Personal Injury Lawyer Information

Brain Injury Information

Traumatic brain injuries are caused by sudden disturbance to the skull, due to induced motion to the brain itself, or to a penetration into the cranium. Anything from a mild headache to a loss of consciousness to severe neurological deficiencies, such as slurred speech or memory loss, can be expected from mild to serious brain injury.

Brain injuries can lead to various related complications and illnesses including back pain, organ failure, partial or full paralysis, and persistent vegetative state. Mood and personality may be greatly altered as a result of the physical stress sustained by the brain. Treatment begins with scanning the skull using a series of X-rays to identify bruised tissue and fractured bones. The majority of hospitalized patients with severe traumatic brain injuries need surgery to treat contusions or hematomas. Recovery and rehabilitation is a slow process beginning with discharge from intensive care into a neurological ward where neurotherapy aims to heal the brain tissue and help it become functional once again.

Half of traumatic brain injuries are affiliated with traffic accidents, especially those involving automobiles and pedestrians or motorcyclists. Slips and falls contribute to many brain injuries sustained by the elderly. Additionally, acts of violence cause one in five brain injuries, and alcohol is estimated to be a factor in 50% of all cases. Approximately 250,000 Americans experience a traumatic brain injury each year, and one third of these people live with significant disabilities as a result.

Burn Injury Information

Not all burns are caused by fire, or even heat. In fact, burn injuries are classified into 4 groups: thermal burns, chemical burns, electrical burns, and radiation burns. Further categorized by severity, first, second, and third-degree third-degree burns measure the damage inflicted upon the underlying tissue. While first-degree burns only affect the epidermis (the visible outer layer of skin), second and third-degree burns cause significantly more tissue damage, are more painful, and involve nerves located in the dermis and subcutaneous levels of skin. Even more serious burn injuries are defined by irreversible damage to the skin and underlying layers.

Thermal burns are the most commonly known type of burn injury, and are the result of contact with extreme temperatures-hot as well as cold. Scalds, steam burns, frostbite, and everyday contact with heated objects are all considered thermal burns.

Chemical burns are the result of physical contact with a reactive substance such as an acid or a base. Effects range from physical pain in the area of contact to itching, discoloration of the skin, and tissue scaring.

Electrical burns harm the body due to the intense heat incurred when high voltage is applied to the skin. Charring of the skin, deep tissue scarring, and nerve damage are indicative of electrical burns. Additionally, electrical shock can be fatal if it passes through vital organs. As little as 16 volts of electricity can be deadly when the current passes through the heart.

Finally, radiation burns are caused by extended exposure to ionizing radiation. Radiation burns include the common sunburn, but more serious injuries can be caused by medical X-rays, and beta or gamma radiation. Radiation burns may increase the risk for cancer by damaging normal cells’ DNA. Treatments vary from simple topical medications to intense fluid rehabilitation depending on the severity of the burn.

Car Accident Information

Car accidents kill an estimated 1.2 million people each year, and injure another 50 million. So-called accidents are more correctly labeled traffic collisions as 100% of conflicts are caused by human error. Over the past decade in the United States, the number of fatal collisions have increased, however the percentage of fatalities per mile driven has decreased over the same period due to advances in automobile safety features as well as stricter transportation laws.

Automobile crashes are not only viewed as an emotional and physical stress, but often as a legal hassle as well. By law, almost all collisions require that drivers exchange license and insurance information so that a claim can be filed. Refusal to do this is considered a hit and run. Collisions resulting in little or no personal injury are normally settled strictly by automotive insurance providers. However, when injury is involved, especially when one party was negligent or driving under the influence, legal action may be taken. Besides the risk of being charged with a DUI, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can intensify criminal charges and increase sentencing due to negligence. Charges range from misdemeanors to assault with a deadly weapon, manslaughter, and even murder if the collision is fatal. Sentencing may include license suspension, community service, or jail time.

Eliminating alcohol from our nations roads, though nearly impossible in the immediate future, would lower the number of fatal accidents by a full third. Until then, America and foreign countries alike will battle with the personal and legal toll that collisions have on their people.

Birth Injury Information

Birth injury is harm done to an infant during passage through the birth canal. Although some minor bruising is normal during birth, three major birth injuries may occur if the child is relatively large or the birth canal small.

Because infants normally enter the birth canal head first, skull trauma is the most prevalent injury. Serious bruising or swelling can indicate a Cephalohematoma, or internal bleeding just beneath the skin. Cephalohematomas should be checked for infection as well as actual skull fracture, but normally disappear with little complication in a few weeks to a few months.

Nerve injuries are less common than structural trauma and may be caused by pressure applied to the infant’s face or appendages by a doctor’s foreceps during birth. If a nerve is torn, a young child will experience weakness or paralysis in that part of the body, usually the arm or hand. Nerves repair quickly in infants if the nerve can be immobilized, and movement is normally restored in a few weeks. In extreme cases, the spinal cord is damaged due to an especially demanding birth, which often results in permanent damage to the encased nerves (sometimes causing cerebral palsy). Amazingly, an average 76 babies are born daily with birth injuries, the majority of which can be avoided by proper medical care.

Back and Neck Injury Information

Back and neck injury affect primarily car crash victims though spinal cord trauma can be caused by accidental falls, sports injuries, or even medical malpractice. In nearly all cases, the injury occurs due to a sudden jolt during which the spine is pressured in an awkward way.

A common back injury, a strained muscle, is more widely known as whiplash, because the spinal cord is rapidly thrown forward, then back in a rear-end collision. Whiplash victims normally feel sharp “pins and needles” pain in their upper back and neck, which can spread to the shoulders and arms. Additional symptoms include headaches, and dull pain from the lower back to the pelvis. Although symptoms are sometimes not felt for a few days, damage to the spine is instantaneous and will last a lifetime if not properly treated.

A more serious type of back injury, a herniated disc, occurs when a fibrous ring of tissue between two discs is ruptured, allowing softer tissue inside to become exposed. This particular injury, commonly called a “slipped disc,” can be especially painful when there is pressure on the vertebrae. Victims report dull associated pain around the ruptured disc. Some herniated disc injuries require surgery, but many will heal with rest and lumbar support in 6-12 weeks.

The most serious back injury occurs when the spinal cord, housed inside the vertebrae, is exposed or severed. Even a partially severed spinal cord cuts off the neuron path from the body’s nerves to the brain, making voluntary movement or feeling impossible. Depending on the location of the rupture and the condition of the cord, victims may retain nearly full range of motion, or experience full paralysis.

THIS INFORMATION IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE