March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a brain injury that many people suffer in a variety of ways and degrees. TBI is typically caused by a sudden, unexpected and forceful blow to the head. This can happen in a slip and fall, a bicycle accident, car accident, motorcycle accident, many kinds of job-related injuries, a fist strike to the head, a weapon striking the head, injuries suffered in wartime and even injuries suffered in early childhood abuse. I have a childhood friend who suffered a very serious TBI while a group of us were ice-skating, just kids having a fun day at the ice rink.

The injury the brain suffers can be minor to quite extensive. In a TBI, the brain crashes against the skull and the brain can bleed, and become torn and bruised. The brain can also begin to swell, and with little room to do so in the skull, that can cause additional damage to the brain. On the minor end of the injury scale, the person may suffer a mild concussion and have no more than a headache. On the other end of the scale, a TBI can result in death. Much of what determines the extent of the injury is not only the cause of the injury, but the degree of the injury and the time in which the person is (or is not) treated as well. A TBI that results in a concussion, even a mild concussion, is one that should still be taken seriously and the patient should seek medical assistance.

Do you think you have suffered a TBI, or a loved one? Here are symptoms, some mild, some quite severe:

Headache, and headaches that continue over time, even becoming more severe

Nausea and vomiting

Confusion

Blurry vision and/or dilation of pupils

Moody, becoming very quiet or "not themselves", or on the other end, becoming quite agitated and angry

Ringing ears and dizziness

Loss of coordination and numbness of extremeties

Seizures

Unconsciousness

Comatose

TBIs can result in a great deal of phsysical and emotional pain and suffering. Survivors of TBI often feel "helpless" or "hopeless" as this injury can dramatically impact their lives, and some symptoms do not simply "go away". The symptoms and issues can last a lifetime, and create hardship for the survivor, as well as much heartache for friends and family.

TBIs on the minor end of the scale can be treated and resolved, however, it is always best to still consult a doctor, even if it just a "bump on the head". The patient may be simply asked to get plenty of rest and given medication for pain or headache relief. More severe TBIs, however, may be treated with hospitalization, physical therapy, medications and even psychiatric treatment to help them deal with the emotional and psychological issues they may be experiencing.

Every TBI is unique, as the same injury can result in different effects in two different people. Again, that is why it is important to stress that medical treatment should be sought immediately. It is also recommended to document every aspect of the injury, to include any objects involved, water or liquids on the floor for a slip and fall, the accident scene, etc. All of this can help to reconstruct the accident for the doctors, as well as create a documentation trail should there be issues of liability and fault.

For this reason, it can also be important to contact an attorney to cover any legal issues involved with a TBI. There may be damages for pain and suffering, medical bills, physical therapy, lost wages, lost job and more. There can be overwhelming medical bills and lifelong treatments to cover, so the sooner an attorney is contacted and involved, the better. An attorney can also make sure that a TBI patient is getting their proper and due treatments, and that their rights are being protected at every step of this process. Contact a California Brain Injury Attorney in your area to ensure that you or your loved one has their legal rights fully protected.

California Brain Injury Attorneys presents the following update in which a recent study proved that brain injury raises epilepsy risk for years.  If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, there are attorneys who can assist you with information about your rights and legal representation if necessary.

LONDON (Reuters) - A severe brain injury puts people at high risk of epilepsy for more than a decade after they are first hurt, a finding that suggests there may be a window to prevent the condition, researchers said on Monday.

A Danish team found that the odds of epilepsy more than doubled after mild brain injury or skull fracture and was seven times more likely in patients with serious brain injury.

The risk remained even 10 years on, more so in people older than 15, Jakob Christensen and colleagues at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark and colleagues wrote in the journal Lancet.

"Traumatic brain injury is a significant risk indicator for epilepsy many years after the injury," they wrote.

"Drug treatment after brain injury with the aim of preventing post-traumatic epilepsy has been discouraging, but our data suggest a long time interval for potential, preventive treatment of high-risk patients."

The researchers analyzed data taken from a national registry on traumatic brain injury and epilepsy of 1.6 million young people born in Denmark between 1977 and 2002.

Epilepsy, a condition in which people experience seizures, is incurable. Drugs can control seizures in most patients, although they sometimes cause severe side effects.

(Reporting by Michael Kahn, Editing by Maggie Fox)

When You Need California Brain Injury Lawyers: Suv Rollovers And Truck Crashes!

It is well known fact that California has a substantial amount of traffic and that motor vehicle accidents occur daily. What might not come to mind immediately is that a good portion of those accidents involve SUV’s and Big Rig trucks. These SUV crashes or truck crashes often times result in injury. The NHTSA reported that there were 5,987,000 non fatal accidents in 2007; of which 2,491,000 of those motor vehicle accidents resulted in injury. To add to this, The Brain Injury Association estimates that 62 % of all transportation related brain injuries occur in an enclosed motor vehicle.

In her June 2008 testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, a former administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration affirmed SUV rollover crashes account for ‘a disproportionate and unnecessary number’ of motor vehicle crash deaths. To add to this, Joan Claybrook, President of Public Citizen, a national, nonprofit public interest advocacy group, reported, ‘In 2007 there were 10,698 fatalities in SUV rollover crashes , accounting for 33 percent of all highway occupant fatalities”. With statistics that can’t be ignored and a former NHTSA administrator confirming the abundance of SUV rollover crashes anyone involved in an SUV crash, especially resulting in any form of a brain injury should not only seek out information from California SUV rollover lawyers, but also try to find a lawyer that is also a California brain injury attorney.

The NHTSA’s most recent report shows in 2007 there were 4,808 people killed in truck crashes and another 23,000 injured. As the driver of the truck involved in the truck crash, it is extremely important to contact California truck accident lawyers to find a California brain injury attorney as soon as possible. Unfortunately, some employers will pin the fault on their driver in hopes of avoiding a lawsuit, where other employers may settle out of court but tarnish your driving record in the process. Or if you are self employed, the other party might not be hurt at all and simply be seeing dollar signs. So it’s important to speak with California truck accident lawyers to protect your rights. Regardless of which vehicle you are driving, having California brain injury attorneys that are also a California truck accident lawyers is a very smart move.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates there currently are at least 5.3 million Americans living with a disability as a result of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The cost that can be incurred for caring for someone with a traumatic brain injury can be overwhelming. Caregiver.org projected that the direct and indirect expenses of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the U. S. have been estimated to be $48.3 billion annually. Survivor costs account for $31.7 billion and fatal brain injuries cost another $16.6 billion. They also reported that the lifetime expenses for one person surviving a severe TBI can reach $4 million. Consulting with California Brain Injury Lawyers is the best way to recover these costs.

Because of the commonality of SUV crashes and truck crashes there are California truck accident lawyers and California SUV Rollover Lawyers that have dedicated their careers specifically to SUV and truck related brain injury cases. Anyone involved in SUV or truck crash that resulted in a brain injury should consult several California brain injury lawyers. It is important to find a California brain injury attorney that is not only well versed in brain and spinal injury cases, but well known and respected within the judicial community and with insurance companies.

By: mansi gupta

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

California Brain Injury Attorneys presents the following perspective on how difficult and challenging brain injury law can be.  Contact a California brain injury attorney if you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury to know your rights and legal options.

The most complex case a plaintiff’s lawyer can face is one where his client suffers a brain injury as a result of an accident. It is difficult because 9 out of 10 traumatic brain injury cases involve injuries that are not visible to ordinary people. So how will a jury believe that your client suffered a brain injury?

Obviously there are the straightforward brain injury cases where the plaintiff suffered a fracture to his or her skull and all experts agree that there was organic damage which is causing the plaintiff’s symptoms.

The problems lie in the case where the physical damage does not show up on CT scans or MRI’s. The plaintiff often looks normal, and this appearance can be terribly deceptive. He or she may speak well, and this is an even greater problem to overcome. But the brain, like an atom if broken or split, causes an explosion of misery and pain that is horrendous. When the brain is damaged, there is no tool available for the surgeon to come and fix it. We depend on nature and nurture and the ability to compensate.

Family and friends of the person who suffered a brain injury will feel the devastation sometimes as much or more than the injured party.

The overall objective for a lawyer in a brain injury case is to convince a jury that an organic injury has occurred, that it is permanent, and that it is the main reason for your client’s impairment.

As much has been written with respect to proving liability, economic loss and family loss related to a negligence case, this paper is only intended to cover aspects of preparing a brain injury case for trial.

Taking the Case

Agreeing to take a brain injury case is a dramatic investment for a lawyer in many ways.

Consider the following case:

Your client, Mrs. Reynolds, was a driver in a car accident that occurred on a relatively busy road. The accident occurred at night. Mrs. Reynolds was proceeding on a road when a van pulled out from a side road to make a left turn. Mrs. Reynolds slammed into the right front corner of the van as the driver of the van made his turn. Both drivers were seriously injured. When the ambulance arrived, Mrs. Reynolds was dazed but able to respond to verbal and physical stimuli. She scored 11 out of 15 on the Glascow Coma Scale for her loss of awareness. She was lucky to survive the accident.

The Initial Visit

When the client visits the lawyer for the first time, the lawyer usually has little or no information about the case. These first meetings are extremely important. Both the client and the lawyer have to like each other right away. Clients, for the most part, are not familiar with the intricacies of the legal system and don’t know the lawyer, so they are usually a little apprehensive and uneasy. The lawyer, being familiar with the system and cases like this one, should help put the client at ease.

During the interview, the lawyer thinks of two main issues in an accident case: liability and damages; whereas a client may be thinking of any number of things and is anxious just to tell the entire story. Therefore, the lawyer in an initial interview must be a good listener as well as a persuasive speaker.

Once mutual trust is established, the client and lawyer can work well together.

The client should get information from the lawyer such as:

"Have you handled cases like this before?" … "How many?"
"Are you familiar with the medical aspects of a case in which there is a brain injury?"
"Have you written any articles?"
"What references can be supplied?"

Finally, the lawyer should satisfy himself or herself that the client has a genuine injury by examining the most reliable evidence. It is essential to speak to the family members and friends closest to your client in order to find out how your client was before the accident. In brain injury cases, you will often hear that your client was high functioning before the collision and now is unable to concentrate in a busy environment. They may also tell you that your client is no longer the same person, lacks motivation and fatigues easily. Finally, you are told that your client’s personality has changed, gets frustrated easily and lacks confidence, traits rarely displayed before this accident.

Clients Dissatisfied with Prior Counsel

Many plaintiffs who have suffered traumatic brain injuries have unrealistic expectations regarding how their lawsuits should be handled or how they should eventually turn out. Most lawyers are contacted by brain injured plaintiffs who are dissatisfied with the legal counsel they have previously employed. The most common complaint heard is that the present lawyer doesn’t understand the client’s brain injury and the problems that flow from such an injury. Lawyers should be guarded in taking on these cases. The lawyer should, in most cases, get the client’s consent to discuss the case with the previous lawyer before agreeing to handle the case.

Acquiring Documentation

In building your case for trial, you must obtain all relevant records relating to your client’s accident. In brain injury cases, a lawyer will have to assemble massive amounts of documentation. Medical, employment, school and accident benefits documentation will comprise the bulk of such evidence.

From the outset, the lawyer must thoroughly investigate the facts surrounding the case. Obtaining a copy of the Motor Vehicle Accident Report and police field notes will provide a basic understanding of the factual circumstances surrounding the accident. If liability is an issue, an investigator will need to be retained to interview any witnesses, police and visit the accident scene to assist in accident reconstruction.

Evidence of Vehicular Damage

Whenever your client’s vehicle or the defendant’s vehicle is obviously damaged, photographs of the vehicle’s damage are powerful. Photos may have been taken by witnesses, newspapers, the client, family members, police or the insurance company for property loss insurance. Any obvious damage to the interior of the car caused by your client’s head should be demonstrated visually and discussed by every witness who can do so.

If there is no vehicular damage, a biomechanical engineer, supported by a reconstruction engineer’s estimate of speeds, can explain how the force of the collision can cause a brain injury notwithstanding minimal damage.

Photos of Injuries

Not surprisingly, jurors find it easier to believe the brain is injured if the head or face is injured. Not infrequently, there are very early photos available which record black eyes and cuts to the head. These photographs are important corroborative evidence which are especially effective when enlarged or when projected.

Later, when an expert is explaining the area of the brain which has been affected, it is persuasive to refer to the photograph and have the expert confirm that the affected part of the brain is in the general area to the laceration or bruising.

Ambulance Call Report

The first record to review is the Ambulance Call Report. If the Ambulance Call Report contains any evidence which demonstrates a brain injury, it presents demonstrative evidence which is objective. This evidence, once shared with a Court, will be important for describing your client’s condition shortly after the accident.

You may highlight a reference to disorientation or recording of a period of unconsciousness. Secondly, there may be a record of bruising or lacerations to the head. Finally, you will want to emphasize the Glasgow Coma Scale that supports your case.

Every expert who comments on your client’s injuries will refer to the Ambulance Call Report and this is why this document may be one of the most important pieces of evidence in the case.

Hospital Records

Next, the emergency records of the hospital where the client was taken must be carefully reviewed. The records will contain the initial history taken and nurses’ notes and assessments while at the hospital. Records that indicate a low Glasgow Coma Scale score or disorientation will help demonstrate the continuation of the injury at the hospital. Oftentimes a patient with an acquired brain injury may become violent or aggressive to the hospital staff, which can demonstrate a frontal lobe injury.

Hospital records can also be used to demonstrate the consistency of symptoms of your client. For example, if your client complains of headaches and the nurses’ notes reveal the same complaint, this can be compared to your client’s later complaints to other specialists.

Radiographic Evidence

From the time of a patient’s arrival at the ER through follow-up treatment, a wide variety of complicated testing can be done to help demonstrate the brain injury.

There are two types of neurological tests: those that examine the structure of the brain and those that examine the function of the brain. The CT scan and MRI look at the structure of the brain. The electroencephalogram (EEG), SPECT scan, PET scan and evoked studies examine the function of the brain.

MRI and CT Scans

The MRI and CT scan slice the brain radiographically into slabs. The MRI does this with magnetic fields while the CT scan uses x-rays. The MRI provides more detail than the CT scan. Hence, brain damage as seen on an MRI, as small as 1-2 mm in size, may escape detection by a CT scan. The CT scan is superior to the MRI in detecting fresh blood in and around the brain, while the MRI is better at detecting the remnants of old hemorrhaged blood, called hemosiderin. CT scans are often repeated to ensure that a brain injury is not becoming more extensive, usually in the early stages of ER treatment.

Being so very sensitive, the MRI commonly detects clinically silent (asymptomatic) "brain damage" in the normal population. For example, as we age it is common for myelin in the white matter to degenerate (myelin is a jacket of insulation around axons to help them conduct their electrical discharges quickly down the axon). An MRI can detect this myelin degeneration as white matter hyperintensities. The MRI is also sensitive to cerebral atrophy (shrinkage), another normal phenomenon as we age. Excessive numbers of white matter hyperintensities or excessive atrophy signal a possible neurologic illness or injury.

PET Scan (Positron Emission Tomography)

PET scanning is based on the fact that the brain uses glucose for energy. By labeling a glucose molecule with a radioactive "tag" and then inhaling radioactive glucose and placing the patient’s head under a large geiger counter, one can identify abnormal areas of the brain that are underutilizing glucose. Because cyclotrons are needed to generate the radioactive gas, PET scanning is not widely available.

SPECT Scan (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography)

SPECT scanning is similar to PET scanning in that a radioactive chemical is administered intravenously to the patient, but the radioactive chemical remains in the bloodstream and does not enter the brain. As a result, the SPECT scan maps the brain’s vascular supply. Because damaged brain tissue normally shuts down its own blood supply, focal vascular defects on a SPECT scan are circumstantial evidence of brain damage. The advantage of a SPECT scan over a PET scan is it is readily available and is relatively cheap. Recent studies have demonstrated abnormal SPECT scans after head trauma when the CT and MRI were normal, suggesting that the SPECT scan is more sensitive to brain injury then either CT or MRI scans. Because the radioactive chemicals used in SPECT and PET scans are carried to all parts of the body by vascular tree, SPECT scans and PET scans are used judiciously in patients of reproductive age.

Obviously there are great limitations to medical science in revealing the intricacies of brain injury. As advocates we must not forget that most jurors will be relying on the evidence of the experts in making their decisions regarding the case. Most jurors will be learning about brain injury for the first time. The lawyer must remind the jurors through expert testimony that although science has come a long way, it is still in its primitive stages. Thus, more reliance can be placed on the lay witnesses who describe how the plaintiff has changed.

Referral to an Expert for an Evaluation

While the plaintiff has probably seen a number of experts since his or her accident, there are often occasions where the plaintiff has not seen the appropriate medical care provider. For this reason it may become necessary for solicitors to refer their clients to additional experts for further clinical evaluation.

Oftentimes while proving that your client’s injuries are caused from an acquired brain injury, a lawyer will retain a neuropsychologist. Test results are open to interpretation and debate. If the client moves about normally, speaks articulately and looks perfectly healthy in the structured environment of the courtroom you can expect the defence experts to disagree with your experts.

Other experts will be retained who are not part of the medical treatment team, some of which may include vocational experts, life care planners and even economists.

Discovery

Before a case goes to trial, the lawyers for both parties know not only the case but also the other side’s position on all the issues. The system is designed to prevent surprises. In the discovery phase, a lawyer will ask questions under oath of the adverse party. This form of oral testimony provides both the plaintiff and defendant with the clearest view of anticipated trial evidence. The views of the deponents become "locked down" and difficult to alter later during trial.

With a brain injured client is important to remind them that all question put to them are assumed answered as if they have a complete and accurate recollection of the evidence. Often the opposite is true. The lawyer representing a brain injured client must take ample time in advance to prepare their client for this examination so that the evidence is not misconstrued.

Keep in mind that the defence will attempt to use the Examination to undermine your client’s credibility by obtaining admissions, which are contrary to your case or commit your client’s evidence so that it can later be contradicted through expert opinions or surveillance.

Lay Witnesses

Lay witnesses are people who have known the plaintiff both before and after the date of injury. These include family members, friends, neighbours and co-workers of the plaintiff who help to validate the testimony of the plaintiff and the experts during a trial. These witnesses can be very persuasive because their testimony is easily understood and can often describe the plaintiff’s subtle injuries vividly.

Developing a Theme

The theme is the word or phrase that constantly reappears in the litigation to focus the jury’s attention upon what the case is really about. Selecting one or more themes is of crucial importance. Themes are like magnets, which constantly attract notice. They must be designed to trigger both rational and emotional responses in jurors. In formulating trial themes, lawyers should focus upon facts, which may be expressed using high impact language, and illustrated by high quality demonstrative evidence. Themes that emphasize "quality of life" issues tend to dominate the brain injury cases because of the severe impact a brain injury may have upon the lives of individual plaintiffs.

There is nothing more effective in persuading any jury of organic injury than evidence that demonstrates that the plaintiff was having a successful and satisfying life before the accident. A timeline can often be persuasive in demonstrating an absence of medical treatment and consistent employment before the injury.

Settlement before Trial

Most times cases settle prior to trial. After a suit is filed and the case proceeds, but before the trial begins, the parties can agree to settle. If that occurs, then one side agrees to pay a sum of money to the other, and the other side agrees to accept it as payment in full for the injuries suffered. Usually a settlement is a good thing. In a settlement, no one loses. The insurance company pays something, maybe a little less than expected by the plaintiff, but the risk of a trial is avoided. In all trials there are big risks for both sides.

The Overall Challenge in a Mild Brain Injury Case

Most insurance adjusters and defence lawyers take a jaundiced view of mild traumatic brain injuries. Some have commented that it represents the "whiplash of the new millennium". Despite this cynical approach, the lawyer taking on a brain injury case must look for proof of an organic injury in order to defeat the following standard defences:

No loss of consciousness: Plaintiffs who sustain mild brain injuries often do not experience true loss of consciousness. Expert witnesses will help present evidence that loss of awareness, confusion or dizziness as a result of trauma can cause significant neurological problems.

The impairment was pre-existing from long standing pre-accident emotional problems.

The injury, if there is one, is only an emotional one that can be cured through treatment.

Negative neuro-imaging results: The absence of positive findings by examinations such as a CT scan or MRI should not be treated as evidence of a lack of injury.

The client is malingering: Defence counsel will insist that the plaintiff is intentionally producing false or exaggerated symptoms motivated by the desire to obtain financial compensation through litigation. Usually malingering can be detected in psychological testing.

Trial

If the sum of money offered by the insurance company in not accepted by the plaintiff, then the matter will proceed to trial. A trial is a risky venture: one side may win a lot of money or get nothing. In any event, the costs of a trial can be extremely expensive for the loser.

Trials can be decided by judge alone or by judge and jury. While negligence cases are brought against the individual who caused the accident, there is always the presence of the insurance company behind the scenes as they are responsible for protecting the defendant up to the limits of their policy.

If you are to persuade the jury that an injury has occurred, you must find a way to overcome the appearance of normalcy as the plaintiff gives evidence. One way to do so is to graphically explain the mechanism of injury so that the jury can appreciate that the brain can be permanently injured without any permanent change to the appearance of the head or face. There is no more effective way to explain the mechanism of injury than to show it, either through the use of medical-legal illustrations, animations or other artwork.

Conclusion

 
In conclusion, the presentation of a brain injury case is extremely challenging. The lawyer undertaking such cases should be familiar with the long-term consequences of brain injury. If the lawyer does not cover all facets of the case with appropriate witnesses and other evidence, he will do himself and his client a great disservice.

Head Injury: Basics Of Its Physical And Legal Aspects

Head Injuries

Head injury describes any trauma to the head that may lead to the injury of the brain, scalp, or skull.

Usually, a head injury is very difficult to deal with as it has great effects on its victims that may remain for a long time, or even permanently. For this reason, it is important to have the necessary knowledge about head injuries and its legal aspects.

Head Injury: Classification

Damages to the head are classified into two categories. This depends on the cause of the injury. These categories are the following:

Open or penetrating head injury

Closed head injury

Head Injury: Types

There are different types of head injuries, including:

Brain contusion

Depressed skull fracture

Basilar skull fracture

Epidural hematoma

Intraparenchymal hemorrhage or cerebral contusion

Brain Injuries

One of the types of head injuries is damage to the brain. Some of the brain injuries include the following:

Tearing of the sensitive brain tissue, such as from a sudden blow or impact

Bruising to the brain which is caused by an impact to the skull

Swelling

"Anoxic" brain injury or the deprivation of oxygen in the brain

Traumatic brain injury can have various effects on its victim. It can cause one or more of the following:

Concussion

Impaired vision and speech

Anxiety and depression

Head Injuries: Legal Aspects

After you have learned some of the basics of head injuries, you should also be aware of some of its legal aspects.

Usually, an injury like this is caused by the negligent act of another person or party. If this happens, you may file a head injury claim to recover damages. Hiring a competent lawyer will help you in these legal aspects of head injuries.

In trials or settlement negotiations with insurance companies, a lawyer will usually collect evidence to be used. Some of the evidences needed include the following:

Rehab and medical records

Police reports

Reports from forensic experts (such as accident reconstructionists)

In head injury claims, the victims of head injuries may possibly recover damages. If you are one of those victims, you may collect compensation for the following types of loss:

Economic damages (may include nursing home care, rehab and medical care, loss of earning capacity, and loss of earnings)

Modifications to your home

Expenses for mobility help and modified transportation

Future rehab and medical treatment expenses

It is very important to hire a personal injury lawyer who is experienced in handling head injury claims immediately after the accident in order that the evidences needed may be properly preserved and you can receive the compensation you deserve.

By: Kamille Pagibigan

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Brain Injury Attorneys California presents the following article regarding new treatments in brain injured soldiers.  Please refer to the phone number at the bottom of the article if you are interested in more information or you or a loved one may qualify to be part of this study.

Medical Watch: New treatments helping to cure brain injuries for soldiers

Meg Farris, www.wwltv.com

NEW ORLEANS – It’s been called the signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Traumatic brain injury may have affected 320,000 service men and women, costing as much as $32,000 a year to treat.

Now a local doctor and injured soldier are part of a groundbreaking study that hopes to find a new treatment.

At 17 years old, Jake Mathers enlisted in the Marine Corps, the youngest in his division of 20,000. He served in Iraq twice.

"Until like the last two months that we were there, we literally got shot at and blown up and mortared every single day," Mathers said.

His role models: A father who flew U-2 Spy Planes in the cold war and a grandfather, George "Bud" Day, who was highly decorated in the Marine Corps Air Force. He served in Korea and Vietnam.

Day was a POW with Senator John McCain, earned several Purple Hearts and the Congressional Medal of Honor. Like his grandfather, Jake now too has the Purple Heart, and the same terrible post war nightmares.

"You think you’re going to die?" I ask.

"Oh yeah, those dream – I always have those dreams, you know. They probably will never go away. My grandfather still has them, and he’s in his 80s," Mathers said.

That’s why Jake has come to New Orleans from his home in Monroe. He is part of a pilot study with LSU Health Sciences Center’s Dr. Paul Harch.

As an emergency medicine expert, Harch has been studying in animals and humans for years if Hyperbaric Oxygen treatments, the kind used to heal wounds of diabetics and divers, can also heal brain damage.

"If you lose consciousness, you will lose brain cells. You lose brain tissue," Harch said.

And that’s exactly what happened to Jake in Iraq. Nearly two dozen times he was knocked unconscious. So, along with the post traumatic stress disorder known as PTSD, he has brain damage.

"You forget where you put your cell phone, like, 10 times a day. You can’t find your car keys. You can’t really do anything productive without screwing it up a couple of times," Mathers said.

A video with music recorded on it, put on YouTube, shows a suicide bomber in a truck loaded with artillery shells and barrels of gasoline that hit Mathers’ observational post. Fellow soldiers lost eyes, limbs, fingers and toes.

"The gasoline went everywhere and started burning all around my body, and so I could still feel that pain in my unconscious state and it felt like I was burning. So I thought I was going to hell and it was really bad," said Mathers, who said he thought he had died.

Jake is one of the first soldiers in the study to complete the testing, brain imaging and 40 so called "dives" in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber. And he believes it’s made a difference.

"My sleep is better, I’m sleeping longer, I’m not dreaming about mean and angry things constantly," Mathers said. "My memory, I don’t even have a memory problem anymore. I don’t have headaches at all any more."
Harch said the results have been encouraging.

"Two of the three have had an over 40 percent reduction in PTSD symptoms in a 35 day period using the military’s PTSD check list, which is a huge reduction in symptoms," Harch said. "And we are also seeing improvements in memory, attention and some of the other factors."

Harch has many critics who don’t believe hyperbaric medicine can help the brain. He hopes this study will lead to bigger military studies and published scientific evidence to convince them.

At only 21, Jake hopes to convince his critics as well. "A lot of people see all the bad things that U.S. Marines do. But nobody ever sees all the schools that we build and all the medical supplies that we give," Mathers said.

"I must have given out 10,000 soccer balls alone myself, and hundreds of pounds of candy to little kids. But nobody ever shows that."

The study is open for people who have traumatic brain injury from a blast, with or without post traumatic stress. The injury has to have been within the last five years. People in the military are encouraged to call.

To see if you qualify, call 504-366-1445.

Causes Of Brain Injury - What You Should Know About TBIs

California Brain Injury Attorneys presents the following information on TBIs (Traumatic Brain Injuries).  If you or a loved one has suffered a TBI, contact a California Brain Injury Attorney to know your rights and find out if legal representation is needed for your case.

Brain injury can be caused by many things. These things may include crashes, violence, and falling down. Men in the military often sustain brain injury from the pressure of explosive blasts.

Brain injury can be easy to happen because the brain is so fragile. The brain is actually very soft and has the consistency of gelatin. It is cushioned from the bones of the skull and the cerebrospinal fluid floating inside of the skull. When a sudden stop or a heavy blow causes the brain to thrust forward and hit the walls of the skull it can cause bleeding around the brain and even tear the nerve fibers connected to the brain.

The majority of brain injury cases that happen occur due to motor vehicle accidents from cars, trucks, and four wheel vehicles. Other types of accidents that can cause the brain from sustaining injuries include skateboarding accidents, bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, roller blading accidents, and other types of accidents. It is common for these accidents to occur because people are usually not wearing their seatbelts and they end up breaking the windshield with their head. Helmets are also not used with recreational activities that they should.

Brain injury is also caused due to violence acts of someone hitting another person in the head with an object. Many doctors see infants and babies with brain injury problems because of parents shaking them violently. Elderly often cause their own brain injury when they fall down and injure themselves.

The brain is an extremely soft tissue inside of the head that is protected by the bones of the skull and the fluid it floats in. Brain injury can occur when the brain is jolted inside and smacks up against the skull. The head needs to be protected at all times. This means helmets need to be worn when appropriate and seatbelts when riding in vehicles. People should not strike others in the head or anywhere on the body for any reason. Any traumatic blow to the brain can cause an injury so severe to the brain it could kill someone or cause them to be mentally retarded.

By: Daniel Beasley

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

California Brain Injury Attorneys presents the following information on what you should know about brain injuries.  If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, contact a California brain injury attorney to know what your rights are and if you or your loved one needs legal representation.

One of the most devastating and traumatic injury that you can get from an accident is traumatic brain injury or commonly known as simply head injury. Brain injury is usually the result of head trauma like when the head suddenly or violently hits an object. Common accidents like car accidents and slip and fall accident may result in head trauma. Other causes of brain injury is when objects violently hit the head or pierce the skull and enters the brain tissue. Premise liability accidents like falling debris or objects from buildings or shelves are examples of accidents resulting in this kind of brain trauma.

Brain trauma are said to be either mild, moderate or severe depending on the extent of trauma or injury to the brain. If you are involved in a car accident and you hit your head on the steering will or who were hit by objects flying inside your car, chances are you may experience brain injury. You will know if you have mild brain injury if after the accident you lose consciousness for a few seconds or minutes, experienced headache, confusion, lightheadedness, blurred vision, bad taste in the mouth, dizziness, trouble with memory, mood changes or trouble with thinking or concentration. If on the other hand, aside from the above symptoms you also experience worsening headaches, repeated vomiting or nausea, seizures, slurred speech, loss of coordination and continued restlessness or agitation and confusion. If, however, after the accident you experienced serious head trauma, you don’t have to worry about the symptoms. You would probably wake up on a hospital bed and days have past after your accident happened.

At the time of the accident, treatments for head injury usually entails trying to stabilize the injured person to prevent further injuries. The concern of the medical personnel is insuring proper oxygen supply to the brain and the rest of the body, maintaining adequate blood flow and regulating blood pressure.

If after the car accident and you were diagnosed with mild to moderate brain injury, chances are you may receive skull and neck X-rays to check for bone fractures or spinal instability, MRI and CT scan.

Also, in case of moderate to severe brain injury, you will definitely need to get rehabilitation that involves individually tailored treatment programs in the areas of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, physiatrist (physical medicine), psychology/psychiatry, and social support.

 
As you can see, brain trauma is not only a serious injury, it also entails serious medical expenses. Hence, if you are involved in a car accident and you are fault free, secure the services of a competent personal injury lawyer immediately. Otherwise, aside from brain trauma, your finances might also be paralyzed.