A new report reveals that college athletes may find it more difficult to learn after head injuries sustained on the field. Football and hockey players in particular have shown post-season declines in learning, the study shows.

Conducted at Virginia Tech, Dartmouth and Brown University, the study shows a connection between head injuries and academic performance in collegiate athletes. These athletes wore special helmets that measured impact of hits to the head for a season, and then were tested post-season for mental function. Shockingly, 24% of football and hockey players performed poorly on these tests. None of the athletes had a history of concussions.

This study shows just how dangerous impact can be on the human brain, even when proper safety equipment is utilized. Contact sports can be rough on young minds – the average athlete in this study took approximately 450 blows to the head each season.

Though this particular study only lasted for a short time and is not conclusive by any means, parents of young athletes should consider it food for thought. Imagine if your youngster begins playing a contact sport at 8 or 9. Ten years later, if they’re playing at a collegiate level, they’ll have had a decade of consistent blows to the head. Who knows just how much damage might have been caused, or how much of the ability to learn might have been lost?

Our experienced traumatic brain injury (TBI) attorneys noted recently how many years of concussions can take a toll on the brain. 

About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney Randy Appleton, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

In a blog post to our firm’s Carolina personal injury attorneys’ website, lawyers with Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton report on a fatal motorcycle accident in which a passenger lost her life and the man who was driving the bike was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Neither person was wearing a helmet. To read more, click over to “DUI Motorcycle Accident in Conway, SC Takes Life of Bike Passenger.”

EJL

About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney Randy Appleton, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

A collision with a car on Bainbridge Boulevard in Chesapeake, Virginia (VA), left a bicyclist with a fatal traumatic brain injury. According to the Virginian-Pilot, the accident occurred at the on ramp to Military Highway, and the car was driving in the same direction as the bike rider before the bicyclist hit the side of the vehicle.

The man thrown from the bicycle was declared brain dead at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, and his family has agreed to have his organ donated.

View a larger map of the Bainbridge Boulevard intersection where a bike rider died after colliding with a car in Chesapeake, VA.

The newspaper did not indicate whether the 20-year-old who lost his life was wearing a helmet, but the detail about the driver following the bicyclist is potentially telling. While police have not filed charges in relation to the wreck, the only way it seems possible for a bike rider to hit the side of a car that had been behind him was if the car’s driver turned in front of the bicyclist.

No one can know for sure whether that is what happened until the police complete their investigation into the deadly accident. Still, as a Virginia personal injury and wrongful death attorney who has helped many victims of car accidents, I know that far too many bicyclist, motorcyclists and scooter riders are hit and injured or killed by drivers whose only explanation is “I didn’t see them.” That is never an acceptable excuse.

EJL

About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney Randy Appleton, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

A collision with a car on Jefferson Avenue in Newport News, Virginia (VA), left a motorcycle rider hospitalized in critical condition with a traumatic brain injury. The accident occurred at around 9:30 pm on April 27, 2012, near the intersection with Hogan Drive.

Police continue to investigate the crash, but officials told reporters that the driver of the car the motorcyclist hit was traveling toward the bike rider and attempted to make a left-hand turn just before the accident. Left for police to determine is whether the motorcyclist was speeding or operating unsafely, or whether the person behind the wheel of the car failed to yield right of way.

Media reports did not indicate whether the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet.

View a larger map of where a motorcycle-car crash in Newport News, VA, left a biker with a life-treatening TBI.

What is undeniable, though, is that yet another motorcycle rider wound up with a TBI after a car or truck turned in front of him. As a Virginia personal injury attorney who has assisted victims of motorcycle accidents and brain injury victims, I have seen too often the terrible aftermath of collisions resulting from drivers failing to watch out for people on bikes when turning or changing lanes.

I wish the biker hurt in this crash a full and speedy recovery.

EJL

About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney Randy Appleton, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

An attorney with the Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton law firm wrote about the potential life-threatening side effects of certain dental x-rays. Did you know that getting some types of x-rays on a yearly basis could actually increase your risk of developing a brain tumor by 40 to 90 percent? A shocking study was conducted which shows just how dangerous some dental x-rays c can be. To learn more, read the story here…

Some Dental X-Rays Dramatically Increase Risk of Developing a Brain Tumor

About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney Randy Appleton, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

A new study conducted by State Farm Insurance and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has found that teens in car accidents are very likely to receive serious head injuries. In fact, 30% of the 550,000 teens surveyed showed they and their passengers suffered head injuries including skull fractures and concussions when they were in car accidents.

This revelation only further cements the knowledge that teenagers are in great danger behind the wheel. Most literature on teen car accidents indicate that car wrecks are the single highest killer of teenagers. The study concluded that stronger laws are needed to protect teens behind the wheel. With one in three teens diagnosed with a head injury following a car accident, parents need to do whatever it takes to protect their kids.

If your child has been involved in an accident, don’t take their complaints of headaches lightly. Too often, people underestimate the dangers associated with whiplash. If your teen has been injured in a wreck, visit your doctor and demand an MRI or CT scan to investigate a head injury. It’s the only real way to know for sure if your child has been injured. As a Norfolk injury attorney, I know just how quickly a crash can turn deadly or affect a life for years after. Give us a call, and we’ll help you explore all your options. Our experience and expertise will be invaluable in the courtroom. Don’t wait – call today for a free consultation.

About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney Randy Appleton, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

Man on scooter injured after collision with SUV

MK

About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

The cause of an accident at the intersection of E. Water and 4th streets in Charlottesville, Virginia (VA), has yet to be determined, but the outcome was decidedly dire for one man. According to police reports, a scooter rider was thrown from his motor bike when he collided with an SUV and suffered life-threatening head and brain injuries when he landed on the pavement.

Apparently, the scooter rider’s helmet was not properly secured, and it came off at some point after the crash, leaving the man’s skull unprotected.

View Larger Map

Police could not immediately determine whether the SUV driver or scooter operator had the right of way. Regardless of who was at fault, drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and scooter riders can take two important lessons from the accident. The first is that anyone approaching or entering an intersection must watch for motor bikes. Two-wheelers can be difficult to see, especially for people behind the wheel of large vehicles like SUVs, vans and trucks. But “I didn’t even see them” is never an acceptable explanation or excuse for hitting and injuring a person on a motorcycle, bike or scooter.

The even more important lesson is that while helmets absolutely save lives and prevent injuries, the safety equipment only works if it is used properly. When putting on a bike helmet or a motorcycle helmet, make sure it fits tightly without causing discomfort and does not obscure your vision. Also snap the chin strap securely.

EJL

About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney Randy Appleton, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.

A House subcommittee meeting has put school bus safety in the spotlight once again. Testifying at the meeting was National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s head administrator David Strickland. He recommended additional safety features, including seat belts, should not be considered for school buses, as they are already the safest mode of transportation for children.

Strickland cited a “handful of deaths” each year involving school buses, but he argued that many of these accidents occur just outside the bus.  Only a couple of students are killed inside a school bus each year, compared to the thousands of children who are injured and killed in car accidents in regular vehicles.

Though seat belts would only further cement the idea that school buses are safe vehicles, Strickland acknowledged their expensive costs to school districts. “Adding the belts on the buses may actually decrease the number of buses available for children to ride, which would actually increase the number of fatalities of children who would be forced to take passenger cars,” he said. Local governments should decide on their own whether the upgraded safety measures would justify the cost, Strickland recommended.

It’s difficult for me as a Virginia (VA) school bus accident attorney to hear NHTSA speak out against seat belts. While it is great to hear that school bus crash fatalities are low, it’s frustrating to know that a few more lives might have been saved had school districts shelled out the money for seat belts. When it comes to protecting our children, no price is too high.

CD

About the Editors: The VA-NC brain injury lawyers at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Our head injury attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Check out our other case results to see our track record of success in brain injury and other lawsuits. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia (VA), along with an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To get more information about traumatic brain injury law and what to do after an accident, take a look at this free consumer guide written by a brain injury attorney who is licensed in VA and NC.