July 14, 2010

California Teen Receives $12.2 Million Verdict for Traumatic Brain Injury

According to PRWeb, a jury verdict awarded $12.2 million in damages to Emily Liou, a San Mateo County 17 year old who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car-pedestrian accident. The accident occurred on March 28, 2006, as Emily was walking home. She had just left her friends after singing Karaoke. As she was crossing El Camino Real in a marked crosswalk, a woman with her child driving a Toyota sedan, struck Emily knocking her to the ground. The resulting injuries left Emily in a permanent vegetative state.

According to her attorney, “Emily was struck in a marked crosswalk located at the crest of a rise in the road, which does not come into view until a driver is about 100 feet away. Additionally, the crosswalk is located at an ‘uncontrolled’ intersection, meaning that there are no lights or stop signs controlling vehicular traffic. El Camino Real, which Caltrans (the California Department of Transportation) calls State Route 82, is among the busiest roads on the peninsula.”

Discovery during the case produced the following information -- within the past 15 years, three other pedestrians had been killed in the same crosswalk. The trial lasted four weeks. The jury found that the California Department of Transportation was 50% at fault and divided the remaining fault between the driver (30%) and Emily (20%).

According to Brainandspinalcord.org, brain injuries 20% of traumatic brain injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents. In addition, 15-24 year olds face the highest risk of traumatic brain injuries due to vehicle accidents.

Car-pedestrian accidents are frequently devastating for the pedestrian. If you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury, our Illinois personal injury attorneys may be able to help.

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Posted In: Brain Injury Lawsuits, Brain Injury Recovery, Brain Injury Resources, Brain injury trials, Brain trauma from car accidents, Traumatic Brain Injury, Verdicts and Settlements

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April 26, 2010

Illinois Researcher’s Brain Implant Creates Hope for People Suffering From Brain Trauma

Reuters reports that a University of Illinois researcher has helped create a new brain implant made of silk and tiny electrodes and helped conduct studies assessing its effectiveness. Because the silk is biodegradable and water-soluble, it dissolves on the brain, leaving the electrodes in place and allowing the device to record brain signals more accurately than other brain implants and minimize damage to the brain. The silk brain implant also could have application to people suffering from serious brain traumaor a neurological disorder such as epilepsy or a spinal cord injury.

The Chicago brain injury lawyersat Levin & Perconti think these new findings are of particular interest to clients who have suffered spinal cord injuries as a result of the negligence of others. These injuries can occur from motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall incidents, and workplace accidents, or because of mistakes by health care providers, such as by failure to relieve spinal cord compression. As The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke explains, spinal cord injuries often begin with sudden, serious blows to the spine that fracture or dislocate vertebrae. This can compress the spine. Spinal cord injuries destroy the nerve cell extensions that carry signals between the brain and body, and when a person suffers a severe spinal cord injury, they can become completely paralyzed. However, people that suffer from less severe spinal cord injuries still retain some ability to convey messages from their brain to their body.

The silk brain implant can help both categories of people affected by a spinal cord injury. As Reuters reports, the silk brain implant has the potential to reroute signals from the brain to prosthetic devices, enabling people with spinal cord injuries to move independently once again.

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Posted In: Brain Injury Resources, Current Issues, Informational, Traumatic Brain Injury

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November 12, 2009

U.S. Representative Introduces Bill for Veterans with Brain Injuries

Shelley Moore Capito, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, recently introduced legislation that would help veterans suffering from brain injury. The Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Access to Care Act would allow veterans in rural areas access to better care and treatment for their injuries. Oftentimes, veterans are limited in where they can receive appropriate care, and are forced to travel long distances to select VA hospitals that have the proper technology to treat traumatic brain injury. According to the article on WHSV.com, twenty percent of the injuries to soldiers in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars involve some sort of brain injury, making access to proper treatment important to veterans across the country. To view the status of Capito’s bill to protect the victims of traumatic brain injury, follow the hyperlink.

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Posted In: Brain Injury Recovery, Brain Injury Resources, Iraq War, Traumatic Brain Injury, Veterans suffering from brain injuries

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September 8, 2009

Brain Tissue May Regenerate in Traumatic Brain Injury

A research study shows that brain tissue may grow at a site of a traumatic brain injury by an injectable biomaterial gel. The research shows the biomaterial gel made up of both synthetic and natural sources may have a possibility to urge the growth of a patient’s own neural stem cells in the body, which can help mend the brain injury site. This could be the first step towards brain tissue regeneration. There has been an increase in brain injuries due to combat, which helped with the research. However, doctors believe that this research could be applied to head injuries caused by car accidents, falls and gunshot wounds. Recent brain injury studies have focused on using hypothermia or neuroprotection with pharmacological agents, but these have had little success. The new method shows that the hydrogel may be injected into the lesion site to direct the response of neural stem cells in the brain to supposedly redevelop normal brain tissue at the lesion site. To read more about the brain injury study, please click the link.

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Posted In: Brain Injury Detection, Brain Injury Recovery, Brain Injury Resources, Informational, Traumatic Brain Injury

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June 16, 2009

The Sarah Jane Brain Project Works with Hospitals Around the Country to Help Prevent Brain Injuries

60 of the top medical professionals in America came together to draft the first ever National Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Plan (PABI). PABI is working with the Sarah Jane Brain Project to help prevent and inform individual about children with Brain Injuries. President of the North American Brain Injury Society, Dr. Savage said that brain injuries are the largest killer and disabler of children and young adults; over one million children and young adults suffer brain injuries each year. Hospitals in each state will work together to address the issue; in Illinois, the University of Illinois at Chicago hospital was selected. To read the entire article click “Brain Injuries”

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Posted In: Brain Injury Resources, Brain injuries in children, Informational

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June 10, 2009

Brain Injury Association Urges Obama to Include Cognitive Rehabilitation for Returning Soldiers

According to Anthem Insurance Companies Inc., cognitive rehabilitation is a medically necessary treatment for those patients with traumatic brain injuries. Over 20% of injured American soldiers are now experiencing traumatic Brain Injuries and need to be treated for those injuries. The Brain Injury Association , the voice of those with brain injuries , is asking for President Obama to come through with a promise he made as Senator and direct Secretary Gates to enact TRICARE coverage to those who need cognitive rehabilitation from a brain injury that they suffered while serving overseas. Click here to view the entire article on “brain injuries” .

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Posted In: Brain Injury Recovery, Brain Injury Resources

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May 12, 2009

Illinois VA Launches Traumatic Brain Injury Program

Last week, the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ announced the opening of several Veteran Service Offices across the state. The offices will act as a resource where veterans can access state and federal benefits. Among the most notable of the new services is a Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder program. It is the first state program of its kind in the U.S. and it will provide brain injury screening and 24-hour support to Illinois veterans suffering from these injuries and conditions. Read more about the Illinois brain injury program for veterans.

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Posted In: Brain Injury Detection, Brain Injury Resources, Informational, Iraq War, PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, Veterans suffering from brain injuries

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April 19, 2009

Helmets Protect From Brain Injury, But Fit is Important

The Chicago brain injury lawyers at Levin & Perconti recommend that all bicyclists wear helmets for protection against traumatic brain injury. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it is also very important to wear a properly fitted helmet when preparing to ride. The NHTSA website recommends several things when choosing a helmet. First, choose a helmet that has been tested and approved by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Also, make sure to buy a helmet that fits well before you even adjust the straps. They also recommend buying a helmet that you like, you will be more likely to wear it if you feel good in it. Finally, never wear a helmet that is cracked.

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Posted In: Brain Injury Resources, Brain injuries in sports

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March 29, 2009

American Public Knows Little About Brain Injury

An op-ed published by the New York Times draws attention to the fact that people do not know a lot about traumatic brain injury. Until the recent death of actress Natasha Richardson, many people had not realized the devastating effects a brain injury can have upon a person. According to the article, sports facilities where people could have a higher risk for brain injuries do little to educate staff about how to respond to brain injuries. The article also points out the lack of government funding for brain injury research.To read the full article on traumatic brain injury, please follow the link.

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Posted In: Brain Injury Detection, Brain Injury Resources, Brain injuries from falls, Brain injuries in sports

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February 7, 2009

Hospital Launches Brain Injury Website

A brain injury advocacy group from a hospital recently launched a brain injury website. The website will be a portal for people who have suffered serious brain injury and brain damage. Among the features of the website is a section where victims of brain injury can create blog posts. The website is aimed at people who have been affected by brain damage and to create awareness surrounding serious brain injury. To visit the brain injury website, follow the link.

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Posted In: Brain Injury Recovery, Brain Injury Resources

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The purpose of this blog is to deliver news and information that is relevant to our areas of practice. The news and information reported on this blog represent the legal actions of attorneys throughout the United States. Our firm does not claim to represent plaintiffs in all of the lawsuits, settlements, and jury verdicts reported, only those noted as Levin & Perconti cases.

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