Understanding TBI

Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI, can have a devastating effect on victims and families of victims who suffer from this injury. Because TBI can alter the personality and the mental health of the vicitm, it is unlike any other injury the body can sustain. According to the CDC (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), there are approximately 1.5 million people in the U.S. who suffer from a traumatic brain injury each year. Further, 50,000 people die from TBI each year and 85,000 people suffer long term disabilities (source).

TBI can occur after trauma occurs to the head during a slip and fall accident, during a motor vehicle accident, or if the brain suffers a loss of oxygen. TBI can also occur from infections and stroke. Common symptoms of mild TBI include fatigue, headaches, visual disturbances, memory loss, and poor attention/concentration. Severe TBI can result in slurred speach, altered senses, vision loss, and seizures. For a full list of symptoms click here.

Ignoring warning signs of TBI can lead to a lifetime of impairment. See a doctor if you identify with any of the symptoms above, and if you are injured with a traumatic brain injury you may be able to seek damages. Contact us with questions at (702) 384-2070.

Summer Safety

As June arrives, schools are out (or almost out) for the summer, and families are taking vacations and kids are either working summer jobs or taking summer school. However, summertime isn't all fun and games. In fact, summer holds some of the most dangerous days of the years for teens.  AAA reports that seven of the 10 deadliest days of the year for teen drivers fall between Memorial Day and Labor Day. AAA has dubbed it the "100 Deadliest Days" for teen drivers. The latest data shows that July 4th has the highest average of teen deaths at 18, followed by June 10 with 17.2, May 20 with 16.6, and August 14 with an average of 16.6 (source). 

Additional research from AAA shows that teens who engage in less risky driving behavior are those teens how spend the most time talking about driving to parents. Sadly, vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young Americans, and the According to a recent survey, teens who have a learner’s permit are more than twice as likely as those who already have a license to report that they talk very often with their parents about driving (46 percent versus 22 percent).  The first 30 days of independent driving are the most deadly and the risk of injury behind the wheel remains extremely high through the first six months, so continuing the discussion about safe driving with your teen is critical.

Child Safety Locks Recalled

Last week the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of 183,000 toilet locks and 685,000 cabinet locks, after children gained access to water in the toilets and dangerous items in cabinets. Young children can unexpectedly disengage the toilet locks and gain access to water in the toilet, increasing the drowning risk. The cabinet locks are being recalled because young children can open the locks and reach unsafe items like detergents and cleaning supplies.

These Safety 1st child locks have been sold in major retailers across the country, including Bed, Bath and Beyond, Burlington Coat Factory, Great Beginnings, Home Depot, Target and Walmart. So far, Dorel Juvenile Group has received 278 reports of locks that did not adequately secure cabinet doors. In 71 reports, children as young as eight months, up to  five years disengaged the cabinet lock. A 13-month-old boy required hospitalization after opening the cabinet lock and swallowing small toxic beads from a craft kit stored inside the cabinet. Consumers can find the model numbers 12013 or 12014 on the backs of these recalled locks. 

For more information, visit the CPSC website here.

Medical Malpractice Lessons

Medical malpractice suits have been pigeonholed by doctors and insurance companies as being time consuming, inefficient, and expensive. Because of this, patients are discouraged from filing malpractice claims. However, not only do malpractice suits compensate victims for the injuries they suffer because of the negligence of those in the medical field, medical malpractice claims are also being used to research and expose diagnostic errors that are responsible for 40,000 to 80,000 hospitalized patients annually.

Studies from this research show that 40% of malpractice cases are the result of errors that could have been prevented with a more thorough exam. This negligence costs insurance companies an average of $300,000 per case to settle. Medical malpractice suits largely occur when a patient seeks doctor advice and has symptoms that are not researched further. Additionally, med mal cases linked to diagnostic errors appear to be on the rise as doctors who are struggling with heavy case loads take shortcuts or don't act on their patient's symptoms. 

For more information on medical malpractice, click here.

Windy Weather

Here in Las Vegas we are no stranger to high winds, and today is no exception. Gusts are expected to reach up to 60 mph, and high wind advisories are in effect. The Illinois Department of Transportation offers us a useful video on driving safety in windy weather. Strong winds can cause property damage and generate blowing dust, impacting visibility on the roads. Drivers are warned to be aware of dangerous crosswinds, causing a loss of control over the vehicle, and low visibility on area roadways.