals. However, they must first establish these aspects of their cases in order to gain a successful verdict:
• The defendant has been negligent, committed a wrongful act or failed to act accordingly
• Such inaction or neglectful act is the proximate cause of his brain injury
• He has indeed sustained brain injuries based on his medical records
Meanwhile, the procedures in filing a lawsuit may be challenging and complicated for the victims and their families. This is the main reason why it is very essential for them to appoint their Los Angeles brain injury lawyers to guide and represent them with their cases.
A legal advocate’s expertise in handling these types of lawsuits can assure that their rights under the existing laws will be duly protected. In various accounts, these experienced lawyers are also capable of increasing the amount of possible recoveries. With the aid of Los Angeles brain injury lawyers, the injured victims will have better chances of acquiring these remunerations:
• Payment for their pain and suffering
• Recompense for their hospital and medical treatment expenses
• Reimbursement of their past and future loss of wages
• Compensation for their emotional and mental distress
• Payment for their property damages
• Payment for their lawyer’s professional fee
Nonetheless, the laws require the patient victims to file their respective personal or wrongful death cases as soon as possible. This is due to the “statutes of limitation” that apply in these legal actions. If they fail to meet the allowable period in bringing their cases in court, they may lose the opportunity to obtain justice.
For better chances of recovering high settlements or verdicts for your case, visit our website and contact our Los Angeles brain injury lawyers. We promise to help you in resolving your personal injury case at the soonest time possible.
Written By: Rainier Policarpio
About the guy/gal that wrote this:
Rainier used to work in a publishing company as a writer and eventually became an associate editor. He dealt in writing instructional materials for secondary and tertiary students. His passion in writing inspired him to read a lot and subsequently enabled him to gain more knowledge and skills.
Sep
23
Alan Haburchak inquired:
In the course of the yearly of 2003, Motorradfahrer highway Traffic Safety administration became 32 times rather as a passenger with a car accident to die in a car accident, after that national. Motocycle and car Unfälle are together, the main cause in Schädel brain trauma in America. From the motorcycle Unfälle, which arise, nearly to the fact one of fà ¼ nf fà ¼ it hren that brain and Wirbelsäule/neck injuries. Motorradfahrer are often blind-laterally on the Straà EN, because other drivers do not see simply or not stop fà ¼ r a Motorradfahrer. & lt; br/& gt; Helmets are not always full proof and trauma tables brain injuries arise können, which do not penetrate however in the brain, parts, which are speech injured. These without helmets May also are anfällig fà ¼ r Störungen by Schädel brain penetration, into an object in the head and Schädel, Beschädigung of the soft fabrics of the brain itself. & lt; br/& gt; Helmets Essential to the Verhà ¼ tung Schädel brain trauma & lt; br/& gt; & lt; br/& gt; Study according to study shows that the best way, in order to prevent that a Schädel brain trauma is it, a helmet after approval by the Eidgenössi section fà ¼ r traffic. (Some also permission by the Snell Memorial Foundation, a Non profit Organization, itself on the Prà ¼ fung the effectiveness of helmets.) In January 2006, only four states in the USA? Colorado, Illinois, New Hampshire and Iowa? no law had on all to use the Motorradfahrer helmets. Only ¼ more ber helmet of laws, those usually limited twenty-six different for à those, the helmets fà ¼ r the drivers, among 18 or 21. & lt; br/& gt; Helmets können the risk of Schädel brain trauma, but not all helmets are correct requirements and not all in its entirety schà ¼ tzen, a Motorrad-Fahrer or a passenger from the injury. A driver of the failure, around passengers, above all passengers, those under 21, with helmets May as fahrlässig. Helmets mà ¼ ssen always the requirements and standards of the national and föderalen governments or the danger Schädel brain trauma are still möglich. & lt; br/& gt; Other Schädel brain risks fà ¼ r Motorradfahrer & lt; br/& gt; Even if suitable devices rzungen clearly Kà ¼ a Motorradfahrer the chance, a Schädel brain trauma, it are not reliably. Motorradfahrer mà ¼ ssen always understand, the risks in an accident and the consequences that Schädel brain trauma. Motorradfahrer recommended too prà ¼ fen, their Fahrräder and Ausrà ¼ stung fà ¼ r the problems before each trip, the suspension and tire pressure of the motorcycle with the Durchfà ¼ hrung a traveler; carry boots, gloves and other protective clothing carry; and ready its, fà ¼ r environment or Straà EN-à nderungen. & lt; Br/& gt; & lt; br/& gt; The costs fà ¼ r a coincidence that causes Schädel brain trauma können serious its. A Schädel brain trauma causes Hirnschäden, the rich from a mild to heavy Gehirnerschà ¼ tterung, the life verändernden handicaps like for example problems of communication, Persönlichkeit even verändert itself, schizophrenia or a coma. Since do not heal the brain, like other organs do, these are often lifelong problems, cost ten thousands from dollar to treat. Schädel brain trauma can hren to the fact fà ¼ that extreme losses Währungspolitik as well as psychological loads on a victim of its family and friends. If you or someone, which you know, is the victim motorcycle accident caused Schädel brain trauma, is it importantly to search or an expert fà ¼ r Unfälle and Schädel brain trauma, those help können to reconstruct the accident and safe reconciliation. & lt; br/& gt;
In the course of the yearly of 2003, Motorradfahrer highway Traffic Safety administration became 32 times rather as a passenger with a car accident to die in a car accident, after that national. Motocycle and car Unfälle are together, the main cause in Schädel brain trauma in America. From the motorcycle Unfälle, which arise, nearly to the fact one of fà ¼ nf fà ¼ it hren that brain and Wirbelsäule/neck injuries. Motorradfahrer are often blind-laterally on the Straà EN, because other drivers do not see simply or not stop fà ¼ r a Motorradfahrer. & lt; br/& gt; Helmets are not always full proof and trauma tables brain injuries arise können, which do not penetrate however in the brain, parts, which are speech injured. These without helmets May also are anfällig fà ¼ r Störungen by Schädel brain penetration, into an object in the head and Schädel, Beschädigung of the soft fabrics of the brain itself. & lt; br/& gt; Helmets Essential to the Verhà ¼ tung Schädel brain trauma & lt; br/& gt; & lt; br/& gt; Study according to study shows that the best way, in order to prevent that a Schädel brain trauma is it, a helmet after approval by the Eidgenössi section fà ¼ r traffic. (Some also permission by the Snell Memorial Foundation, a Non profit Organization, itself on the Prà ¼ fung the effectiveness of helmets.) In January 2006, only four states in the USA? Colorado, Illinois, New Hampshire and Iowa? no law had on all to use the Motorradfahrer helmets. Only ¼ more ber helmet of laws, those usually limited twenty-six different for à those, the helmets fà ¼ r the drivers, among 18 or 21. & lt; br/& gt; Helmets können the risk of Schädel brain trauma, but not all helmets are correct requirements and not all in its entirety schà ¼ tzen, a Motorrad-Fahrer or a passenger from the injury. A driver of the failure, around passengers, above all passengers, those under 21, with helmets May as fahrlässig. Helmets mà ¼ ssen always the requirements and standards of the national and föderalen governments or the danger Schädel brain trauma are still möglich. & lt; br/& gt; Other Schädel brain risks fà ¼ r Motorradfahrer & lt; br/& gt; Even if suitable devices rzungen clearly Kà ¼ a Motorradfahrer the chance, a Schädel brain trauma, it are not reliably. Motorradfahrer mà ¼ ssen always understand, the risks in an accident and the consequences that Schädel brain trauma. Motorradfahrer recommended too prà ¼ fen, their Fahrräder and Ausrà ¼ stung fà ¼ r the problems before each trip, the suspension and tire pressure of the motorcycle with the Durchfà ¼ hrung a traveler; carry boots, gloves and other protective clothing carry; and ready its, fà ¼ r environment or Straà EN-à nderungen. & lt; Br/& gt; & lt; br/& gt; The costs fà ¼ r a coincidence that causes Schädel brain trauma können serious its. A Schädel brain trauma causes Hirnschäden, the rich from a mild to heavy Gehirnerschà ¼ tterung, the life verändernden handicaps like for example problems of communication, Persönlichkeit even verändert itself, schizophrenia or a coma. Since do not heal the brain, like other organs do, these are often lifelong problems, cost ten thousands from dollar to treat. Schädel brain trauma can hren to the fact fà ¼ that extreme losses Währungspolitik as well as psychological loads on a victim of its family and friends. If you or someone, which you know, is the victim motorcycle accident caused Schädel brain trauma, is it importantly to search or an expert fà ¼ r Unfälle and Schädel brain trauma, those help können to reconstruct the accident and safe reconciliation. & lt; br/& gt;
May
15
Head/brain Injuries – Claiming Compensation
Filed Under Law | Leave a Comment
If you or members of your family have been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault and you’ve suffered brain injuries from this accident, you have a legal and civil right to claim compensation. Brain injuries are very serious whatever type, not only may it change the person’s life forever but it also affects everyone around the injured person.
In the UK over a million people attend accident and emergency every year with head injuries from a trauma to the head. Due to this, thousands of brain injury accident claims are pursed every year.
There are different types of head injuries these include:
Closed Injury – this is when the trauma to the head is without any *********** to the brain which means the brain has had no twisting or turning on its axis. Banging of the head and skull can cause widespread or localized damage to the brain but this isn’t a closed injury.
Open Injury – an open injury is when there is *********** to the skull by an object impacting the skull. The initial impact of the object can be severe but usually patients make a virtually full recovery.
Permanent damage from a head injury varies from person to person but it’s not just the things we hear from the news or in the papers, there’s a lot more that no-one knows about. If the following 4 points are present as a result of the accident there is likely to be permanent damage:
1. Loss of Consciousness
2. Loss of Memory for the events running up to the accident and immediately after the accident
3. Focal Neurological Deficit
4. Alteration in Mental State at the time of the accident – the patient feeling confused, dazed or disoriented
Some brain and head injuries are not obvious at the time of the accident and a while after, some injuries only show once time progresses. The following are the side effects which can arise from a head and brain injury:
Cognitive Changes
Lack of Insight
Memory Problems
Poor Concentration
Slowed Responses
Poor Planning and Problem-Solving
Lack of Initiative
Inflexibility
Impulsivity
Irritability
Socially Inappropriate Behavior
Communication
Self-Centeredness
Dependency
Emotional Control
Depression
Loss of Taste and Smell
Dizziness and Balance
Epilepsy and Seizures
Fatigue
Headaches
Visual Problems
Chronic Pain
Paralysis
Hearing Problems
Some of these problems are well-known but there’s also a lot that aren’t and there are also other problems some people have reported which are being looked into. Many people think that a brain injury will cause problems such as intellectual abilities but it’s not only that it’s movement, communicating, controlling and coordinating their thoughts and actions.
If you’ve been in an accident or have had trauma to the skull and it wasn’t your fault you have the right to claim compensation which you deserve to help make your life easier. If you’ve had to pay medical bills and medicine costs these can be noted, any loss of earnings as well as the suffering you may have gone through or are going through now and for the rest of your life. Your compensation claim will cover all these points and make sure you don’t have to pay for everything yourself; it’s not fair especially if someone did this to you. Don’t wait; make a compensation claim today by contacting a solicitor who specializes in head and brain injury cases.
Written By: Jene Pedder
About the guy/gal that wrote this:
In the UK over a million people attend accident and emergency every year with head injuries from a trauma to the head. Due to this, thousands of brain injury accident claims are pursed every year.
There are different types of head injuries these include:
Closed Injury – this is when the trauma to the head is without any *********** to the brain which means the brain has had no twisting or turning on its axis. Banging of the head and skull can cause widespread or localized damage to the brain but this isn’t a closed injury.
Open Injury – an open injury is when there is *********** to the skull by an object impacting the skull. The initial impact of the object can be severe but usually patients make a virtually full recovery.
Permanent damage from a head injury varies from person to person but it’s not just the things we hear from the news or in the papers, there’s a lot more that no-one knows about. If the following 4 points are present as a result of the accident there is likely to be permanent damage:
1. Loss of Consciousness
2. Loss of Memory for the events running up to the accident and immediately after the accident
3. Focal Neurological Deficit
4. Alteration in Mental State at the time of the accident – the patient feeling confused, dazed or disoriented
Some brain and head injuries are not obvious at the time of the accident and a while after, some injuries only show once time progresses. The following are the side effects which can arise from a head and brain injury:
Cognitive Changes
Lack of Insight
Memory Problems
Poor Concentration
Slowed Responses
Poor Planning and Problem-Solving
Lack of Initiative
Inflexibility
Impulsivity
Irritability
Socially Inappropriate Behavior
Communication
Self-Centeredness
Dependency
Emotional Control
Depression
Loss of Taste and Smell
Dizziness and Balance
Epilepsy and Seizures
Fatigue
Headaches
Visual Problems
Chronic Pain
Paralysis
Hearing Problems
Some of these problems are well-known but there’s also a lot that aren’t and there are also other problems some people have reported which are being looked into. Many people think that a brain injury will cause problems such as intellectual abilities but it’s not only that it’s movement, communicating, controlling and coordinating their thoughts and actions.
If you’ve been in an accident or have had trauma to the skull and it wasn’t your fault you have the right to claim compensation which you deserve to help make your life easier. If you’ve had to pay medical bills and medicine costs these can be noted, any loss of earnings as well as the suffering you may have gone through or are going through now and for the rest of your life. Your compensation claim will cover all these points and make sure you don’t have to pay for everything yourself; it’s not fair especially if someone did this to you. Don’t wait; make a compensation claim today by contacting a solicitor who specializes in head and brain injury cases.
Written By: Jene Pedder
About the guy/gal that wrote this:
Jene Pedder is the Webmaster of Accident Consult who specialize in Head & Brain Injury Accident Claims.
May
7
Seat Belt Use and Traumatic Brain Injury
Filed Under Law | Leave a Comment
Because traumatic brain injuries cannot be cured in the traditional sense, preventive measures are the best weapons against them. And because the number-one cause of traumatic brain injuries among Americans who are less than 75 years old is auto accidents, one of the best ways to prevent a traumatic brain injury is to always use a seat belt. Seat belts have consistently been shown to dramatically reduce deaths and injuries in auto accidents.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that of those who were involved in fatal crashes in 2001, 73 percent who were wearing seat belts and 44 percent who were not wearing seat belts survived. And one 1997 study of traumatic brain injury patients in 14 states showed that 46 percent of the patients whose injuries were caused by motor vehicle crashes were not wearing seat belts
Why Wear A Seat Belt?
In the United States, only one state, New Hampshire, does not require adults to wear a seat belt. Many other states make exceptions to their seat belt requirements for children under a certain age, or for those sitting in the back seat of the car. While some Americans believe that using seat belts can actually increase a driver or passenger’s risk of traumatic brain injury, because the head is not restrained with the body, there is no evidence to support this theory and some evidence against it.
Similarly, some argue that seat belts make users less safe by trapping them in the car in case of an accident, rather than allowing them to be thrown clear. However, the NHTSA notes that in 2001, 75 percent of those who were completely ejected from a car during an accident were killed. One percent of those were using a seat belt.
Seat Belt Use and Costs of Traumatic Brain Injury
Not only can declining to use a seat belt increase the severity of an injury, but it also drives up the cost of treating that injury. In a six-year study, the government of Maine found that those who did not use a seat belt had longer hospital stays and higher bills than those who did use a seat belt. During that period, the study reported, 850 hospitalizations, with a cost of $17 million, could have been avoided altogether if the patient had been wearing a seat belt.
Unbelted victims were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized or die from a head injury. And the crash victims who were ejected from their vehicles were 41 times more likely to sustain a serious or fatal brain injury than those who were not.
Proper Use of Seat Belts Can Reduce Risk of TBI
While seat belts can help prevent a traumatic brain injury, their effectiveness decreases when they are not used properly. Seat belts must be tightened to fit the individual using them. Two or more people cannot safely use the same seat belt. If the seat belt is old or frayed, it is not safe and should be replaced. And adults should ensure that children who are under 4′9″ and about 80 pounds use the special equipment they need to be safe.
Infants and children under 40 pounds need a properly sized, properly belted car seat; older children should use a booster seat until they are big enough to use adult-sized lap and shoulder belts. There is also mounting evidence that children shorter than 4′9″ should not ride in the front seat at all, due to the risk of injury from passenger-side air bags.
If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury, you may wish to speak with an experienced TBI attorney. Your brain injury lawyer can help you assess your potential claim, access resources and even gain compensation for your injuries and the costs of future medical care.
Written By: Alan Haburchak
About the guy/gal that wrote this:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that of those who were involved in fatal crashes in 2001, 73 percent who were wearing seat belts and 44 percent who were not wearing seat belts survived. And one 1997 study of traumatic brain injury patients in 14 states showed that 46 percent of the patients whose injuries were caused by motor vehicle crashes were not wearing seat belts
Why Wear A Seat Belt?
In the United States, only one state, New Hampshire, does not require adults to wear a seat belt. Many other states make exceptions to their seat belt requirements for children under a certain age, or for those sitting in the back seat of the car. While some Americans believe that using seat belts can actually increase a driver or passenger’s risk of traumatic brain injury, because the head is not restrained with the body, there is no evidence to support this theory and some evidence against it.
Similarly, some argue that seat belts make users less safe by trapping them in the car in case of an accident, rather than allowing them to be thrown clear. However, the NHTSA notes that in 2001, 75 percent of those who were completely ejected from a car during an accident were killed. One percent of those were using a seat belt.
Seat Belt Use and Costs of Traumatic Brain Injury
Not only can declining to use a seat belt increase the severity of an injury, but it also drives up the cost of treating that injury. In a six-year study, the government of Maine found that those who did not use a seat belt had longer hospital stays and higher bills than those who did use a seat belt. During that period, the study reported, 850 hospitalizations, with a cost of $17 million, could have been avoided altogether if the patient had been wearing a seat belt.
Unbelted victims were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized or die from a head injury. And the crash victims who were ejected from their vehicles were 41 times more likely to sustain a serious or fatal brain injury than those who were not.
Proper Use of Seat Belts Can Reduce Risk of TBI
While seat belts can help prevent a traumatic brain injury, their effectiveness decreases when they are not used properly. Seat belts must be tightened to fit the individual using them. Two or more people cannot safely use the same seat belt. If the seat belt is old or frayed, it is not safe and should be replaced. And adults should ensure that children who are under 4′9″ and about 80 pounds use the special equipment they need to be safe.
Infants and children under 40 pounds need a properly sized, properly belted car seat; older children should use a booster seat until they are big enough to use adult-sized lap and shoulder belts. There is also mounting evidence that children shorter than 4′9″ should not ride in the front seat at all, due to the risk of injury from passenger-side air bags.
If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury, you may wish to speak with an experienced TBI attorney. Your brain injury lawyer can help you assess your potential claim, access resources and even gain compensation for your injuries and the costs of future medical care.
Written By: Alan Haburchak
About the guy/gal that wrote this:
LegalView.com is your source for everything legal on the web. Visitors to LegalView.com will be able to browse a collection of resources including help to find a construction accident lawyer, a mesothelioma attorney, and more. You can also get help to find a brain injury lawyer.
Apr
5
Brain Injury and Schizophrenia: How to Deal
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Alan Haburchak inquired:
For victims of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their families, side effects such as bipolar disorder and memory loss is tragic, but well known and understood. But in recent decades, scientists have begun to explore another side effect of serious brain damage that may go unnoticed: schizophrenia. What is schizophrenia? Schizophrenia (Greek for "mind" crushed;) is a psychotic disorder that affects behavior, mood and thinking. The original term was coined as "the schizophrenias" due to wide variety of symptoms that characterize the circumstances. A false perception that all the schizophrenics hear voices is actually false. It is a sign to some suffering from schizophrenia but not all. Psychologists break the symptoms of schizophrenia in three categories:. The symptoms are positive behaviors that are not absent in normal individuals. Other symptoms include things the hearing, however manic as sporadic thought. Negative symptoms are signs that show the loss of normal abilities. They include the loss of ability to show or feel the emotion, lack of motivation and trouble with speaking. The Neurocognitive defects are problems with the function of the brain in areas such as memory, problem solving, attention and social functioning. Schizophrenia on the brain wound in PatientsScientists determined that the terms psychiatric disorder such as bipolar and anxiety were more common in patients who have suffered from traumatic brain injuries. Schizophrenia itself has been associated with individuals who have previously suffered brain damage regardless of family history. But it is only since the beginning of the 90s that researchers have begun to explore in depth the link between brain damage caused by injury and traumatic brain of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia and brain injury: Recent studies. Among the results of those studies. schizophrenia-related TBI is true schizophrenia, a disorder not otherwise with similar symptoms, according to a 2001 study by the University of Columbia. Schizophrenia and TBI are now jointly associandi as disease, is usually a victim in the other. Another study during the same year at the University of New South Wales in Australia found that TBI patients with schizophrenia-like psychosis had damage to brain damage and more widespread knowledge that the TBI patients without psychosis. He also suggested that a family history of schizophrenia and severity of brain damage during the ongoing TBI increase the risk of schizophrenia. Scientists at the state dell'Hawai found in 2002 that required an average of four – five years after a traumatic injury to the brain so that the psychosis affects you, with most cases arriving in two years. The psychosis may be the result of trauma and blunt force to the frontal and temporal lobes, so researchers are trying to determine. While the complex nature of schizophrenia makes its cause unclear, since the last study suggests, there is evidence to believe that the wound of the brain directly causes schizophrenia, damaging the areas of the brain that control higher functions. There is also evidence of a traumatic brain injury may indirectly cause psychosis. Scientists believe that schizophrenia is caused by a combination of genetic predisposition to the disease and experience emotionally or physically traumatic for activating this setting. Researchers are finding that the TBI and the trauma that can happen may actually trigger the schizophrenia. Many doctors know that a injuria traumatic brain disorder can cause difficulty with which neurocognitive speech and psychiatric problems like bipolar disorder, but not everyone is aware of the growing evidence linking schizophrenia with brain damage. It is crucial that after an accident in TBI, as a victim consult a psychiatrist to ensure referring to normal. In addition, patients of brain injury and their families should consult a lawyer with experience of brain injury while trying to recover costs for expenses such as lost wages, medical care and future medical current cost.
For victims of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their families, side effects such as bipolar disorder and memory loss is tragic, but well known and understood. But in recent decades, scientists have begun to explore another side effect of serious brain damage that may go unnoticed: schizophrenia. What is schizophrenia? Schizophrenia (Greek for "mind" crushed;) is a psychotic disorder that affects behavior, mood and thinking. The original term was coined as "the schizophrenias" due to wide variety of symptoms that characterize the circumstances. A false perception that all the schizophrenics hear voices is actually false. It is a sign to some suffering from schizophrenia but not all. Psychologists break the symptoms of schizophrenia in three categories:. The symptoms are positive behaviors that are not absent in normal individuals. Other symptoms include things the hearing, however manic as sporadic thought. Negative symptoms are signs that show the loss of normal abilities. They include the loss of ability to show or feel the emotion, lack of motivation and trouble with speaking. The Neurocognitive defects are problems with the function of the brain in areas such as memory, problem solving, attention and social functioning. Schizophrenia on the brain wound in PatientsScientists determined that the terms psychiatric disorder such as bipolar and anxiety were more common in patients who have suffered from traumatic brain injuries. Schizophrenia itself has been associated with individuals who have previously suffered brain damage regardless of family history. But it is only since the beginning of the 90s that researchers have begun to explore in depth the link between brain damage caused by injury and traumatic brain of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia and brain injury: Recent studies. Among the results of those studies. schizophrenia-related TBI is true schizophrenia, a disorder not otherwise with similar symptoms, according to a 2001 study by the University of Columbia. Schizophrenia and TBI are now jointly associandi as disease, is usually a victim in the other. Another study during the same year at the University of New South Wales in Australia found that TBI patients with schizophrenia-like psychosis had damage to brain damage and more widespread knowledge that the TBI patients without psychosis. He also suggested that a family history of schizophrenia and severity of brain damage during the ongoing TBI increase the risk of schizophrenia. Scientists at the state dell'Hawai found in 2002 that required an average of four – five years after a traumatic injury to the brain so that the psychosis affects you, with most cases arriving in two years. The psychosis may be the result of trauma and blunt force to the frontal and temporal lobes, so researchers are trying to determine. While the complex nature of schizophrenia makes its cause unclear, since the last study suggests, there is evidence to believe that the wound of the brain directly causes schizophrenia, damaging the areas of the brain that control higher functions. There is also evidence of a traumatic brain injury may indirectly cause psychosis. Scientists believe that schizophrenia is caused by a combination of genetic predisposition to the disease and experience emotionally or physically traumatic for activating this setting. Researchers are finding that the TBI and the trauma that can happen may actually trigger the schizophrenia. Many doctors know that a injuria traumatic brain disorder can cause difficulty with which neurocognitive speech and psychiatric problems like bipolar disorder, but not everyone is aware of the growing evidence linking schizophrenia with brain damage. It is crucial that after an accident in TBI, as a victim consult a psychiatrist to ensure referring to normal. In addition, patients of brain injury and their families should consult a lawyer with experience of brain injury while trying to recover costs for expenses such as lost wages, medical care and future medical current cost.
Apr
1
Traumatic Brain Injury
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George Wellington inquired:
Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is caused when physical trauma injures the brain. A TBI is also known as intracranial injury. Traumatic brain injury is a major cause of death and disability throughout the world, and is one of the leading causes of death among people under age 45. Vehicle accidents, falls, and violence are some of the major causes of TBI, and can result in anything from near-complete recovery to permanent disability or death. The damage caused can be either a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury, and may be focal, occurring in a specific location on the head, or may be diffuse, occurring over a larger area. Diffuse injuries include physical trauma such as concussions or the resulting injury from shaken baby syndrome.
There are three classifications for TBI: mild, moderate, or severe. The classification assigned to an injury depends on the extent of loss of consciousness, loss of memory, and a score on a neurological scale after the injury. Mild brain injury is trauma that temporarily alters the victim’s mental status at the time of the injury, and recovery is extremely likely. Moderate brain injury also offers likely recovery, but there may be a need for ongoing treatment. This level of injury is usually accompanied by physical, cognitive, or behavioral impairments. With time and treatment, these impairments should be able to be overcome, resulting in recovery. A severe TBI can lead to long-term damage and may cause the patient to enter a coma for days, weeks, or months. It is possible that medications or emergency surgery may be required, and that some type of care will be needed for the rest of the victim’s life.
After a TBI, the body may be in a state of abnormal consciousness. There are six of these abnormal states of consciousness, including stupor, coma, persistent vegetative state, minimally conscious state, locked-in syndrome, and brain death.
-A stupor is a state of unresponsiveness, but a person in this state can be aroused briefly by a strong stimulus, such as sharp pain.
-A coma is a similar unresponsive state, but the patient is totally unconscious, unaware, and unarousable.
-A persistent vegetative state brings unconsciousness and unawareness, but a patient will continue to have a sleep-wake cycle and can be alert for short periods.
-Patients in a minimally conscious state may appear to be in a persistent vegetative state, but are able to actively process information. The patient can exhibit deliberate behavior often and consistently enough to distinguish him or her from the reflexive responses see in a persistent vegetative state.
-A patient with locked-in syndrome is aware and awake of his/her surroundings, but is not able to communicate or move due to complete paralysis. Voluntary control of eye movements or blinking is the most common way that these patients are able to show their awareness. Communication is also possible with these movements.
-Brain death is the lack of an irreversible effect of TBI. Brain function is lost, most often due to diffuse brain damage. If any assistance devices are being used, removal results in the cessation of breathing and immediate cardiac arrest.
Traumatic brain injury can cause a number of physical, cognitive, emotion, and social effects. In short, it can be life changing. Physical, speech, and occupational therapy may be needed for recover from more sever cases. The best method for treating TBI is simply prevention. Safety laws such as speed limits, seat belt laws, and helmet laws can prevent a large number of TBI cases if the laws are followed. Other practical changes include reducing alcohol abuse and increasing the use of protective headgear during sports. Public education is one of the most important tools in helping prevent traumatic brain injury. Not every case can be prevented, but following safety laws and practicing safe lifestyle habits can definitely reduce the number of TBI cases.
The information you obtain from this article is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is caused when physical trauma injures the brain. A TBI is also known as intracranial injury. Traumatic brain injury is a major cause of death and disability throughout the world, and is one of the leading causes of death among people under age 45. Vehicle accidents, falls, and violence are some of the major causes of TBI, and can result in anything from near-complete recovery to permanent disability or death. The damage caused can be either a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury, and may be focal, occurring in a specific location on the head, or may be diffuse, occurring over a larger area. Diffuse injuries include physical trauma such as concussions or the resulting injury from shaken baby syndrome.
There are three classifications for TBI: mild, moderate, or severe. The classification assigned to an injury depends on the extent of loss of consciousness, loss of memory, and a score on a neurological scale after the injury. Mild brain injury is trauma that temporarily alters the victim’s mental status at the time of the injury, and recovery is extremely likely. Moderate brain injury also offers likely recovery, but there may be a need for ongoing treatment. This level of injury is usually accompanied by physical, cognitive, or behavioral impairments. With time and treatment, these impairments should be able to be overcome, resulting in recovery. A severe TBI can lead to long-term damage and may cause the patient to enter a coma for days, weeks, or months. It is possible that medications or emergency surgery may be required, and that some type of care will be needed for the rest of the victim’s life.
After a TBI, the body may be in a state of abnormal consciousness. There are six of these abnormal states of consciousness, including stupor, coma, persistent vegetative state, minimally conscious state, locked-in syndrome, and brain death.
-A stupor is a state of unresponsiveness, but a person in this state can be aroused briefly by a strong stimulus, such as sharp pain.
-A coma is a similar unresponsive state, but the patient is totally unconscious, unaware, and unarousable.
-A persistent vegetative state brings unconsciousness and unawareness, but a patient will continue to have a sleep-wake cycle and can be alert for short periods.
-Patients in a minimally conscious state may appear to be in a persistent vegetative state, but are able to actively process information. The patient can exhibit deliberate behavior often and consistently enough to distinguish him or her from the reflexive responses see in a persistent vegetative state.
-A patient with locked-in syndrome is aware and awake of his/her surroundings, but is not able to communicate or move due to complete paralysis. Voluntary control of eye movements or blinking is the most common way that these patients are able to show their awareness. Communication is also possible with these movements.
-Brain death is the lack of an irreversible effect of TBI. Brain function is lost, most often due to diffuse brain damage. If any assistance devices are being used, removal results in the cessation of breathing and immediate cardiac arrest.
Traumatic brain injury can cause a number of physical, cognitive, emotion, and social effects. In short, it can be life changing. Physical, speech, and occupational therapy may be needed for recover from more sever cases. The best method for treating TBI is simply prevention. Safety laws such as speed limits, seat belt laws, and helmet laws can prevent a large number of TBI cases if the laws are followed. Other practical changes include reducing alcohol abuse and increasing the use of protective headgear during sports. Public education is one of the most important tools in helping prevent traumatic brain injury. Not every case can be prevented, but following safety laws and practicing safe lifestyle habits can definitely reduce the number of TBI cases.
The information you obtain from this article is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
Mar
14
Alan Haburchak inquired:
Motorcycle accidents are a well-known leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Together with auto accidents, they are the single largest cause of brain injury in the United States. One out of every five motorcycle accidents results in head or neck injuries, which account for most motorcycle fatalities. And partly because drivers often do not see motorcyclists or yield them the right-of-way, motorcyclists are at higher risk of an accident than drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that, per mile traveled in 2003, a motorcyclist was 32 times more likely to die in an accident than a passenger in a car.
Motorcyclists, even those who wear helmets, are most likely to sustain non-penetrative injuries to the front of the head, damaging parts of the brain responsible for speech and higher functions. Those without helmets may also be susceptible to a penetrating brain injury, in which an object enters the head and skull, damaging the soft tissue of the brain itself.
Helmets Essential to Prevent Traumatic Brain Injury
Study after study shows that the best way to prevent a traumatic brain injury is to wear a helmet approved by the federal Department of Transportation. (Some also carry approval from the Snell Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to testing the effectiveness of commercial helmets.) In January of 2006, only four states in the U.S. Colorado, Illinois, New Hampshire and Iowa had no law at all requiring motorcyclists to use helmets. Twenty-six others had limited helmet laws, usually ones that require helmets for riders who are under 18 or 21.
But even in states without strict helmet laws, riders are still strongly advised that their chances of death or serious head injury are seriously reduced by wearing a helmet. A rider’s failure to equip passengers, particularly passengers who are under 21, with helmets may be considered negligent. And if the helmet is below state and federal standards, poorly fitted, old or has been through a previous accident, that helmet is not safe, may not be legal and will not prevent death, brain damage or another traumatic injury.
Other Brain Injury Risks for Motorcyclists
Even though proper equipment significantly cuts down a motorcyclist’s chance of a traumatic brain injury, it is not foolproof. Riders must stay aware of other factors that could lead to a motorcycle accident involving a traumatic brain injury. Motorcyclists are advised to check their bikes and equipment for problems before each ride; adjust the suspension and tire pressure of the motorcycle when carrying a passenger; wear boots, gloves and other protective gear; and adjust for changing road conditions.
The cost of an accident that causes traumatic brain injury can be severe. A traumatic brain injury causes brain damage that can range from a mild concussion to severe, life-changing disabilities such as trouble communicating, personality changes, schizophrenia or even a coma. Because the brain cannot heal itself the way other organs do, these are often lifelong problems that cost tens of thousands of dollars to treat. They also place a severe emotional and financial burden on the injured person’s family members. If you or someone you know is the victim of a motorcycle accident causing traumatic brain injury, it is essential to seek out an expert in accidents and TBI who can help reconstruct the accident and secure compensation.