Archive for the ‘MTBI/TBI’ Category

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Traumatic Brain Injury – A Single Event Or Disease

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

There is a debate going on within the medical and legal community regarding the treatment and classification of traumatic brain injury or TBI.San Francisco Injury Attorney Discusses Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), can result from any injury that interferes with the normal functioning and activity of the brain.  Such an injury can impact the bodies other organs and lead to other diseases.

So, is traumatic brain injury a single event or a chronic disease?

And this is not simply an academic question: it impacts funding for research, how doctors approach and conduct treatment and care of a TBI patient, and how insurance companies pay for medical care in accordance with health insurance policies.

TBI impacts approximately 3.5 million injury victims in the United States every year.  And that number is growing by 90,000 individuals per year, according to a new study.

That new study is presented in the August 2010 edition of the Journal of Neurotrauma, features a study conducted by Brent Masel and Douglas DeWitt, in which the authors directly propose to reclassify traumatic brain injuries.

The reclassification of traumatic brain injury as a chronic disease is more accurate given the facts and realities of the disease and will aid injury victims across the United States.

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Brain Injury Victims Can Benefit From Dark Chocolate

Saturday, May 8th, 2010

According to a new study from Johns Hopkins University, dark chocolate may decrease the incidence of subsequent brain injury in stroke victims and may even protect the brain from injury during a stroke.

The ability of the brain to heal and protect itself from further injury after a person suffers a stroke if vital to someone’s ability to recover after such an injury.  The compound in dark chocolate that scientist feel is beneficial in this regard is epicatechin.  And it appears to protect nerve cells thus guarding the brain against stroke and injury subsequent to a stroke.

Her is how the study worked: U.S. researchers provided mice with a dose of this compound, which is a flavanol, and then 90 minutes later facilitated a stroke in the mice.

What the scientist discovered was the mice that had consumed the compound suffered much less brain injury than those who had not taken it.  In fact, the compound seemed to work better than certain drugs given to human brain injury victims.

So, dark chocolate anyone.

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Personal Injury & Product Liability Roundup

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

Ex-AFL Player Files Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Over Handling of MTBI

A former Arena League Football player has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against a doctor for his former team, claiming his concussion or mild traumatic brain injury was improperly diagnosed, leading to permanent injuries.

In his lawsuit, Clay Rush alleges that Dr. Saurabh Mangalik treated him only for a headache after he had sustained a series of blows to his skull, and “failed to properly evaluate and observe” him before allowing him to play.

Those suspected of having a sports-related concussions are generally forbidden from physical activity until all symptoms subside because sustaining another head injury too soon can cause far greater damage.

The complete article can be read here at the New York Times.

Softball Team Files Title IX Lawsuit Due Field Posing Risk Of Personal Injuries To Players

A high school softball team in Maui County has filed a lawsuit against the county and their school, claiming they have been forced to play on an unsafe, non-regulation field owned by the county, a violation of their Title IX rights.

In the lawsuit, the Baldwin High School’s girls softball team says that while they are subjected to a field filled with rocks and holes, the baseball team plays on a perfectly groomed field in a 1,500-seat stadium.

The lawsuit also claims that the girls have to walk through a wooded area to get to their field, and there have been recent reports of sexual assaults in that area. The lawsuit is asking that the state and county provide equal access to playing fields before the end of the softball season in May.

The complete article can be read here.

Personal Injury Risk Force High Chair Recall

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced this week that the Harmony High Chair was unsafe for use, prompting the recall of 1.2 million chairs produced by Graco Children’s Products Inc.

Safety issues with the chair involve several potentially defective parts that may cause the chair to topple over. More than 20 injuries have been reported from such incidents. This recall is the third major child-safety recall in the last six months.

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Brain Injury Victim Settles Her Trucking Accident Lawsuit

Friday, March 19th, 2010

According to media reports, a personal injury victim and 83-year-old Luzerne County woman has settled her trucking accident case for $3 million.

She sued the trucking company and one of its drivers due to a March 2007.  In the trucking accident she suffered serious personal injuries including a traumatic brain injury as well as several broken bones.

The personal injury victim was seeking compensatory as well as punitive damages and the trial judge had refused to dismiss her punitive damage claims.  The trial judge had ruled that if the jury found the truck driver had ‘entered the intersection without braking and for an obvious red light, then the jury could on  it could then go on to determine if the defendant had been recklessly indifferent to a very real danger to others in the area, which is the legal standard for punitive damages.

The extent of the personal injury victim’s brain injuries and the rulings by the judge were important factors in bringing about the settlement.

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Handling A MTBI

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

As a San Francisco injury attorney I have watched as injury victims try to recover from a MTBI or mild traumatic brain injury, which is also known as a concussion.

In this video I present simple, clear, easy to follow common sense tips in handling or dealing with a MTBI or head injury.

I hope you find the information helpful.

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Approach to Brain Injury Rules And Research Reformed By NFL

Monday, December 21st, 2009

brain injury rules changed by NFLBrain injuries whether traumatic in nature or designated as mild traumatic brain injuries, MTBI, or concussions can have long and devastating consequences.

San Francisco injury attorneys who handle brain injury cases and others that deal with San Francisco area brain injury victims have know this for quite some time.  However, the NFL, who has been studying the long-term effects of concussions due to the high rate of brain injuries among football players, announced on Sunday that it was altering its approach to research and rules for dealing with concussions, MTBI, or brain injuries.

According to the New York Times, in the past the NFL had minimized the evidence regarding the risk of concussions among its players and the research that overwhelmingly indicated risks of repeated brain injuries by NFL players.

But research conducted by Boston University, the University of North Carolina, and the University of Michigan have found increased rates of dementia, memory problems, and other cognitive problems among.  The changes by the NFL, though fully formed as of yet, amount to acknowledgment by the league that it could not defend its past position, which had been in conflict with nearly all scientific research on brain injuries and concussions.

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New Brain Injury Rules For The NFL

Friday, December 4th, 2009

concussion or brain injury rules for the NFLBrain injuries – ranging from Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (MTBI) to Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) – are getting a fresh look by the NFL.  This is because of recent attention in the media to head injuries of players at the professional as well as college and high school levels.

On Wednesday, the NFL announced new stringent rules for managing head injuries or concussions of players.  The new rules would require any player that exhibits significant signs of a concussion or head injury to be removed from playing for the rest of that day, even during a game.

The question for local communities here in the San Francisco and San Jose area, is whether these new rules and new attention to brain or head injuries will impact how colleges and high schools treat players and injury victims.

According to the New York Times, 58% of high school football programs do not have a certified athletic trainer available for players.  And many of the physicians that are on standby or present on the sidelines have very little experience in managing brain injuries including concussions.

Experts agree that player education and the education of coaches and trainers is vital.  Players, whether they are professional or students, playing with a concussion or head injury is simply too dangerous to allow.

There are over 1.4 million brain injuries treated in our hospitals and medical centers.  The CDC estimates that 75% of these head injuries are MTBI or concussions.  The CDC also estimates that over 2 million MTBI or concussions go untreated and unreported every year.

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New Head Injury Research May Benefit MTBI/Concussion Victims

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Brain Injury Among AthletesNew research into a surgical procedure for head injury victims may benefit athletes and others that suffer repeated concussions also known as MTBI injuries.

According to Science Daily, researchers at the Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center are developing a technique involving hypothermia in certain parts of the brain.

This ground breaking research and surgical technique under development could have serious benefits for professional football players, athletes, soldiers, and other injury victims who suffer multiple head injuries.

The procedure involves therapeutic hypothermia. This technique reduces the risk of further injury or injury to tissue by lowering the individual’s temperature in a specific part of the brain.

Currently the technique is being utilized with injury victims that suffer traumatic brain injuries of the most severe nature.  However, the research and information about the brain being learned in the process will hopefully allow scientist to develop less invasive approaches to treat individuals with a concussion, MTBI, or head injury.

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Brain Injury Victims (MTBI and TBI) Get Help With New State Law

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Oregon Passes MTBI and TBI legislationThe impact of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the injury victim as well as their family and friends can be devastating.  And we know that many mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI) go untreated and are under reported.

I have written about the signs, symptoms, and impact of both TBI and MTBI previously on Legal Blog.

As with many catastrophic injuries and diseases, injury victims are often unprepared financially for the costs associated with the care they need. Well, the Oregon legislature has made a step in the right direction in order to help these folks. They have passed a bill that requires all health insurance companies in the state of Oregon to provide insurance coverage for medical care to treat traumatic brain injuries (MTBI and TBI).

The basis for this legislation is simple – many insurance companies in Oregon were denying coverage and refusing to treat individuals who had suffered MTBI or TBIs. For instance, often cognitive therapies and vocational rehabilitation is needed after someone suffers a brain injury.  Now, in accordance with the new legislation, those treatments will be covered.

The bill is Oregon Senate Bill 381 and will take effect on January 1, 2010.

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Post-Concussion Syndrome And Its Consequences

Monday, November 16th, 2009

MTBI or ConcussionPost-concussion syndrome is a complex disorder that follows an MTBI or mild traumatic brain injury as well as a traumatic brain injury or TBI.

According to the Mayo Clinic, post-concussion syndrome involves symptoms like dizziness and headaches and follows a concussion or MTBI. However, the symptoms persist and last for weeks and even months after a concussion – this combination of symptoms and persistence by the symptoms create a post-concussion syndrome.

A mild traumatic brain injury is also known as a concussion. An MTBI can occur after a blow to the head, a fall, or even a whip-lash type of injury. A loss of consciousness isn’t required in order for someone to be diagnosed with a MTBI or post-concussion syndrome and neither is a positive CT or MRI scan.

In other words, a person could suffer a fall, a car accident, or some other type of accident or injury producing an MTBI and the CT scan or MRI could be perfectly normal despite the presence of a MTBI and the development of post-concussion syndrome.

In fact, the odds that a persona will develop post-concussion syndrome does not appear to be associated with the severity of the injury they suffer.

In many people post-concussion syndrome symptoms can go away in a few weeks after the initial accident or injury. However, post-concussion syndrome that results from an MTBI can persist for months or years. I have personally seen individuals in my practice that were diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome as a result of a brain injury (both MTBI and TBI) with symptoms that persisted for several years.

Nevertheless, much research has been done into the causes, symptoms, and treatments of MTBI. I have written about some of these advances and provided useful information on Legal Blog previously (click here for MTBI resources and information).

Annually, over one million cases of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) are evaluated and treated in US emergency rooms and hospitals. If you feel that you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury or is suffering from post-concussion syndrome seek medical care and treatment immediately.

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