BlogA Future of Possibilities: Typing with Thoughts
Jonathan Wolpaw, brain injury researcher, works for the Wadsworth Center in Albany, NY, where he has been developing a revolutionary system that allows victims of paralysis the opportunity to communicate. Essentially, by reading certain brainwave patterns, the system recognizes the specific letter on which the patient focuses, and marks it on the computer screen. Although it takes about 15 seconds… Read More
New Drug May Trigger Nerve Growth, Healing Spinal Cord Injuries
Jerry Silver, a neuroscience professor at Case Western Reserve University, has assisted in designing a drug that has given paralyzed rats the ability to use their formerly defunct bladder. In some cases, a rat has even regained movement in its legs. These improvements have occurred because the administered drug regenerates nerves in the spinal cord, by process of releasing the… Read More
Ohio State Football Player Commits Suicide: Brain Injury to Blame?
Kosta Karageorge, football player at Ohio State University, was found dead in a dumpster from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In the months leading up to his apparent suicide, he texted members of his family stating that he was feeling increasingly confused. Experts who have weighted in on the story agree that his suicide is attributed to… Read More
Man Receives Double Arm Transplant
Just before Thanksgiving, Will Lautzenheiser graciously received a double arm transplant from an anonymous donor. Because of an aggressive streptococcus infection, Lautzenheiser lost all four of his limbs in 2011. The infection led to sepsis, forcing a quadruple amputation. Earlier in the year he was approved for an extraordinarily rare operation, a bilateral arm transplant. Now, after the seemingly miraculous… Read More
How the NFL Aims to Protecting Athletes from Traumatic Brain Injuries
Over the last few years, the NFL has increased their attention to studying the severe brain effects of their professional athletes. Awareness throughout the country and the league has amplified because of the traumatic brain injuries players and even former players have experienced. Dozens of rules have been implemented to fight against possible traumatic brain injuries, and experimental ideas such as… Read More
Settlement Defense Squashed; Bad Release to Blame
A few weeks ago, the Fourth District Court of Appeal issued an opinion in a new settlement defense case. Scott Thompson was a passenger in a car that spun out of control; the resulting accident caused the deaths of everyone in the car. Thompson’s father, as personal representative of his son’s estate, made an offer to GEICO Insurance Company to… Read More
How the Risk of Brain Injuries Shift as Children Age
A recent study has been released by the New England Journal of Medicine, which statistically measures the risks of traumatic brain injuries as children grow up. It can be particularly important for parents and children to be aware of how children usually suffer brain trauma during a certain stage in life, so they can take the necessary steps to avoid… Read More
New Study Reveals Promising Path for Rehabilitation of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Patients
Traumatic brain injuries undoubtedly affect normal brain control and activity in a vast array of possibilities, and traumatic brain injuries don’t only affect football players. Victims of car accidents who have experienced violent blows to the head also suffer from the countless complications of severe brain trauma. Currently, no such cognitive or medical treatment exists to effectively treat brain damage,… Read More
Discovery Developments: Building a Double Standard For Plaintiffs’ Treating Physicians
The Fourth District released a decision in August 2014 that breaks dangerous new ground regarding discovery directed toward non-parties. In Brown v. Mittelman, No. 4D14-1748, 2014 WL 4209207 (Fla. 4th DCA Aug. 27, 2014), the court’s decision denying certiorari permits defendants to subpoena financial and billing records from plaintiffs’ treating doctors – even if there is no evidence that an… Read More
Insurance companies and injured plaintiffs have been battling over uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist claims on several fronts for decades. In the last two years, however, considerable uncertainty sprang up around litigating damages. When you have gone to trial on a UM contract claim, and a jury has determined the defendant’s liability and the plaintiff’s damages, can the insurance company… Read More