Articles Posted in Traumatic Illnesses

Epidemiology of Trauma

According to the principles of medicine, trauma is a “disease” rather than an injury and, as such, is no different from malaria, heart disease, or cancer. It has degrees of severity and morbidity/mortality statistics just like other diseases. It is important to understand the epidemiology of trauma as it applies to different populations of people.

car accidentHip fractures most often occur in front end impacts. There are several types of hip fractures. Some fractures near the femur bone and joints may affect the pelvis. Besides fractures, there can also be extensive bruising and/or dislocation of the hip joints.

Every hip fracture is painful. Treatment may be surgical or non-surgical.

A blunt spleen injury is one of the most commonly injured organs after an auto accident. It’s caused by a forceful blow to the abdomen.

The spleen is the organ that filters poorly functioning or damaged red blood cells. It also removes bacteria from the body and produces antibodies.

What are the Different Levels of Trauma Centers?

What are the Different Levels of Trauma Centers?

As a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer, over the years I’ve been asked what the difference is between the different types of trauma centers. There are different levels of trauma centers: Level I, II, III, IV, and V. These refer to the types and kinds of resources available at the facility and the number of trauma patients admitted each year. The categorization is different for adult and pediatric facilities. Category requirements are different from state to state and are outlined by legislation. Verification of a trauma center’s level is set through the American College of Surgeons and is designed to improve overall trauma care. Verification lasts for three years and then is reevaluated.

I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento personal injury attorney since 1982. Many people over the years have asked me what a “personal injury” actually is.

Legally, a personal injury lawsuit is a suit filed in a court by someone who has been emotionally or physically injured by the act of another.

Experiencing Pain as a Minority Patient

As a Sacramento personal injury lawyer, I have had occasion to represent many minority members in auto and trucking accidents since 1982.  Over the years, I’ve noticed that, in general, different people and different cultures experience pain differently. I recently came across an article entitled Hispanic Inpatient Pain intensity.

A severely injured client with  a forthcoming surgery came in to see me the other day to find out how he should best proceed in moving his case forward. He wondered if it was worthwhile to retain a personal injury lawyer  if the at fault parties insurance was limited in amount.

That was a good question, and I’m writing today to explain how this Sacramento Personal Injury Attorney goes about finding the insurance the other driver has.

As a holistic personal injury lawyer, I see literally hundreds of people each month suffering from the physical and emotional after-effects of trauma.

Bessel van der Kolk MD, is a psychiatrist who has treated traumatic injuries for decades and is a well known author of several very readable books on PTSD and the effect of severe trauma on the injured person and their families.

Can A Car Accident Aggravate Arthritis
Post-traumatic arthritis is a form of osteoarthritis ( wearing away of cartilage in the joint) that is caused or aggravated by trauma.

It is estimated that 12 percent of all cases of osteoarthritis are post-traumatic in origin.

Neuropsychologists are scientists with advanced training in detecting injuries to the brain and how such injuries affect an injured person.

While most people believe neurologists are the experts of choice in dealing with brain injury, this is seldom the case. Neurologists are helpful in detecting and treating some serious brain injuries, and CT-Scans and MRI’s can also be useful, but most of the time the neuropsychologist does the heavy lifting in brain injury cases.

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