Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injuries in football players and the role of helmets are getting extra attention this football season, in part because of a college player who committed suicide, according to CBSnews.com.

A star college defensive end committed suicide in the spring at the age of 21. An autopsy showed that he had a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is an injury to the brain caused by repetitive head trauma. The condition has been shown to cause depression and impulsive behavior. CTE has been found in 21 players in the NFL, including one who also committed suicide. But the college star is the youngest player who has been found to have had the disorder. Shockingly, he was never diagnosed with a concussion during his career.

The tragic death of the college player has directed attention towards traumatic head injuries sustained by football players, as well as the effectiveness of football helmets. Doctors have recently shown that even a minor blow to the head can cause long-term damage to the brain. In addition, some experts think that today’s modern helmets are doing more harm than good – some players feel a sense of security in the helmets and are more apt to take risky maneuvers that could cause a head injury.

Have you or a loved one experienced a traumatic brain injury? If so, contact an experienced Simi Valley traumatic brain injury attorney. Even a fairly minor head injury could have lifelong consequences. Contact the team at the Mandell Law Firm today at 818-866-6600.

Researchers are coming close to being able to easily diagnose brain injuries. They are working on a study that will make it easy to identify biomarkers that could make diagnosing brain injuries as simple as taking a blood test. Biomarkers are proteins produced by a brain that has suffered an injury.

Brain injuries are hard to diagnose, particularly in people who don’t lose consciousness. Over 50,000 people in the United States die each year from brain injuries. Brain injuries can be easily confused with a stroke, and often the seriousness of the injury is not recognized quickly enough.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Defense Department is expected to spend $17 million on a major study of biomarkers in over one thousand patients. The study will take a year and a half and could result in a simple blood testing device that could check for brain injuries, which medical personnel could carry onto the battlefield. A smaller study using almost 70 subjects found that patients with the most severe brain injuries had levels of one biomarker that were sixteen times that found in patients without brain injuries. Scientists hope to develop a blood test that will check for that particular biomarker.

Have you suffered a traumatic brain injury in the San Fernando Valley due to someone else’s negligence? If so, contact the experienced Valencia brain injury attorneys at the Mandell Law Firm today at 818-866-6600. Our dedicated attorneys will strive to get you the compensation you deserve. Call today for a free consultation.

The San Jose Mercury News recently released an article on June, 1, 2010 stating that legislators have approved a bill that will provide funds for the development of treatment centers for people suffering from traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs. The new facilities being developed will primarily provide treatment for patients as well as training and education for the early detection of TBIs.

A traumatic brain injury is most often caused by a blow to the head from a blunt object, a foreign object penetrating the skull causing disruption of normal brain functions, or even a simple slip and fall. Common symptoms of TBIs include trouble walking, speaking, forming complete thoughts, and loss of other normal motor functions. Those who endure a brain injury due to another person’s negligence, either in an auto accident, work-related accident, or another incident, may be entitled to compensation to help pay for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages.

As a law firm that has handled numerous cases dealing with traumatic brain injury in Southern California, at The Mandell Law Firm, we know how devastating brain injuries can be for a victim and his or her families. We are delighted to see that new legislation has been passed supporting research for the early detection of TBIs, as it is essential that these injuries be detected as soon as possible so that rehabilitation can begin.

Our skilled Northridge brain injury attorneys will aggressively protect your rights if you have been suffered a brain injury due to someone else’s negligence. We will help you obtain the compensation that you deserve so you are able to properly recover. If you or someone you love has sustained a traumatic brain injury, please contact an experienced attorney at The Mandell Law Firm for a free consultation. Call 818-886-6600 today.

Approximately 10 to 20 percent of troops coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan are doing so with brain injuries. Brain injuries also afflict 1.7 million Americans each year.

According to a recent report, in hopes of helping the injured troops, the Pentagon is introducing a new program to help heal the brains of injured troops called REPAIR (Reorganization and Plasticity to Accelerate Injury Recover). Ten professors and research teams will collaborate on the project, which will develop implants made of electrodes or optical fibers. Those implants will rest on the surface of the brain, reading electrical signals from neurons and delivering light pulses in order to stimulate other brain regions.

A lot of progress has already been made in studying brain injuries. Scientists can create models of brain activity and can record the pulses emitted by neurons in the brain. However, they haven’t yet been able to change the pulses in order to turn brain circuits on and off.

The project will first conduct tests on mice, rats and monkey, to understand how regions of the brain interact. Once they understand that, they are going to mimic those interactions. Hopefully the implants will eventually help not only vets with brain injuries but also those who have suffered from a stroke or brain tumor.

Brain injuries can be debilitating and life changing. If you or someone in your family has suffered a brain injury in the San Fernando Valley because of someone else’s negligence, the victim may be entitled to recover compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and a decreased quality of life, among other damages. Call the dedicated Northridge brain injury attorneys at the Mandell Law Firm today at 818-886-6600.

Based on recent reports, Congressman Dave Reichert has received treatment for a “chronic subdural hematoma” that may have been caused by moderate injury to his head. Apparently, the Congressman was taken to George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C. because he was not feeling well. After it was discovered that Reichert had suffered a collection of blood on the surface of his brain (subdural hematoma), doctors performed a procedure that reports say was successful. Reichert is very fortunate to have received treatment and surgery in time and doctors say that they anticipate a complete recovery.

Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, discusses that subdural hematomas typically require emergency surgery in order to diminish pressure that has collected in the brain. This procedure is highly complex and often involves drilling a small hole or larger opening in the skull, depending on how large the collection of blood or clot is.

Chronic subdural hematomas are known for frequently going unobserved for several days, and even weeks. This is why it is extremely important to seek medical attention for even the most minor of head injuries in order to prevent serious brain injury.

When serious brain injuries such as subdural hematomas or brain hemorrhages are caused by another person’s negligence, whether due to a negligent driver that causes a car accident or as the result of a medical professional’s error during surgery, a brain injury victim has legal rights.

If you or a loved one has been affected by a brain injury in the San Fernando Valley, please contact the skilled Chatsworth brain hemorrhage attorneys at the Mandell Law Firm. We have several years of experience handling brain injury cases as well as personal injury and wrongful death litigation. Call (818) 886-6600 for a free consultation and to learn more about your legal options.

Source:http://www.seattlepi.com/sound/417426_sound89173482.html

The Mandell Law Firm, a San Fernando Valley personal injury law firm, is proud to announce the unveiling of its new brain injury website at http://www.california-braininjuryattorneys.com. In dedicating our practice to assisting those seriously injured by another person’s negligence, we understand that the aftermath of a brain injury may be traumatic and overwhelming as new challenges are presented and the future seems uncertain. The Mandell Law Firm recognizes the importance of providing brain injury information and resources for victims and their family members to easily access.

Our San Fernando Valley brain injury website discusses the definitions, causes, and consequences of traumatic brain injury, closed head injuries, brain hemorrhage, and diffuse axonal injury. In our Southern California brain injury and personal injury litigation experience, we are familiar with the many ways in which a severe brain injury may be caused and the extent of physical, emotional, and financial consequences on a victim and their family. Some common causes of brain injury discussed on the website include bicycle accidents, truck collisions, motorcycle crashes, and automobile accidents that may result from a negligent motorist, drunk driver, defective product, or dangerous roadway. Several incidents of brain injury are also caused by medical malpractice, either due to birth injury, medication error, failure of a medical professional to act in a timely manner, or improper diagnosis.

Whatever the reason for your life to have been affected by a brain injury, it is our hope that the new brain injury website can be of assistance in providing Brain Injury FAQs as well as potential legal options that may be available. To access more helpful information regarding brain injury, please visit http://www.california-braininjuryattorneys.com or contact the Northridge traumatic brain injury attorneys of the Mandell Law Firm for a free consultation by calling 818-886-6600.

According to a story from the L.A. Times, cheerleading has become a demanding and high-risk sport. Several studies done by the Journal of Athletic Training indicated that 89% of fall-related injuries in U.S. cheerleading had been from attempting stunts or pyramids. Eighty-five percent took place during practice and 51% occurred amid high schoolers. Although no deaths were reported in the study, the risk of concussion and head injury is still relatively high.

One of the more interesting aspects of the study was based on the practice surfaces and how they relate to head injuries and trauma. The critical height of a surface material is dependent on the highest point a person can fall without sustaining a life-threatening head injury. Apparently mats and spring floors that are four inches thick and rest on foam floors can absorb impacts for level two stunts (some tumbling and tosses) and had critical heights over 10.5 feet. For outdoor practice areas, high grass and wet soil provided better absorption and critical heights.

Head injuries from cheerleading can change a person’s life. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that, since 1980, cheerleading injuries requiring emergency attention have increased nearly six times to 30,000 in 2008. Symptoms of head trauma include confusion, headaches, nausea, un-reactive pupils, numbness in extremities, or loss of consciousness.

If you or someone you love has suffered a brain injury, you may be able to file a personal injury claim and recoup financial expenses for medical bills, medications or other financial hardships incurred due to the injury. Contact the Mandell Law Firm in Northridge, CA for a free consultation with an experienced San Fernando Valley traumatic brain injury lawyer. Call (818) 886-6600 today.

Source:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/12/the-risky-business-of-cheerleading.html

A 19-year-old man driving a Mini Cooper ran a red light, clipped one car and violently struck the side of a minivan at the intersection of Highway 37 and Lakeville Highway near Novato, California. Sadly, all four members of the family in the minivan were killed instantly. Police believe the man was driving between 70 and 90 miles per hour. According to the article from the San Jose Mercury, there is no evidence that drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.

The three occupants of the first car hit were taken to a hospital in Novato for their injuries. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene to aid the 19-year-old and the victims. The perpetrator suffered life-threatening and severe brain injuries before ultimately dying at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital the following day. The four deceased were identified as a 45-year-old man, a woman, 42, and their two children ages eight and five.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 42,643 people are killed in auto accidents each year. In California, there are 4,215 (almost 10% of the national average) fatalities from traffic accidents. Furthermore, speeding caused over one third of these fatal accidents. Traumatic brain injuries also affect one million Americans each year.

Head trauma and brain injury affects victims and their families beyond the reaches of the accident. If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s negligent and reckless driving, contact a skilled San Fernando Valley brain injury lawyer who can answer questions about your claim. At the Mandell Law Firm, we may be able to help you and your family recover compensation for your injuries and any related damages. Our knowledgeable attorneys have dedicated many years to helping our clients obtain the maximum monetary compensation for damages and injuries. Call our offices today at (818) 886-6600 for a free consultation.

Source:http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_13889126?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com

Over the past two months, there has been a lot of buzz around the NFL and head injuries. It began when Jahvid Best, running back for Cal Berkeley, landed on his head after a touchdown at Oregon State University on November 7. The NFL Commissioner recently announced the resignation of several committee members and assured the public that the league will soon require players with head injuries to consult independent neurologists for treatment.

The underlying issue is that traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can have severe and long-lasting effects. A TBI is defined as any hit or shock to the head that affects brain function ranging from mild to severe. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, 28% of all TBI cases result from falls while 20% are attributed to motor vehicle-traffic accidents. Males are 1.5 times as likely to sustain a TBI over females.

Some short-term effects of TBI include irritability and confusion, headaches, nausea, loss of consciousness, memory loss and un-reactive or unequal pupils. The most common long-term symptoms of a TBI are loss of memory and problem solving skills as well as changes in behavior, language, emotion, and learning. Studies show that 40% of Americans hospitalized for a TBI had at least one unmet need for services one year after injury.

Brain injury and head trauma can be life-changing events and most commonly occur in infants from ages 0-4 and teenagers 15-19. If you or someone you love has suffered a brain injury from a car accident or fall on unsafe territory in California, you may be entitled to compensation. Call (818) 886-6600 to speak with an experienced Northridge traumatic brain injury lawyer at the Mandell Law Firm for a free consultation.

Sources:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/25/ED7A1APC6V.DTL; http://espn.go.com/blog/pac10/post/_/id/5651/tedford-no-decision-on-best-return

Last week marked the 10th Annual Neuroscience of Brain Injury: Research Informing Medical Treatment and Legal Practice Conference and Fundraising Golf Tournament in Napa Valley hosted by the California Brain Injury Association.

The Brain Injury Association of America indicates that 1.4 million Americans suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) each year. Motor-vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of TBI, accounting for 280,000 sustained cases in the U.S. each year.

Brain damage and injury can have long-lasting and devastating effects for many victims and families. TBIs encompass a range of injuries from mild changes in mental condition or consciousness to severe cases of prolonged amnesia or unconsciousness including both short- and long-term effects. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 3.17 million people who have suffered from TBI require long-term or lifelong help in performing daily activities.

Common disabilities associated with TBI are problems with cognition such as changes in thinking and learning, sensory processing, language and communication, behavior, and emotions. TBIs have also been known to increase a patient’s risk for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other mental diseases and disorders that are prevalent with age.

Many auto accident victims can attest that brain injuries can be life altering, painful and expensive. It is important to protect yourself and your brain by wearing helmets when riding bicycles and motorcycles, driving within speed limits, and reducing driving distractions such as phone calls and loud music.

If you or someone you know suffers TBI because of a California car accident, assault or any other cause resulting from another person’s negligence, you have the right to seek compensation for medical bills, suffering or loss. Accidents involving head injuries can be upsetting and complicated. Learn your rights by contacting an experienced California brain injury lawyer at the Mandell Law Firm for a free consultation. Call (818) 886-6600 today.