Articles Tagged with car accident lawyer

Brainstem Infarct Following a Car Accident

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published statistics regarding strokes, such as a brainstem infarct. A stroke is a term used to describe the loss of blood flow to the brain. An infarct is a medical term for a blood clot. This occlusion of blood flow can lead to permanent neurological damage. Strokes can develop in a variety of ways. Some strokes develop gradually over time while others can be acute in nature, caused by a traumatic accident like car collisions. Some of the statistics that were published by the CDC include:

Speech Difficulties Following an Auto Accident

Recent statistics published by the website, Brain and Spinal Cord on traumatic brain injuries (TBI) show that these injuries have the potential to cause a significant number of complications. One of the most serious is speech difficulties. According to the statistics, some of the most common causes of TBI include:

Rancho Cordova: Bicyclist and Light Rail Train Collide
CHP Awarded Federal Grant

In late October of this year, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) was awarded a federal grant for improvement of pedestrian and bicyclist safety throughout California. The grant will be used in large part to provide additional education for pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicle drivers.  

Brain Trauma and Head Injuries

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.

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Many auto and motorcycle accidents result in whiplash injuries.  Many also unfortunately involve a brain injury.  Perhaps not so coincidentally, there are many similarities between whiplash and brain injury.  Both includes many similar symptoms.

The biggest challenge with treating auto injuries is getting a proper diagnosis. Countless studies show that whiplash patients have objective, organic injuries; unfortunately; many of these injuries are difficult to pinpoint with conventional diagnostic imaging techniques, such as CT or MRI.

cranioConcussions and closed head injuries, also known as traumatic brain injuries, are common injuries following an auto or motorcycle accident.  I have represented many clients over the years with these types of injuries and they can have a substantial effect on one’s life and cognitive abilities.

Classic concussion is defined as a brief and reversible coma occurring at the time of a trauma to the head. This type of concussion is always accompanied by some degree of retrograde and post-traumatic amnesia (anterograde amnesia). Neurological changes, such as slowed heart rate (bradycardia), dilated pupils, and sometimes even brief seizure-like episodes, are also associated with it. By definition, classic concussion always implies a transient loss of, or very signifi­ cant alteration of, consciousness and awareness.

The data accumulated by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that drowsy drivers are just as dangerous as drivers who are drunk behind the wheel.  In fact, the accidents caused by drowsy driving are on average more severe than drunk driving incidents due to the simple fact that most accidents caused by drowsy drivers happen at high speeds on the freeway – the dreaded “highway hypnosis.” Additionally, because the driver is nearly asleep, often no effort to avoid the collision such as swerving or braking will occur prior to impact.

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Aggressive driving has become an all-too-common and dangerous  problem on California highways. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has named aggressive driving as a factor in a significant number of fatal automobile collisions.

The NHTSA definition of aggressive driving is operation of a motor vehicle that puts people or property in danger (or is likely to).  Aggressive driving includes speeding, excessive and/or improper lane changing – including not signaling or not ensuring that the lane change can be safely performed, and improper passing, such as on the shoulder or passing on the right.

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Young drivers are involved in more collisions than more experienced drivers, and that is reflected in their insurance rates.  Safe driving involves good judgment.  Risk taking often results in unsafe driving.  Good judgement and the unwillingness to take unnecessary risks usually take time to develop, but there are strategies and programs that are designed to offset the risks associated with young and inexperienced drivers.

All 50 states have adopted laws that put provisions on the license of early drivers.  They vary according to state, but below are the California restrictions, which last for one year after obtaining a license, or until the driver turns 18 or becomes legally emancipated, whichever comes first:

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What does a multidisciplinary approach to chronic pain mean?  This is when health care professionals from multiple fields address the needs of the patient rather than only one medical provider treating a patient.

In the US, many people only treat pain by seeing their primary care physician and/or a visit to the emergency room.  This often does little to alleviate chronic pain. These visits may contribute to the chronic pain sufferer feeling marginalized or without hope for their symptoms.

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