Brain Injury Lawyer - New York

New study sheds light on how the brain is injured

A promising new study at the University of Rochester may provide useful information in understanding how a concussion affects the brain and why persons who have sustained a concussion develop an array of problems including memory impairment, sleep disturbances, depression and impaired judgment.

If the medical profession can understand the mechanism of concussions and brain injury, they will be in a better position to develop new and effective ways to treat individuals suffering from the post concussive syndrome and the long term consequences of brain damage.

The study is report in the online edition of the Journal of Neurotrauma.  It shows that mice with mild, repetitive traumatic brain injury (TBI) develop many of the same behavioral problems, such as, that have been associated with the condition in humans.

A statement released by the University of Rochester reported,  “This new model captures both the clinical aspects of repetitive mild TBI and CTE,” said Anthony L. Petraglia, M.D., a neurosurgeon with the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and lead author of the study.   “While public awareness of the long-term health risk of blows to the head is growing rapidly, our ability to scientifically study the fundamental neurological impact of mild brain injuries has lagged.”

You can read the entire press release by clicking here.

 

Latest Developments in Brain Injury Identification, Rehabilitation, and Treatment

I will be co-chairing a one-day symposium for professionals exploring cutting-edge research and information on traumatic brain injury as part of the Brain Injury Association of New York State annual meeting.

The program features influential leaders in the fields of brain injury medicine and rehabilitation, providing insight and updates on brain injury services. The program will showcase information important to attorneys, medical and health care professionals, TBI program staff, Waiver and Health Home service providers, and many other professionals.

The full day program will be held on Thursday, June 5, 2014 from 9am-5pm at the Albany Marriott Hotel, Albany, New York. The annual meeting begins on June 6th.  To view the schedule and register visit the BIANYS website.

Continuing Education Units are available for Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuser Counselors (OASAS), Psychology (NYSPA), Social Work (NASW NY Chapter), and Certificates of Attendance will be provided to all attendees. This program meets the requirements for continuing education as required by the CBIS/T certification renewal process. Occupational Therapy CEUs are available for the Assistive Technology workshop.

Commony used blood pressure medication may be effective in preventing epileptic seizures following traumatic brain injury

Epilepsy frequently results from a traumatic brain injury with reports that between 10 and 20 percent of all cases of epilepsy result from severe head trauma. There is now a report that a commonly used medication for high blood pressure can prevent many if not all seizures that take place following brain injury.

The information is reported in the current issue of the journal Annals of Neurology.

The drug, losartan (Cozaar®), prevented seizures in 60 percent of the rats tested, when normally 100 percent of the rats develop seizures after injury. In the 40 percent of rats that did develop seizures, they averaged about one quarter the number of seizures typical for untreated rats. Another experiment showed that administration of losartan for three weeks at the time of injury was enough to prevent most cases of epilepsy in normal lab rats in the following months.

 

Sports Concussion Lecture at American Association for Justice Annual Convention

 

I am honored to be invited to lecture at the American Association for Justice, Annual Convention on the Program, Pediatric and Adolescent Traumatic Brain Injuries, to be held on July 27, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland.

My title of my presentation is, From Concussion to the Classroom and Playing Field.  I will be discussing the legal issues in sports concussion management in the class room and on the athletic field. 

The program is presented by the association’s Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group.  The learning objectives of the all day program are:

1.       Educate about diagnosing and treating

2.       Recognition of signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) by attorneys

3.       Prevention measures that can be implemented 8:40 am         

Upwards of 50% of incarcerated adolescents suffer from traumatic brain injury

New research establishes that approximately half of all adolescents between the ages of 16- to 18-year who are incarcerated in New York City jails have sustained a traumatic brain injury earlier in live.

The findings were published earlier this week in The Journal of Adolescent Health.  Experts involved in the research hope that the findings could lead to better training for correction officers on how to deal with the possible symptoms of such trauma, which include problems with impulse control and decision-making.

One of the study authors, Wayne Gordon, head of neuropsychology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York is reported as commenting, "You need to train the correction officers to understand brain injuries so that when somebody may be acting rude or answering back or forgetting what they're supposed to do, it's not a sign of maladaptive misbehavior or disrespect, it's a sign of a brain injury

The study found nearly 50 percent of both boys and girls reported traumatic brain injuries that resulted in a loss of consciousness, amnesia or both. And they said 55 percent of those injuries were caused by assaults.

Traumatic Brain Injury Course at George Washington University Law School Featured in NY Times Article

This semester I had the privilege of teaching the first ever course on traumatic brain injury (TBI) law in a law school at The George Washington University Law School, Washington, D.C.

The course reviewed the complicated issues that confront the legal profession in the framework of the civil justice system following traumatic brain injury, introducing students to the broad and wide-ranging legal implications of TBI in children and adults.

With the recent law suit and its potential settlement, new research on the long-term repercussions to returning service members after seemingly minor brain trauma, and constant stories in the news of children suffering traumatic brain injury playing sports, there is a burgeoning interest in concussions and brain injury.  In a variety of legal settings, the brain is being placed on trial with increasing frequency, encompassing multitude of civil issues that were reviewed in this thirteen week course.

For the past thirteen weeks we have delved into the legal problems that confront attorneys representing victims of brain trauma, both in and out of the courtroom. The course looks at brain injury from the practical view point of attorneys charged with the responsibility of assisting individuals suffering with a brain injury in a variety of situations such as contested court proceedings, educational issues, insurance benefits, and obtaining government benefits and services. We also explore legislative initiatives on concussion management; issues of liability following sports incurred brain injury; and evidentiary issues pertaining to the admissibility of expert testimony in a traumatic brain injury case.

Earlier this week, I was honored that the New York Times published an article describing the course and our mission to educate the next generation of attorneys. Concussion Cases Inspire New Course at George Washington’s Law School.

I will again be teaching this seminar at George Washington University Law School this fall.

Webinar: Unique Needs of Veterans and Returning Service Members with Traumatic Brain Injuries

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is sponsoring a webinar: The Unique Needs of Veterans and Returning Service Members with TBI to be broadcast on April 7, 2014 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. ET

Military personnel are at an increased risk for sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to the nature of military service, but many with a TBI may not come forward because they are unaware of their injury, unsure if help is available, or fear stigma of asking for help.

Being part of military culture presents unique challenges that are not always understood by professionals delivering their care in a civilian community. For example, some veterans and returning service members have co-occurring conditions such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, along with TBI, that make it difficult to diagnose and treat appropriately.

How are states identifying military service members who have a TBI to make sure they get referred for appropriate screening and treatment?  How are states building cultural competence among health professionals and others who interact with this population? What supports and services offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to individuals with a TBI and their families could complement state efforts?

These issues will be explored on the webinar n April 7 at 3:00 p.m. ET when HRSA grantees and a representative from the Department of Veterans Affairs will discuss:

•         How to reach veterans and returning service members when they have not come forward or do not know they have a TBI

•         Examples of successful outreach to veterans, returning service members, and their families

•         Unique issues facing veterans and returning service members, including women and people of color

•         Training and outreach to health care providers, college/university staff, and other professionals to help them better understand the military culture

•         Collaborations between the VA and the civilian medical system to help ensure access to appropriate care and services

•         Ways that the VA supports veterans and returning service members with TBI nationally and how these programs can complement efforts at the state-level                                

RSVP by clicking here