Brain Injury Lawyer - New York

Free webinar to examine recovery from severe traumatic brain injury resulting in coma and loss of consciousness

The Brain Trauma Foundation is presenting a free webinar on Assessment & Prognosis in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury on Wednesday, April 25, 2012, 12-1 Eastern Time. This webinar is open to all.

Survivors of severe traumatic brain injury face a wide range of possible prognoses, from nearly complete recovery to permanent unconsciousness. The ability to predict prognosis at an early point is limited, but the time until return of consciousness (e.g., command following) and orientation (e.g., duration of post-traumatic amnesia) are useful predictors in the early days and weeks. More specialized assessment techniques exist of those with persistent disorders of consciousness, and new assessment tools and promising treatment options are under development. This presentation will review the range of outcomes that are possible after severe TBI, suggest ways to improve prognostic prediction and treatment planning, and offer insight into emerging treatments.

By the end of this webinar the participant will be able to:

1. Describe the range of outcomes and prognosis that are possible following severe TBI.

2. Identify 2 approaches to the assessment of patients whose level of consciousness remains impaired.

3. Use time frame and prognostic information to guide treatment planning.

You can click here to register.

New CDC fact sheet, Returning to School After a Concussion: A Fact Sheet for School Professionals

Each year hundreds of thousands of K-12 students sustain a concussion as a result of a fall, motor-vehicle crash, collision on the playground or sports field, or other activity.  

School professionals will often be challenged with helping return a student to school who may still be experiencing concussion symptoms—symptoms that can result in learning problems and poor academic performance. Knowledge of a concussion’s potential effects on a student, and appropriate management of the return-to-school process, is critical for helping students recover from a concussion.

A new CDC fact sheet, Returning to School After a Concussion: A Fact Sheet for School Professionals, provides steps that school professionals can take to help facilitate a student’s return to school and recovery after a concussion. It emphasizes the importance of a collaborative approach by a team that includes not only school professionals, but also the student’s family and the health care professional(s) managing the medical aspects of the student’s recovery.

 To learn more, download the new CDC fact sheet by clicking here.

Brain injuries more prevalent than previously thought

A new study by researchers from Mayo Clinic has found that the incidence of traumatic brain injury is likely greater than has been estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This study differs from previous similar studies in that it uses a new and refined system for classifying injuries caused by force to the head: the Mayo Traumatic Brain Injury Classification System.

“Even mild traumatic brain injuries can affect sensory-motor functions, thinking and awareness, and communication,” says study author Allen Brown, M.D., director of brain rehabilitation research at Mayo Clinic. “In assessing frequency, we have likely been missing a lot of cases. This is the first population-based analysis to determine prevalence along the whole spectrum of these injuries.”

Using the Rochester Epidemiology Project, a several decades-long compilation of medical records in Olmsted County, Minn., the team determined that TBIs occur in as many as 558 per 100,000 people, compared to the 341 per 100,000 estimated by the CDC. Researchers found that 60 percent of injuries fell outside the standard categorization used by the CDC, even though two-thirds of them were symptomatic.

Mayo researchers found the elderly and the young were found most at risk for “definite” and “possible” injury, respectively, and men were more at risk than women. The findings reinforce ongoing efforts by the CDC to create a brain injury classification that more broadly encompasses traumatic head injury.

On line sports concussion library

A new web site has been launched to share information about sports concussions and traumatic brain injury. 

The Sport Concussion Library features a collection of scientific studies, documentaries pertaining to brain injuries. General information is tailored to parents, coaches, players, teachers and first responders, while education modules allow users to gauge and improve their knowledge of concussions. The site explains how to use important sports concussion tests and first responders and health workers can register to use it online.

Perhaps most interesting of all on the website are the various lengthy and candid testimonials from individuals who have experienced concussion firsthand, including hockey and football players, cyclists, and a wrestler, plus parents of injured athletes.

Graduate Program in Special Education & Transition Services in Brain Injury

The George Washington University was the first post-secondary institution in the nation to have developed and implemented a specialized graduate degree program, geared toward training professionals in the field of special education and brain injury.  For the past five years I have had the privilege of being a guest instructor for this wonderful program.

The brain injury special educator may work directly with children with acquired brain injury (ABI) or with the school teams and families who support them. The curriculum is focused on training teachers to work in high need school districts and high poverty schools where the incidence of pediatric brain injury is very high. Students are offered the opportunity of specialized coursework, high quality supervised practica and internships, as well as ongoing school and community-based mentorship opportunities.

You can earn a Master’s while pursuing teacher licensure in Special Education.  You can prepare to become a special education teacher to serve school age children and youth with traumatic and acquired brain injuries. The program includes on-campus and on-line coursework, and is possible to complete within two years.

Scholarships are available to qualified students through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education that offers up to 75% of tuition. Questions? Contact Theresa Sacchi Armstrong at 202-994-7306 Read more about the George Washington University Graduate Program in Acquired Brain Injury.

Important traumatic brain injury resources for veterans and others

Here are some important Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Links for returning veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries.  These organizations and the information provided can also provide helpful assistance to anyone who has sustained traumatic brain damage.

American Veterans with Brain Injuries

This group provides a peer chat room and forum for American service members and veterans, as well as for family members and caregivers. Both the forum and chat room are interactive and designed for participants to ask questions, get information and share personal experiences with others.

Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA)

The Brain Injury Association of America was founded in 1980. Its mission is "creating a better future through brain injury prevention, research, education and advocacy." The organization's website offers extensive resources and links to related websites.

 

BrainLine

BrainLine is a national multimedia project offering information and resources for preventing, treating and living with TBI. BrainLine.org is a service of WETA, the public television and radio station in Washington, D.C., and is funded by the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center through a contract with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation.

Brain Trauma Foundation

The Brain Trauma Foundation is dedicated to improving the outcomes for traumatic brain injury patients worldwide by developing best practices guidelines, conducting clinical research and educating medical professionals and consumers. Its efforts also focus on public education aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of the symptoms of a concussion. The group's goal is to better educate coaches, nurses, athletes, parents and all citizens about the importance of recognizing concussions and taking the appropriate steps to ensure people receive appropriate care.

DVBIC-Charlottesville Rehabilitation Programs

DVBIC-Charlottesville Rehabilitation Programs, in Charlottesville, Virginia, provides a community integrated brain injury rehabilitation program, comprehensive evaluation, outpatient therapy clinic, vocational training and innovative community re-entry services for military and civilians with brain injury. DVBIC-Charlottesville is a national leader in developing treatment modules for community reintegration and evolving use of technology aids. Its experienced rehabilitation team and scientific agenda promote optimal treatment.

DVBIC-Johnstown

DVBIC-Johnstown is the combination of multiple sites in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. These sites include a community re-entry program and an outpatient clinic. DVBIC-Johnstown is committed to improving the lives of military personnel and veterans with traumatic brain injuries by maximizing independence and facilitating re-entry into family and community life.

The Journey Home

The Journey Home website, administered by the Center of Excellence for Medical Multimedia, provides an informative and sensitive exploration of TBI, including information for patients, family members and caregivers. Topics include types and symptoms of brain injury, TBI treatment and recovery and helpful insights about the potential long-term effects of brain injury. Animation is used to help patients clearly understand the brain and the results of injuries to different parts of the brain. Survivors and their caregivers share courageous stories about their own experiences, providing down-to-earth facts along with inspiration and hope.

National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA)

The National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) is a nonprofit organization created by state government employees administering public programs for individuals with traumatic brain injury and their families. NASHIA assists state governments in promoting partnerships and building systems to meet the needs of individuals with brain injury. NASHIA provides information on state contacts, public programs and resources within states; hosts a website containing materials and information; sponsors an annual national conference; provides training through webcasts and radiocasts; monitors state and federal public policies and legislation; and advocates for public policies and funding to assist states in better meeting the needs of individuals with traumatic brain injury and their families.

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCICP)

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCICP), at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, supports data collection and follow-up studies in more than 15 states to track and monitor TBI in the United States, link people with TBI to information about services and find ways to prevent TBI-related disabilities. The center's website offers fact sheets about traumatic brain injury, including information on the problem, consequences, causes, cost, groups at risk, collaborating organizations and references.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Created in 1950, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke aims to reduce the burden of neurological disease — found in every age group, every segment of society and all over the world. The group's TBI information page includes extensive resources and links to related websites.

Swords to Plowshares

War causes wounds and suffering that last beyond the battlefield. Swords to Plowshares' mission is to heal those wounds, restore dignity, hope and self-sufficiency to all veterans in need and significantly reduce homelessness and poverty among veterans.

POV: Where Soldiers Come From: Links & Books

POV's website for the documentary Where Soldiers Come From has an extensive list of resources spanning traumatic brain injury (TBI), health care and other support for veterans.

Brain Injury Legal Assistance

For legal assistance following a traumatic brain injury, contact the brain injury attorneys at the New York brain injury law firm of De Caro & Kaplen, LLP.

Let's promote safe driving for your nation's youth.

Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of traumatic brain injury in young adults. 

National Teen Driver Safety Week is an annual observation which takes place October 16-22. This year’s theme is to support parents in teaching their teens to drive. According to new research from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), 87 percent of teens report having a parent involved in learning to drive, and four of 10 teens report being taught only by a parent. Other recent CHOP research suggests that although parents can identify the basic concepts teen drivers need to learn (such as parking), they tend not to mention the more advanced skills proven to reduce teen crashes, such as scanning for hazards.

Driving Experience Is Necessary. For their safety, teens must log plenty of time behind the wheel to gain driving experience. In New York, junior permit holders are required to log at least 50 hours of supervised driving – with at least 15 of these hours after sunset – before taking a test to obtain a driver’s license. In addition, teens must have a junior permit for at least six months before a junior or senior license is issued.

Parenting Style Matters for Teen Driving Safety. According to CHOP, teens who say their parents set rules and pay attention to their activities in a helpful, supportive way are half as likely to be in a crash.

Parent/Teen Driving Agreements. Parents of junior licensed teen drivers are advised to use a parent/teen driving agreement to set clear rules, boundaries and expectations about driving behaviors. Teens should be aware that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of deaths for teens and that rules are in place to keep them safe, not control them. New privileges can be introduced as driving skills improve and teens exhibit responsible driving. For more parenting tips on teen driving safety, click here. For samples of parent/teen driving agreements or contracts click here .

Want More Information? Traffic safety educational materials and driving management tools for parents of teen drivers provide guidance on teaching teens to be safe drivers and can help manage newly licensed teens’ driving. Parents and teens are encouraged to read and complete the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles’ “Parents Guide to Teen Driving” by clicking here  Parents and teens should also read, understand and comply with the NYS Graduated Drivers Licensing Law, available by clicking here.

For additional teen driving safety information, click here or here.

Free Webinar on Concussions

There will be a free webinar, "From Concussion to Consequence," on October 18th designed to address our current knowledge about managing concussions, particularly in the area of sports and the effects that a concussion can have on an individual's life. 

The 60 minute presentation will feature medical experts from the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, a member of the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee and the editor in chief of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation.

The seminar is sponsored by medical publishers, Ovid and Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins in partnership with the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine.

For more information and to register click here.

New brain injury video series

A new on line video series, Understanding Brain Injury"has been produced by the Shepherd Brain Injury Center to assist in educating patients and family members about brain injury.

The videos use simple language to discuss brain injuries and include interviews with medical experts, brain injury survivors and family members.  Lee Woodruff whose husband, ABC News Anchor, Bob Woodruff sustained a traumatic brain injury in a bomb blast in Iraq adds her practical advice.

The video is in five chapters and each is easily down loadable.  The first Chapter is an introduction to brain damage, chapter 2 is Brain Injury Basics and Anatomy, Chapter 3 is Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury, its Causes, Effects and Classifications, Chapter 4 is Understanding Non-traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke, its Causes, Effects and Classifications and Chapter 5 contains practical advice on coping with traumatic brain injury.

The videos can be viewed by clicking here.

The Biomechanics of Traumatic Brain Injury

The Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE International) has released a 3-volume set Head Injury Biomechanics, edited by Jeffrey A. Pike, which is designed to aid those studying head injury from a broad range of causes, including transportation, falls, sports, personal violence, and blast-related.

This compendium, available as individual volumes or as a set, includes three volumes: Skull Fracture, Brain Injury, and Mitigation. Each volume includes a new chapter that ties together the various aspects of anatomy, injury, and injury mechanisms that set the stage for the technical papers that follow, which Pike selected from published literature. There is also a common bibliography of more than 250 resources, as well as a table that organizes them by topic; e.g., transportation mode or sport.

The focus of each volume is as follows: Volume 1, Skull Fracture, focuses on head impact injuries and features 13 technical papers. These publications are primarily related to head impact and the resulting injury to the outside of the head--the skin, the bones of the skull, and sensory organs.

Volume 2, The Brain, features 13 technical papers that are primarily related to injuries to the brain, its surrounding membranes, and its blood supply.

Volume 3, Mitigation, covers the application of protective strategies to various injury scenarios, such as passenger vehicles, sports, and blast injuries, or to a particular demographic group, such as children or seniors. This volume features 14 technical papers.

You can read more information and order by clicking here.