Not all Traumatic Brain Injuries show up on imaging scans, and there’s a strong case to be made that the majority of brain injuries are much more subtle than diagnostics can account for. When a person is involved in an auto accident or a fall, their head can whip violently forward and backward. The brain, which is cushioned in a layer of liquid inside the skull, experiences the same movements, slamming into the skull with great force. The forces it is subjected to can cause damage to sensitive neural clusters both on the surface of the brain, as well as in deeper structures that can affect mood, memory, and personality. If you’ve been injured and have begun to display symptoms like memory impairment, vision problems, mood swings, vertigo and balance problems, changes in social behaviors, or trouble with reading comprehension or hand-eye coordination, you may be showing symptoms of a Traumatic Brain…Read More
Yes, after an event like a car accident, people who’ve suffered whiplash movements to their heads often display subtle signs of serious head injuries, (Traumatic Brain Injury) that can be difficult to diagnose through standard medical testing. Personality changes, mood disorders, memory impairment, and vision problems are just a few of the lasting effects that can devastate a person a second time around. Changes in personality and mood are especially troubling, because they can cause problems in nearly every aspect of person’s life. Relationships with friends and family can suffer, and a previously excellent employee can find themselves out of a job in short order. The fact that the problem may be damage to miniscule areas of the brain that manage impulse control or stress reactions won’t matter. At The Gertler Law Firm, we help clients in New Orleans recover their lives after accidents that result in invisible head injuries. Medical…Read More
You may have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury if you’ve developed neurological symptoms like headaches and vision problems in the aftermath of a car accident in New Orleans. While some Brain Injuries present themselves right away, others are less obvious and may not become clear until the body and brain have had time to recover from the initial emergency. Many Traumatic Brain Injuries are invisible to the naked eye, and won’t show up through diagnostic procedures like MRI imaging. This can make it difficult to substantiate injury as you pursue a legal claim, but experienced attorneys know how to collect the evidence of the deficits you’re now facing and present them both as medical events and personal stories. People who’ve experienced Traumatic Brain Injuries have had their lives radically changed, and when that happens through the negligence of another, it’s important that you get all the help you can. At…Read More
Personal injury attorneys in New Orleans are well aware that not all brain injuries are caused by being struck on the head during an accident. A violent collision that causes the head of the victim to be rapidly jerked also may cause a brain injury. Because of this possibility, anyone who has been involved in this type of accident should be on the lookout for the symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Unfortunately, spotting TBI is not as easy as it sounds because the symptoms may take on many different forms. Typical symptoms include episodes of memory loss, headaches, dizziness, difficulty with concentration, changes in speech (such as slowing or slurring of words), changes in behavior, and unexplained changes of mood. Other possible side effects of such an injury may be more readily apparent, such as vertigo, seizures, muscle spasms, lack of coordination or strength in the extremities and unexplained pain. Also,…Read More
Most of the people who use football helmets in the New Orleans area do not play for the New Orleans Saints. Instead, they are elementary, high school and college students. While football is a violent sport, every effort should be made to keep these young people safe. Unfortunately, a recent study by the Cleveland Clinic indicates that modern style football helmets may not be the ideal way to protect youth from brain injury or other head injuries. The study tested both modern football helmets and the old, leather helmets – used decades ago – to judge their ability to protect the head from low and medium level impacts at a variety of angles. These are the type of hits that commonly occur among young players. The extremely hard hits that may occur at the professional level of play were not tested. Surprisingly, the study found very little difference between the…Read More
Traumatic brain injury is among the more subtle and difficult to diagnosis injuries seen in New Orleans personal injury accidents. Because the medical community is still learning about this condition, there are few full studies regarding its frequency. According to an older study from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, 6,754 Louisiana residents were found to have suffered a traumatic brain injury from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2001. The leading cause of these injuries was motor vehicle accidents, followed by falls and firearm-related injuries. Over half the individuals found to have suffered a traumatic brain injury were discharged home after suffering the injury. The study also indicates that nearly one-third of those who suffered a traumatic brain injury died as a result of their injuries. It is unclear from the study itself how many of these deaths arose specifically from injury to the head or brain, as…Read More
Traumatic Brain Injury is among the more difficult injuries for New Orleans personal injury attorneys to prove. While some brain injuries involve bleeding in the brain or skull fractures that a jury will be able to clearly see in brain scans or x-rays, these tools may not be precise enough to show more subtle damage. As a result, traumatic brain injuries usually must be proven through a demonstration of how the damage has altered the injured party’s functioning and performance. Individuals with traumatic brain injury often exhibit changes in behavior, mood, and cognitive functioning that can be described to the jury. Also, there are a variety of diagnostic tests that brain injury treatment providers may use when evaluating the condition of the victim. The results of these brain injury tests also can be presented to the jury, and their meaning explained by the medical provider. Fortunately, for those seeking compensation & benefits following…Read More
As experienced TBI lawyers, we understand that no amount of money can truly compensate a person who has suffered an extreme and long-term injury. This is especially true of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or other head injuries where the victim may face years of treatment and, in many cases, still not fully recover. If a head injury has been caused by the negligence of another party, then that party should be held responsible to pay for the treatment. Our responsibility as personal injury attorneys is to pursue all funds available to provide for both past and future medical treatment of the injury. Doing so requires evidence of the long-term nature of the treatment required. In such cases, lawyers usually must present information provided by medical experts setting forth the exact nature of the injury, the future treatment that is likely to be necessary, and the prognosis for recovery. This information can…Read More
As experienced New Orleans personal injury attorneys, we understand that no amount of money can really compensate a person who has suffered a serious and long-term injury. This is especially true of a Traumatic Brain Injury or other serious head injury where the victim may face years of treatment and, in many cases, still not fully recover. When a head injury is caused by another person’s negligence, that party should be held responsible and pay for the treatment. Our responsibility as personal injury attorneys is to help you obtain all funds available to provide for both past and future medical treatment. In the case of head injuries, treatment often is needed over a long period of time and, as a result, is very expensive. Unfortunately, this means that full financial compensation is often unattainable for a truly serious head injury. Even if you hire an experienced personal injury attorney and successfully pursue…Read More
Not all brain injuries are caused by striking the head during an accident. Many New Orleans personal injury accidents result in brain injuries even though there is no physical impact to the victim’s head during the accident. These brain injuries occur because the head of the victim is rapidly jerked during a violent collision. Because an actual impact with the head is not necessary for brain injury to occur, anyone who has been involved in a collision should be on the lookout for the symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Unfortunately, spotting TBI is not always as easy as it sounds. While some possible symptoms – such as vertigo, seizures, muscle spasms, and lack of strength or coordination in the extremities – may be readily apparent, other potential symptoms take many different forms and can be very subtle. These more difficult to detect symptoms can include memory loss, headaches,…Read More
