Sacramento Injury Attorneys Blog
Head Injuries and Brain Trauma
As a Sacramento Brain Injury Attorney, I have represented a great many clients over the years who have suffered horrible head trauma and brain trauma as a result of an auto accident or motorcycle accident.
Articles Tagged with blunt force trauma
Risk for Trimalleolar Ankle Fractures
Breaking a bone is always painful and includes inherent recovery time, but trimalleolar ankle fractures present special challenges – in this post we will look at who is at risk for trimalleolar ankle fractures and examine the treatment protocol. An ankle can be fractured while participating in high impact sports, but they are just as commonly caused by simple falls. The type of treatment recommended and the estimated length of recovery are both dependent on the type and severity of the fracture. A trimalleolar fracture is severe and will disable a person for an extended length of time. A formal physical therapy regimen is crucial to achieve the best recovery possible from such an injury.
Some facts regarding trimalleolar fractures:
Crane Accidents
Something about crane accidents capture the imagination and horror of many. When a tragic crane accident occurs, it is often front page news, perhaps because it results in dramatic images of property damage, sometimes way up in a city’s skyline. But the severe injuries and deaths that can occur in such a situation make an accident involving a crane something not to be ogled, but avoided at all costs. Construction workers account for a disproportionate percentage of work-related fatalities yearly and are substantially more likely to receive serious injuries when compared to employees in other industries.
After a series of crane accidents making the news, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a program aimed at reducing significant injuries and deaths related to the operation of cranes in general industry, construction and maritime operations in the Pacific Northwest. And to improve compliance with its program, OSHA conducted compliance inspections, training, consultations on-site, and outreach programs. They also formed partnerships and alliances to help improve crane safety.
What is an “Eggshell Plaintiff”?
You may have heard the descriptive legal term “eggshell plaintiff” and wondered what that meant. It conjures up a vision of Humpty Dumpty sitting on the witness stand. But think about the characteristics of an eggshell … as evidenced by Mr. Dumpty’s notorious fall, eggshells are notoriously fragile – and essentially that is what the term refers to, a fragile, or more easily injured, plaintiff.
The eggshell plaintiff is a concept found in civil proceedings, where a person (“the plaintiff”) can sue another (“the defendant”) based on a negligent or intentional act that caused damage. A simple example is if a person is not paying attention to the road and rear-ends another vehicle, causing injury to the person driving the rear-ended vehicle, the injured driver can sue the negligent driver for monetary damages.
Intestinal Injury after Blunt Abdominal Trauma
In car accidents, there can be many cases of blunt abdominal trauma. One study looked at an isolated jejunal tear in a 24 year old male trucker who exhibited abdominal pain after sustaining blunt abdominal trauma after hitting the steering wheel in an accident. The treating 
physician missed the isolated jejunal tear and a nearby contusion and secondary tear so conservative care was recommended. He gradually deteriorated and died from his injury. The autopsy showed the jejunal tear in the small bowel with secondary peritonitis. An exploratory laparotomy and special x-rays would have uncovered the problem and he would likely have survived his injuries.
Another study looked at the pattern of small bowel mesenteric injuries caused by contact with the steering wheel during a motor vehicle. They recognized that small gut mesenteric injuries were rare after blunt abdominal trauma from steering wheels. The researchers did a 10 year retrospective study on these types of injury. They found that all such injuries occurred in males with 13 jejunal mesenteric injuries and four ileal mesenteric injuries.
Jeep Grand Cherokee TIPM Injury Information
Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs have been having some TIPM problems lately. The TIPM is the Totally Integrated Power Module. The most notable issue with the Grand Cherokee’s TIPM is the fuel relay. When the TIPM’s fuel relay fails the SUV may stop receiving fuel. This can cause irritating problems such as the vehicle not starting, or the fuel pump staying on which drains the battery while you are not using the vehicle. At this point, we are monitoring the situation. We have heard rumors that failing TIPMs may cause more serious problems such as fuel starvation while the vehicle is in motion. Improper airbag deployment is another possibility that we are monitoring. Of course, any of these issues could lead to a serious injury, or worse.
If you have been injured in a car accident due to fuel related problems or improper airbag deployment it is important that you do not tamper with the vehicle and contact us as soon as possible. Your first call should be to the attorney. Insurance companies will also act quickly to get in touch with you but it will always be in your best interest to get a free consultation from the automobile accident experts at The Edward A Smith Law Offices. Call us any time at 916-921-6400 or visit our automobile accidents page.
Recommending a new book on Effects of Trauma
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.
Working with Neuropsychologists in brain injury cases
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.
Is Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery Possible?
Automobile accidents account for half of all brain injuries in the U.S. according to Statistics from the Center for Disease Control. A traumatic brain injury occurs when an impact to the head disrupts brain functioning. After a brain injury, the length of recovery varies from person to person and there are many factors that affect the prognosis. Although, the most noticeable improvement happens in the first six months, it is common for a person to steadily improve over a two year period after an injury.
Factors that affect the recovery process include the type and severity of brain injury, the age of person injured, medical history, depth and duration of injured person in a coma.
Blunt Trauma to Bowel
A medical study was done from 1978-1982 that looked at 196 patients who suffered blunt trauma to the colon, small bowel or mesentery. They were treated at a major shock trauma center in Maryland. Greater than 80 percent of the patients were victims of motor vehicle trauma and many had injuries involving more than just the Gl tract.
Sixty of the patients had significant injuries, such as perforation or mesenteric injury with resulting dead bowel tissue. This group accounted for more than 7 percent of the people who had a celiotomy during the same time period. All injuries except for one were diagnosed through the use of peritoneal lavage. Only two people had duodenal injuries. The small bowel often had perforations along the entire course. Colon injuries made up a fourth of all blunt trauma to bowel, mostly occurring in the ascending colon and the sigmoid colon. Of this group, 16 people died. Six of the deaths were directly related to their bowel injury.