Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer - Head and Brain Injuries

Fibromyalgia

Laura Mackie — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 13:56:04 GMT

If you are representing a client who is diagnosed with Fibromyalgia you may encounter stiff resistance from opposing counsel on nearly every issue associated with your client's claims of pain, suffering and residuals. Why should this be the case? Simply stated, because historically, persons suffering from Fibromyalgia were thought to be imagining their symptoms. The attitude of "it's all in their heads" was adopted by physicians as well as the legal community. In recent decades, however, medical studies have proven that fibromyalgia does indeed exist. In fact, it is estimated to affect between 2% and 6% of people worldwide.

Fibromyalgia is a medical syndrome that is often misunderstood and therefore misdiagnosed. Symptoms are generally described as widespread pain and stiffness in the muscles and joints as well as sleep problems leading to chronic daytime fatigue. Somewhere between 80% - 90% of people diagnosed with fibromyalgia are middle-aged women, although it can affect people of all ages and both sexes. Clinicians who care for patients with fibromyalgia report a range of possible causes that include: 1. Repetitive stress injuries 2. Automobile accidents 3. Other traumatic events

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Laura Mackie

Skull fractures and Auto Accidents

Laura Mackie — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:06:33 GMT

Over one million people are seen by medical doctors every year in the U.S., due to having received a blow to the head. 50,000 to 100,000 of those individuals will have prolonged problems that will affect their ability to function in their daily lives.

Although most people would prefer not to dwell upon the subject, the legal community is well aware that it is not uncommon for fractures of the skull to occur in auto accidents.

Although the skull is tough, resilient, and provides excellent protection for the brain, a severe impact or blow can result in fracture of the skull. A fractured skull generally results in an injury to the brain. Injuries to the brain, whether classified as open or closed injuries; are often life-threatening. Someone with a skull fracture should always be admitted to the hospital for treatment and/or observation.

As recently as October of this year, a well known rapper known as Cassidy suffered a fractured skull in an auto accident. As is the case whenever a celebrity is injured, Cassidy's injuries have spurred a sudden interest in the dynamics of brain injuries and in particular, skull fractures.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Laura Mackie

"I don't remember anything about my accident."

Ed Smith — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 17:49:32 GMT

You are not alone. Many many victims of motor vehicle accidents say the same thing. In fact, a medical diagnosis exists addressing this very problem: "Traumatic Amnesia". As descirbed, even a relatively "minor" car accident in which the occupant suffers only mild whiplash symptoms, can result in an 'interruption in the short/long term memory transfer mechanism."

What this means is, that if you don't remember details about your car accident, it is probably normal and may indicate potentially more serious problems associated with a mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

The lack of the ability to recall the details of the accident also means that it may be difficult (or certainly more difficult) to prove who did what in terms of accident investigation, insurance claims, or a courtroom. If you have sustained an injury like this, and have no memory of the collision, it would be advisable to insist, at the scene, upon a formal accident investigation by a peace officer. It would also be advisable to mention these symptoms to a physician so that other symptoms of a closed head injury (dizziness, nausea, personality changes, among just a few) can also be assessed.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Smith

Iraq War Vets with Brain Injuries

Ed Smith — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:05:22 GMT

We have lost close to 3,000 American Soldiers in Iraq, there have been about 20,000 wounded soldiers and now President Bush decides to cut the budget that had been set aside for traumatic brain injury centers that would treat these soldiers by half.
The president has also cut $190 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs budget for 2007, even though it is currently underfunded and the wounded soldiers already have to wait months to get appointments for care. This is while cutting taxes paid by the wealthiest 5 percent of American society and while median incomes for middle-class America have dropped for the fifth straight year.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Smith

What is a Cerebral Contusion?

Ed Smith — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 15:19:11 GMT

A cerebral contusion is categorized as bruise or bleeding of the brain. A contusion may be caused by sudden accceleration which causes the brain to jolt.
This is usually cased by a forceful blow to the head or when the head comes into forceful contact with an unmoving object. Not only can the brain at point of impact be damaged from the forceful blow, but the opposite side of the brain can also be injured as it strikes the opposite side of the skull.

Cerebral contusions frequently result from motor vehicle collisions as the forces of impact often are sufficient to cause the brain to move forward and impact the frontal skull (and, often, then rebound from the frontal skull to the rear skull).

Cerebral contusions unfortunately often result in what is referred to as a "traumatic brain injury" and can result in decreased emotional responsiveness, lost consciousness, memory problems, confusion, nausea, changes in neurological function, and combativeness, among other symptoms.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Smith

Brain Contusions vs. Brain Concussions

Ed Smith — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:41:34 GMT

Head trauma can cause brain damage in many ways. What is the difference between a brain contusion and brain concussion? When people experience head injury such as from an auto accident, there are popular misconceptions when comparing contusions to concussions.

Are these head injuries the same in severity or is there no verifiable difference between the two conditions?

Similarities

Both are due to head trauma.
Both are common.
Both are serious.

Differences

Contusions are localized, while concussions are widespread.
Contusions are macroscopic, while concussions are microscopic.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Smith

How to heal from a concussion.

Ed Smith — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 09:13:25 GMT

Many of us have seen professional athletes endure concussions. Suffering the effects of concussions have cut short the careers of superstars such as Steve Young of the San Francisco 49ers and Troy Aikman of the Dallas Cowboys.

In addition to competitive team sports, auto accidents and slip and falls are a leading cause of concussions and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

How does one help themselves to heal from a concussion?

The process of recovery from a concussion may take weeks, if not months. Experts recommend the following:

* Get plenty of sleep at night and rest during the day.
* Slow your activities levels down. Don't do too much, too fast.
* Avoid highly physical activities such as contact or recreational sports.
* Consult with your doctor about when it's safe to return to sports, drive a car or motorcycle, or operate equipment or machinery. It is important to keep in mind that your ability to react to stimuli, while recovering from a concussion, may be impaired.
* Don't drink alcohol.
* Make a habit of writing things down instead of depending on your memory.
* Consult with family and friends before making important decisions.

Recovering from a concussion can be frustrating because your ability to think clearly or remember things may be impaired, and as a result, you're more easily aggravated or agitated.

It is important that those close to you are aware of this and are watchful of these symptoms worsening so your doctor can be informed and additional treatment provided promptly

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Smith

Concussions - Common Injury infrequently diagnosed.

Ed Smith — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 15:51:27 GMT

A concussion is a common, yet frequently undiagnosed and unrecognized injury sustained in automobile collisions.

In fact, in the United States traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is a leading cause of death for persons under the age of 45. If you or a loved one has endured direct trauma to the head, or been involved in an incident involving indirect trauma to the head, it is critical that you be aware of the common signs indicative of traumatic brain injury so you may request and obtain the proper medical care.

Signs indicative of suffering a TBI include the obvious such as dizziness, headache, disorientation, and forgetfulness. But also commonly include the not so obvious such as depression, mood swings, insomnia, vomiting and loss of libido.

Direct trauma can cause severe brain injury because destructive shock waves are sent through the brain matter. In an automobile collision, direct trauma can occur when the skull strikes a steering wheel, side window and/or body of the car.

It is important to know that indirect trauma, or trauma not involving direct contact with the skull, can be every bit as damaging as direct trauma. Severe whiplash can involve significant forces that may shake or rotate the brain enough to cause permanent brain damage. The injured person may not have any outside indications of suffering a significant brain injury but such an injury can potentially be recognized if the symptoms, noted above, are noticed.

Broken bones can mend, bruises and cuts can heal, but an injury to the brain, though not as easily diagnosed as a broken bone, bruise or cut, can be extremely damaging or deadly if not recognized and treated promptly.

The Law Offices of Edward A. Smith specialize in representing persons suffering traumatic brain injuries at the fault of others. If you or a loved one has endured such an unfortunate event, please contact us.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Smith