By Mark Favaloro, Virginia Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney

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.

By Randy Appleton, Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney in Virginia

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.

By Jim Lewis, Virginia Attorney for TBI Victims

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.

By Jim Lewis, Virginia Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney

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.

By Emily Mapp Brannon, Virginia TBI Attorney

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and March 21, 2012, is Brain Injury Awareness Day. On that date, an event on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, sponsored by the Brain Injury Association of America and its Congressional Brain Injury Task Force focused on “ensuring access to care for the millions of Americans living with brain injury.”

According to brainline.org, a person suffers a traumatic brain injury every 19 seconds in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1.7 million people get diagnosed with a TBI each year. Falls are the leading cause of serious brain injuries, which account for more than a third of all brain injuries. The next most common cause of TBI? Car crashes and traffic-related incidents.

As Virginia (VA) brain injury attorneys, my colleagues and I see too often how victims’ lives change after head and brain trauma. By highlighting the dangers associated not only with sports, but also with accidents like falls and car wrecks, we can make sure brain injuries are properly diagnosed and treated quickly and appropriately. Left unresolved a brain injury can cause permanent disability, unemployment, homelessness depression and suicide.

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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.

By Richard Shapiro, Virginia Brain Injury Lawyer

A Sterling, Virginia (VA), man has sued a former Loudoun County deputy, claiming  the law enforcement official assaulted him and caused him to suffer a traumatic brain injury.  According to the complaint, the victim was struck in the head from behind by the deputy while standing with his hands above his head and speaking with another officer. The person who was struck then fell to the ground and lost consciousness. A dashboard camera in a police cruiser recorded video of the event, but no audio.

The victim claims the TBI produced memory loss and persistent migraine headaches. Many other symptoms could present themselves.  The brain is so complex that anyone who suffers an injury like this often needs months, years and perhaps a lifetime of treatment by a brain specialist.

Anyone who suffers a TBI at the hands of someone else would benefit greatly from speaking with an experienced Virginia brain injury lawyer. My experienced Virginia brain injury lawyer colleagues and I work hard on behalf of our clients to ensure that they receive appropriate compensation for their injuries.

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.

By Rick Shapiro, Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney in Virginia

A man who became permanently disabled after falling backwards off a Segway during a company-sponsored demonstration of the two-wheeled motorized scooter and sustaining a traumatic brain injury has won a $10 million jury award in Connecticut (CT). Evidence presented at trial showed that Segway representatives allowed the man to ride the vehicle through an obstacle course while blindfolded and without wearing a helmet. According to the brain injured man’s attorneys, Robert B. Adelman and Neil Sutton, the company reps brought no helmets to the demonstration at all.

As this clip from The Ellen DeGeneres Show indicates, crashing and falling from a Segway is surprisingly easy:

The talk show host suffered no injuries, but the man in this case sustained a TBI and brain damage that forced him to drop out of college just one year shy of earning his bachelor’s degree. During the trial, the brain damaged man’s lawyers emphasized the neglect and recklessness Segway reps showed in not providing helmets and the loss of future earnings and quality of life for their client, who now works as a low-paid handyman.

As a Virginia (VA) personal injury attorney whose firm often represents traumatic brain injury victims, I have seen firsthand how a closed head injury can adversely affect a person for a lifetime. I also know that no person on a motorized scooter should ever ride without a helmet, let alone be allowed by a responsible party like a Segway representative to operate the vehicle while not having his or her head protected. No one should ever suffer a TBI due to another person’s negligence.

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 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.

By Randy Appleton, Brain Injury Victims’ Attorney in Virginia

An attorney with the Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton law firm has published an article discussing how important it is for traumatic brain injury victims to hire a law firm whose lawyers have experience handling serious brain injury cases. To learn more, take a look at “Brain Injury Specialists in Virginia Beach Understand How to Handle TBI Claims.”

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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.

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By John Cooper, Virginia Brain Injury Lawyer

Traumatic brain injury is an all-too-common among children, especially those involved in contact sports, car crashes and bike accidents. An increasing number of injured children have been coming for help to the Children’s Hospital of Richmond’s Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic, according to Richmond, VA’s NBC affiliate, Wave3. The story reports the need for getting help for young victims of traumatic brain injuries — injuries that are not always easy to detect.

According to a doctor from the TBI Clinic, concussions are an “invisible injury” and are “tricky” to diagnose.  Headaches, sleeping and memory problems can often be signs. The Brain Injury Association of America’s website says of brain injuries that they are “the start of misdiagnosed, misunderstood, underfunded neurological disease,” and those that suspect they have sustained them “must have timely access to expert trauma care.”

Earlier this year, I helped settle a case for a child client who was hit by a drunk driver. The car accident resulted in a concussion, a mild form of TBI. The concussion caused the child headaches that lasted a month. Since Virginia allows for something called punitive, or punishing, damages, our firm was able to settle with the drunk driver’s insurance company for an undisclosed, but substantial, sum that will provide funds for the boy’s college education.

No parent wants a life-altering accident to happen to his or her child.  If the unthinkable happens, and your child suffers from a TBI or experiences any sort of trauma that leads to headaches or learning issues, it is important that you get it checked out by a doctor.  Please read our firm’s guide to traumatic brain injury and know what signs to look for.

AY

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) but we also have an office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). 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 Injuryboardblogs 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 Kevin Duffan, Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney in Virginia

An article in the 2011 Journal of Neurosurgery makes alarming reading for anyone concerned with preventing concussions and other brain injuries among football players, especially the athletes themselves. In the report, researchers present their findings that “leatherhead” helmets protected players in low- and moderate-speed hits as well as, and sometimes better than, modern plastic helmets. The only benefit for  polycarbonate helmets is sen in reductions of the most severe head and neck injuries from high-speed hits to the forehead and top of the skull.

The article’s lead author, Adam Bartsch of the Spine Research Lab at the Cleveland Clinic, explained in a news release that ”unlike cars, in which seat belts, airbags and crumple zones make the choice between a 1920′s Model T and modern minivan a no-brainer, these results tell us that modern helmets have ample room to improve safety against many typical game-like hits.”

As experienced Virginia (VA) traumatic brain injury attorneys, my colleagues and I have reported many times on the inadequacy of sports helmets for preventing concussions.  Apparent improvements in helmet technology have not prevented a dramatic rise in the number of  young people seeking emergency room treatment for mild traumatic brain injuries.

This video shows the evolution of football helmets:

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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