Brain Injury Lawyer - New York

Clinton Announces Major Brain Injury Legislation to Assist Our Troops

New York's Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has been busy this week introducing important legislation to deal with traumatic brain injuries to our returning service members and the problems they have having returning to the community. 

Senator Clinton announced a new legislative initiative, co-sponsored by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), to improve the detection, assessment and treatment of traumatic brain injury and expand support systems for members and former members of the Armed Services with traumatic brain injury and their families.

Senator Clinton also announced introduction of legislation to help ensure wounded soldiers receive the disability benefits they need and deserve and to further protect military family financial benefits. 

Additionally, Senator Clinton introduced legislation to build on the groundbreaking "Heroes at Home" initiative she authored and secured in law last year aimed at helping U.S. troops and their families to transition after deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan and get the help they need with readjustment to work and coping with post-traumatic stress disorder and TBI. The proposed new initiative would expand Heroes at Home by:

• Improving the screening process for our troops before deployment to improve TBI diagnoses after deployment.  Senator Clinton's bill will improve detection of mild and moderate TBI by implementing an objective, computer-based assessment protocol to measure cognitive functioning both prior to and after deployment. Senator Clinton's bill will require that the same assessment tool be used across all branches of the Armed Services and for every member of the Armed Forces who will be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

• Helping families struggling to take care of a loved one with training and certification for dealing with brain injuries and psychological injuries. Family members of returning soldiers with TBI are often ill-equipped to handle the demands of caring for their loved one, which in some bases can become a full-time responsibility. Senator Clinton's bill will establish a Traumatic Brain Injury Family Caregiver Personal Care Attendant Training and Certification Program, which would train and certify family caregivers of TBI patients as personal care attendants, enabling them to provide quality care at home and at the same time qualify for compensation from the VA.

• Expanding Access to Needed Care. Service members and veterans continue to face problems in accessing needed medical and mental health care, especially veterans or Guard and Reserve members who live in rural areas. Senator Clinton's bill will help increase the reach of needed care for TBI by expanding use of telehealth and telemental health services. Senator Clinton's bill will create a demonstration project, administered jointly by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs that would use telehealth technology to assess TBI and related mental health conditions and facilitate rehabilitation and dissemination of educational material on techniques, strategies and skills for service members with TBI.

Senator Clinton today also announced introduction of legislation to help ensure wounded soldiers receive the disability benefits they need and deserve and to further protect military family financial benefits:

She also introduced legislation to deal with the widespread complaints of service members about their disability claims. The proposed legislation  will restore disability benefits for wounded and injured members of the Armed Forces. The act will direct reviews of disability claims, traumatic injury claims and the Physical Evaluation Board process, and re-open cases that warrant an increased disability benefit rating or traumatic injury payment. In addition, the bill will increase the availability of legal counsel for members appealing their disability cases, and direct the GAO to investigate efforts currently being made by the Department of Defense to address deficiencies in the Disability Evaluation Systems; the adequacy of the Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Schedule for Ratings as it relates to the nature of wounds our warriors suffer in combat today; and to report on the standards and procedures of Physical Evaluation Boards.

These all sound like great pieces of legislation. Read more on Senator Clinton's web site by clicking here.   I urge you to contact your United States Senators and ask them to support these bills which have been endorsed by the Brain Injury Association of America. 

Epilepsy Following Head Trauma Recognized as Significant Risk to Returning Iraq Soldiers

Returning soldiers suffering from head trauma are at an increased risk of developing epilepsy according to speakers at the National Institute of Health conference. 

According to one speaker, Marc Dichter, a professor of neurology and pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania, "Epilepsy is very common following head injury"  He said, "we are concerned that we will have a growing number of young people with head injuries who may develop epilepsy"

According to an article in today's Newsday, Experts: Soldiers with brain injuries could develop epilepsy, the department of defense is funding a study to determine the extent of the problem.  You can read the full epilepsy and head trauma article by clicking here.

National Institute of Health to Convene Special Meeting on Epilepsy

For those interested in epilepsy and seizure disorders, The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is convening a scientific conference to evaluate and explore the latest research on epilepsy.

"Curing Epilepsy 2007: Translating Discoveries Into Therapies” is sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The meeting will include presentations from scientists, academic researchers, physicians, and patient advocates from around the world.
Scientific sessions will cover:
Epilepsy’s effects on the entire patient including mental health and cognitive abilities;
The various causes and progression of the disorder;
New and more powerful diagnostic tests and procedures;
The promise of gene therapy;
The continuing social stigma associated with disorder
The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 29, 2007 (7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) and Friday, March 30, 2007 (7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) at Natcher Conference Center, NIH Campus, Bethesda, Maryland.

Traumatic Brain Injury and the Criminal Justice System

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed two new
TBI resources.  The first, "Traumatic Brain Injury: A Guide for Criminal Justice Professionals," provides an overview of TBI, information on the extent of TBI and related problems within the criminal justice system, and how these problems can be addressed.  Click this link to download your copy of the  7-page Traumatic Brain Injury Guide for Criminal Justice Professionals publication.

The second is titled "Traumatic Brain Injury in Prisons and Jails: An Unrecognized Problem."  This 5-page guide provides information for TBI professionals about what is known about individuals with TBI in prisons and jails, how TBI-related problems affect them and others while they are incarcerated, and what is needed to address these problems.
Click this link to obtain the Traumatic Brain Injury In Prisons and Jail publication. 

Epilepsy Programs in New York City

New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and FACES (finding a cure for epilepsy) have announced their 2007 annual Evening Epilepsy Lecture Series for Parents and Adults. Each lecture lasts from 6-7PM. 
Location:    NYU Medical Center, 550 First Avenue (at 32nd Street),Skirball Institute Building - 3rd Floor Seminar Room

The topics and speakers are:
Arthur Grant, MD, PhD - Topic: Memory and Epilepsy: 03/26/2007  6:00 PM 
Katherine Mortati, MD - Topic: Epilepsy - Understanding Your Condition:  04/23/2007  6:00 PM 
Josiane LaJoie, MD - Topic: Epilepsy, Diet and Nutrition: 06/25/2007  6:00 PM
Blanca Vazquez, MD - Topic: Women's Issues and Epilepsy: 09/24/2007  6:00 PM 

Registration information is available by going to the FACES registration form

An Injured Brain Can Affect Our Moral Judgments

A fascinating article appeared in today's New York Times concerning the impact that a brain damage has on a person's ability to make social and moral judgments.  The article is entitled, Brain Injury Said to Affect Moral Choices.

It describes a study published in Nature magazine reporting the consequences of injury to the ventralmedial prefrontal cortex region of the brain.  This region located behind the forehead controls many of our emotions, like compassion.

According to the study, persons who sustained an injury to this area expressed an increased willingness to kill or harm another person if doing so would save other's lives.  In other words, the injury to this area of the brain mutes the sub-conscience decision not to harm another human being. 

While this study is preliminary, it does shed further evidence on the fact that a traumatic brain injury has profound impact not only on or cognitive and physical skills but on our behavior and emotions as well. 

A Better Way To Manage Concussions

The national football league (NFL) should borrow the play book of the national hockey league (NHL) when it comes to managing concussions.  While still not perfect in my opinion since the league still condones reckless conduct causing head and brain injuries, it is at least moving in the right direction. 

An article in today's New York Times discusses the management of concussions by the national hockey league.  In sharp contrast to the refusal of the football league to provide guidance and standards to teams regarding return to play decisions, the national hockey league has set down the law to its teams and coaches. 

The article After Concussion,  talks of guidelines that include players’ being symptom free for five days before they are allowed to return to the ice. Teams are required to conduct neurological tests on all their players before the season to provide baseline scores to measure players’ return to normal after they are injured. Teams must also report head injuries to the league office.

Here's some good advice from Dr. Karen Johnston, a concussion specialist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, "First of all, if they play a contact or collision sport, just assume they’ve had a concussion before,” she said. “You have to go on the best evidence that you have, but when in doubt, you should sit them out.”

Let's hope that the other leagues adapt this sensible approach to concussion management.

More videos on traumatic brain injury

Following the feedback from yesterday's posts on brain injury video's and news stories. here are some video news clips from MSNBC and NBC on the devastating life long consequences of traumatic brain injury:

After brain injury, a silent struggle to start over  A brain injury survivor discusses her struggles following a severe brain trauma. 

After initial brain injury, damage continues  Experts predict treatments will emerge to halt long spiral of impairment following brain trauma.

Brain injuries common for returning Iraq war vets  Thanks to body armor, thousands survive combat but face lengthy brain injury rehabilitation.

List of ABC News Features on Bob Woodruff and Traumatic Brain Injury

Since the release of Bob Woodruff's ABC News documentary To Iraq and Back, there have been many more ABC news features on traumatic brain Injuries, the treatment of wounded returning Iraq service members suffering from brain trauma, family issues and more.

I am listing the many specials below so that those who haven't had a chance to view and read them all can catch up.

To Iraq and Back  (video) Bob Woodruff reports

An unforeseen cost of war; Thousands of veterans are returning from war with traumatic brain injuries.

Are veterans receiving the level of care they deserve (video)

Bob Woodruff family fund for traumatic brain injury  Official web site for Bob Woodruff's fund to support brain injury soldiers and their families

Husband not the same after Iraq Explosion  Wife finds him changed, but it takes VA two years to diagnose brain injury

It's an embarrassment, Absolutely  Veterans react to Woodruff documentary with complaints of treatment at local VA hospitals

Where are heros heal  Bob Woodruff follows the rehabilitation of wounded veterans

Woodruff Doctors on Brain Injury Treatment (video) Bob Woodruff's doctors answer questions on traumatic brain injury. 

Brain Injury Symposium at North Shore University Hospital, Long Island

On Saturday, March 24, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Transitions of Long Island will hold a Brain Injury Symposium. This one-day event will take place at the Rust Auditorium in North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.  All proceeds will benefit the Brain Injury Association of New York State.

The symposium will encompass such topics as new technologies in the treatment of brain injury, strategies to increase independence, and long-term community supports. Abigail Thomas will be the keynote speaker. She is the author of A Three Dog Life: A Memoir, about her life since her husband’s brain injury.

Registration information can be obtained by clicking here.