By Emily Mapp Brannon, Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney

A study reported online in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association revealed that people who suffer traumatic brain injuries are at high risk for having a stroke within 90 days of the head trauma. “Although previous research has shown that traumatic brain injury can be associated with the future development of epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and psychiatric conditions, this the first study to link it to the future risk of stroke,” WebMD Health News states.

The findings were based on health records for 23,199 Taiwanese patients who had been treated for TBIs between 2001 and 2003. Compared with 69,597 people without a history of TBI, the brain-injured patients had a 10 time greater likelihood of suffering a stroke during the first three months of treatment.

As an experienced TBI attorneys based in Virginia Beach, VA, I find these results alarming but not surprising. Recently, my colleague John Cooper reported on a study of Vietnam-era U.S. military veterans that showed a brain injury raised risks for dementia.

Far too often victims of traumatic brain injuries in Virginia and elsewhere end up with further complications and few resources to help them out. For instance, when victims of brain injuries survive car accidents, it can be only the beginning of a nightmare with few residential treatment centers taking insurance or insurance failing to pay for brain rehab. Treatment only routinely gets offered to TBI patients who have money, workers’ compensation coverage or a lawsuit settlement.

In some cases there is help available to the victims. Another driver may be responsible for the injury or it could have been caused by the negligence of a sports coach or the inadequacy of a facility. In such cases a victim, or their family, can launch a lawsuit.

A brain injury from an accident is one of the most serious and life-changing injuries a person can suffer. If you or a loved one sustained head injuries in a car or motorcycle accident, check out our Frequently Asked Questions devoted to the subject.

DM

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our 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. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. Our injury lawyers also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard blogs as pro bono public information services. While not every brain injury case meets our criteria, if you or a loved one is thinking about taking legal action against a possibly at-fault person or company that caused your injury, call our office at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, be sure to leave a voicemail. We will return your call.

By Rick Shapiro, Brain Injury Attorney

Coping with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is difficult enough in itself. Now a new study suggests post injury surgery could cause additional problems for patients.

The study concentrated on surgery to remove part of the skull after a traumatic brain injury allowing the brain to swell. It’s meant to relieve pressure in the head.

But the procedure might cause problems over the long term for some patients, an article on MyHealthNewsDaily reports.

Patients in the study who had this procedure, known as decompressive craniectomy, spent fewer days in the intensive care unit, but faced a greater risk of disability later compared with those who did not have the procedure.

These alarming results were first published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study concentrated on 155 adults with a TBI from December 2002 through April 2010. The findings may be disappointing for victims of some kinds of TBI, as well as opening the way for potential lawsuits.

A traumatic brain injury can have devastating effects on the victim and some of these effects like persistent migraines, memory loss, or slower mental cognition may not be immediately obvious. In other instances, a TBI can leave someone virtually incapacitated and dependant on the care of others to function.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, a time when a number of agencies have joined forces to highlight the serious life changing nature of a brain injury. This year’s campaign in Virginia (VA) has concentrated on concussions and brain injuries suffered by athletes.

Although brain injuries are often severe and life changing in their nature, and there are about 300,000 serious enough to require hospitalization every year in the US, there are some simple steps that can be taken to lessen the toll of brain injuries.

Our firm obtained the largest personal injury verdict in Virginia (VA) history as of 2000, for a gas station attendant who suffered a brain injury and other orthopedic injuries when he was pinned inside a partly demolished gas station when a Norfolk Southern train derailed due to a wrong switch position.

DM

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law, and we have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office  in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. Our injury lawyers also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Furthermore, we proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as pro bono public information services. While not every brain injury case meets our criteria, if you or a loved one is thinking about taking legal action against a possibly at-fault person or company who caused your injury, call our office at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, be sure to leave a voicemail. We will return your call.

By John Cooper, Brain Injury Attorney

Researchers have made a breakthrough in the use of bone marrow stem cells in treating traumatic brain injuries after the technique was found to be safe in treating children with brain trauma.

A team from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston determined the safety of stem cell use, Discovery News has reported.

The results of the clinical trial, featured in the journal Neurosurgery, focused on 10 children between the ages of five and 14 who received treatment shortly after arriving at the hospital with severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).

The team used bone-marrow-derived mononuclear cells. Bone marrow cells are known to help restore blood and immune system functions.

After examining patients each day for the six months following the procedure, scientists concluded their technique was safe. They reported no deaths and improved outcomes when compared to the results of typical cases of TBI.

The research results come at a time when traumatic brain injuries are being highlighted during Brain Injury Awareness Month.

The use of stem cells is just one of the revolutionary approaches being followed to treat traumatic brain injuries.

Our firm recently highlighted how exposure to the cold, causing hypothermia is a possible way ahead in the treatment of traumatic brain injury.

The possible benefits of hypothermia treatment were outlined in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2008.

While new treatments are for traumatic brain injuries are being pioneered all the time, there appears to be a limit to what science can do to reverse the effects of traumatic brain injury.

Our firm has consistently highlighted ways people can give themselves more protection from brain injuries such as wearing a helmet on a motorcycle or leaving the playing field when they are concussed.

And in cases where a brain injury has been caused by negligence, fault or deliberate wrongdoing, we have fought tirelessly for our clients.

Our firm obtained the largest personal injury verdict in Virginia (VA) history as of 2000 — $46 million for a gas station attendant who suffered a brain injury and other orthopedic injuries when he was pinned inside a partly demolished gas station when a Norfolk Southern train derailed due to a wrong switch position.

DM

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law, and we have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office  in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. Our injury lawyers also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Furthermore, we proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as pro bono public information services. While not every brain injury case meets our criteria, if you or a loved one is thinking about taking legal action against a possibly at-fault person or company who caused your injury, call our office at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, be sure to leave a voicemail. We will return your call.

By Randy Appleton, Brain and Head Injury Attorney

Wearing a helmet on a motorcycle can reduce the dangers of spinal injury as well as traumatic brain injury, according to a new story.

The study from John Hopkins University looked at more than 40,500 accidents. See the full story here.

DM

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law, and we have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office  in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. Our injury lawyers also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Furthermore, we proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as pro bono public information services. While not every brain injury case meets our criteria, if you or a loved one is thinking about taking legal action against a possibly at-fault person or company who caused your injury, call our office at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, be sure to leave a voicemail. We will return your call.