Catastrophic Injury – NFL Player’s Union Forms Brain Injury Panel

Friday, January 29, 2010

Participation in tough and aggressive athletic sports such as football can result in severe personal injury, including traumatic brain injuries. National Football League Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood has joked that he can not even remember how many concussions he has had since he began playing the sport at the age of twelve. However, he does not disregard the severity of the damage he has absorbed as a result of the game. 

The former football star was one of the speakers at the first meeting of the Mackey-White Traumatic Brain Injury Committee last week. The organization was named after two Hall of Fame football players that have been directly affected by brain injury: tight end John Mackey was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, while defensive lineman Reggie White died at age forty-three because of aggravated injuries. The group was formed by the NFL Players Association and is comprised of a variety of professional athletes, former and current NFL players, as well as numerous doctors and scientific experts. It was formed in order to have open discussion of the brain injuries that many players sustain as a result of playing professional football and has a goal of developing solutions to the safety issues players face in order to keep them safer during practice and games.

Since then, the National Football League has created stricter guidelines for players who are showing concussion symptoms. In order to ensure that players do not return to the field too quickly, each team must enlist the services of an independent neurologist for advice. Additionally, a partnership has been formed with Boston University brain researchers who have been very influential of the league’s rules governing concussions because of tests they conducted on football helmets. It is hoped that the committee will serve as a “superconductor” of information in order to spur decisive progress towards protecting football players from traumatic brain injuries.

Sustaining catastrophic injuries as a result of a recreational accident is life-changing and will likely have permanent consequences. An experienced personal injury attorney can help answer many of the questions that an injured individual will likely have regarding their case. If you have traumatic brain injuries as the result of an accident, you may be entitled to damages for your pain and suffering. A hard-working and aggressive personal injury lawyer can provide the legal advice and legal representation necessary to be successful. The Law Offices of Bredell and Bredell have years of experience fighting for the rights of injured persons, and are ready to do the same for you.

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Catastrophic Injury – Olympic Snowboarder Sustains TBI

Sunday, January 17, 2010

As the 2010 Winter Olympic Games approaches, spectators are constantly reminded how dangerous some of the events can be for those who participate. Although they are trained athletes, it does not mean that recreational accidents do not happen. Such is the example of Olympic athlete Kevin Pearce, a snowboarder from Vermont. Following a snowboarding accident, the Olympic hopeful remains in critical condition.

Pearce was training on the half-pipe in Utah for a qualifying round to make the Olympics in Mammoth Lakes, California. While practicing a very difficult trick, Pearce, 22, hit his head just above one of his eyes. The trick he was performing was one he had successfully completed before: a cab double cork twisting double back flip. However, this time he caught the toe-side of his board and struck his head. The hard and icy wall of the half-pipe was not forgiving for the young athlete–immediately after hitting the ice, Pearce was flown to the University of Utah hospital where he underwent surgery to prevent the build up of fluid in his brain. Upon medical examination at the hospital, it was determined that Pearce had sustained a severe traumatic brain injury.

Pearce was said to be one of the most promising Olympic candidates. He was getting ready to make a bid for the gold medal this winter when he was injured. At last years XGames, Pearce won the silver medal. Additionally, he beat snowboarding great Shaun White at both the 2008 and 2009 Burton European Open competitions. While it is unclear how long it will take Pearce to recover from his injuries, friends, family, and fans remain hopeful that he will make it back out onto the slopes soon.

Although recreational sports, such as snowboarding, are beloved past times, they can still present dangerous situations and result in severe personal injury. An experienced personal injury attorney can help guide the injured through the complicated legal process, providing the best legal advice for the case. Traumatic brain injuries are devastating, and the consequences are life-changing. If a you or a loved one have sustained personal injury as a result of an accident, contact a hard-working personal injury lawyer today. The Law Offices of Bredell and Bredell are ready and waiting to help you, reach out to us today.

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Construction Site Accidents – Crane Operators at Greater Risk for Injury

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Even though all construction workers are at risk for personal injury, studies have shown that those working the cranes are at a higher risk for catastrophic injuries. Often, construction site accidents occur due to some form of negligence. Crane workers however, must also be mindful of the equipment they are working with. There are numerous reports of personal injury from across the country in which the crane has collapsed, rolled over, or malfunctioned. For example, in October a Pennsylvania  crane rolled over a sidewalk grate causing it to collapse and the worker to be hurled 125 feet to the ground.

Although the are rules in place concerning appropriate safety regulations, the construction industry is held to strict deadlines to finish their projects. When project requirements are not met on time, attention to safety regulation often lacks. Crane operators can be injured on the job due to collisions with power lines, rigging failures, or dropped loads. In addition to medical bills, pain, and suffering, those injured in both crane accidents and construction site accidents face a loss of wages from being out of work.

Those injured in construction sites accidents may be entitled to compensation for their losses. Additionally, these individuals may have additional claims to file. Some good questions to ask are:

  • Was the area where the construction site was located appropriately inspected by the construction company prior to beginning work? Where all necessary safety measures taken?
  • Did the contracting company behave approrpriately?
  • Were proper safety measures taken in terms of crane operation? For example, if necessary, were spotters used to ensure the correct safety procedure?
  • Did the crane have any other malfunction or shortcoming?

These are only a few of the questions that need to be answered in order to fully analyze a claim. Construction site accidents can be life-changing, resulting in personal injury and/or death. A personal injury lawyer can help answer these questions and guide you through the difficult legal process. If you’ve been injured, don’t wait. The Law Offices of Bredell and Bredell is here to help you. Contact our experienced and hard-working personal injury lawyers for the best representation for your case.

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Car Accident – Teen Hit by Middle School Principal in SUV

Saturday, January 9, 2010

After being hit by a sport utility vehicle, a high school teenager is left in critical condition. The Pennsylvania teen was struck by a vehicle driven by a local middle school principal.

On January 4th, 2010, high school sophomore Richard Smith, sustained personal injury after being struck by an SUV on his way to school. The unidentified fifteen year-old was crossing the street from Pennbridge High School at approximately 6:45 in the morning. The driver of the sport utility vehicle, Margaret Kantes, is also the principle at North Middle School.

Immediately, police and emergency medical services responded to the incident. After an initial examination, the injured Pennsylvania teen was taken by helecopter to Lehigh Valley Medical Center. Upon more extensive medical examination, it became apparent that the boy may have suffered catastrophic injury, or traumatic brain injury. Because of this, he was listed in critical condition.

Kantes called the police immediately following the tragic auto-pedestrian accident. She told law enforcement officials that the young man was wearing a dark hoodie at the time, and she did not see him. Although police are continuing to investigate the situation, no charges have been brought against Kantes at this time. However, police officers did impound the SUV as part of the investigation.

Being involved in an auto-pedestrian car accident can have life-changing consequences. As seen by this teenager, there is potential for traumatic brain injury to occur and/or death. A personal injury lawyer can help answer many of the questions that an injured individual would undoubtably have. The hard-working personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Bredell and Bredell will fight to get you the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

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Iraq and Afghanistan Vets Suffer Severe Vision Loss Due to TBI

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Last month, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) Joint Meeting met in San Francisco, California to discuss a study produced by the Veterans Administration. The topic was concerning veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan and who have suffered severe vision problems as a result of traumatic brain injuries.  These veterans have a much lower quality of life than they had previously.   According to a study conducted by Glenn C. Cockerham, MD, Stanford University, and the Veterans Administration Palo Alto Department of Ophthalmology, veteran patients had far worse vision problems and quality of life than civilian patients.

Visual function and eye injuries in forty-two individuals with explosion-related TBI, were compared with quality of life standards. Because eyes and their corresponding tissues are less protected than the head during unexpected explosions, they are much more susceptible to blast forces. Therefore that can lead to many injuries including: retinal and choroidal damage, optic never injury, double vision, visual field changes, glaucoma, and other disorders. These injuries will evolve and change over time–greatly lowering the quality of inflicted veterans lives.

Additionally, the Harvard School of Medicine has released a study stating that approximately 20% of people with these types of vision problems suffer from vivid, recurrent visual hallucinations known as Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS). It is important that families and doctors of inflicted veterans ask their loved ones of they have been experiencing any type of hallucination.  The study found that many veterans were too afraid to admit that they were experiencing hallucinations, for fear of being considered mentally ill. Health professionals unfortunately do not usually recognize this, because it is usually only occurs with age-related  macular degeneration (AMD).  AMD is the most common form of vision loss in the elderly, and many also suffer from CBS. However, it was also noted that once patients understand what is going on, they can learn to ignore them. Or, if that does not work, medication is available. Reportedly, most patients are not bothered by the images.

It is important for all returning veterans to receive a physical and full assessment upon returning home from abroad. It is essential that if injury was sustained, it is diagnosed and treated immediately. Traumatic brain injuries are life-altering, and it is disheartening that those on the front lines protecting our country are susceptible to them. The Law Offices of Bredell and Bredell supports the United States soldiers at home and abroad. And, we encourage anyone who has sustained a traumatic brain injury in an accident to contact us for help.

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Injured Firefighter Receives $12.7M in Worker’s Compensation Damages

Monday, November 2, 2009

Some occupations require more risk than others, and have the potential to result in accidents. For the injuries sustained in accidents that occur while on the job, the injured party is likely entitled to worker’s compensation damages.

Such an example is seen recently, as a Seattle jury awarded $12.7 million to a firefighter who was severely injured when he fell down a fire pole shaft while on-duty. Mark Jones, who was an experienced outdoorsman and former member of the Honor Guard, was unable to return to work following the accident because his injuries were so severe.

On December 23rd, 2003, Jones awoke around 3:00 a.m. to use the bathroom. He mistook the door leading to the station’s fire pole as the door to the restroom, ultimately falling eighteen feet to the first floor. The safety light intended to denote the fire pole alcove had burned out, and a chain that would have restricted access was unlatched. As a result of the fall, he suffered ten broken ribs, multiple pelvic fractures, and other minor injuries. Unfortunately, he also suffered a catastrophic brain injury when he fall, that greatly damaged his brain and spine.

A lawsuit was filed in 2006, accusing the city of being negligent in the accident. The city is being blamed for failure to safeguard the nook that contained the station’s fire pole. A state Department of Labor and Industries investigation resulted in the fining of the Fire Department for serious safety violations. Originally, Jones was only receiving minimal worker’s compensation benefits under Washington state’s current system. While the older system had a “safety net” intended for catastrophic injuries, the new system does not cover firefighters. However, following a six-week trial, the the jury agreed with Jones awarding $12.7 million in his favor. The verdict includes Jones’ caretaking and medical expenses.

Since the accident, the fire department has installed more safety measures. Reflective tape has been put around the fire pole shafts, as well as protective glass doors with special handles that will not open unless they are pushed inward. In more modern stations, the doors won’t even open unless the fire alarm sounds. This is meant to prevent accidents from Jones’ to happen again.

Regardless of the occupation, it is possible for accidents to occur on the job. Injuries that are sustained while working may be protected under worker’s compensation disability claims. It is important to investigate the options available, and The Law Offices of Bredell and Bredell are here to help. Should you or a loved one be injured at working and feel you are entitled to worker’s compensation, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Fatal Fall in Operating Room Results in Wrongful Death Suit

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Following  hip surgery at Boston Medical Center, patient Catherine O’Donnell died when she fell from the operating table. The family sued the hospital for wrongful death, and was all set to go to trial. However, a settlement of $900,000 was reached and halted the proceedings. This also rescued Boston University’s teaching hospital an embarrassing trip to a superior court. Although the Boston Medical Center refused to comment, the counsel for the plaintiff’s maintain that this victory will promote further change in health care policy and protocol.

O’Donnell was eighty-six years-old when she died on October 13th, 2007. As she was being transferred from the operating room to her hospital bed following hip surgery, she fell off the table causing massive head injuries–including fracture of the skull and severe internal bleeding.

O’Donnell was lying on a surgical table designed for hip surgeries, according to court documents. This special table is designed to have boots at one end that secure a patients feet, while the other side has an opening that allows doctors to take X-rays. Nurse Harvinder Miller removed the belt on the table in order to prepare O’Donnell to move to the next table. However, as she walked around to the other side of the table, she witnessed the patient slip off the table. The nurse held her ground that there was nothing she could have done to prevent the fall.

However, the state Department of Public Health investigated this case in fall, 2007 and disagreed with the medical practitioner. It was determined that the fall led to O’Donnell’s death, and that there were errors in the procedure. The Boston Medical Center’s own investigations show that the operating staff was busy and/or preoccupied during the procedure. Additionally, the removal of the safety belt securing the patient was not verbally communicated, and therefore not recognized.

Dr. Carlos Guzman, an anesthesiology resident, Dr. John Pryor, an orthopedic resident, along with Nurse Miller and Nurse Ingrid Rush were all named as defendants in this wrongful death suit. The family insists that the medical staff present were negligent in keeping a close eye on O’Donnell, and they delivered below average care. Additionally, the hospital did not inform the family of the severe head injury until after they reported to the success of the hip surgery. In that way, the family of the deceased also felt that the Boston Medical Center was insensitive to their loss and grieving.

Wrongful death accidents are devastating, especially if they result from a simple accident that was preventable. It is even more disheartening when those we trust to take the utmost care of our loved ones are the ones who prove to be negligent. The Law Offices of Bredell and Bredell have years of experience handling wrongful death suits and are here to help you. Should such a situation have occurred to you and your family, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Montana State Senator Charged with 3 Felonies After Boat Crash

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Although boating is a very enjoyable activity, recreational accidents can and do happen–especially if the driver of the boat was intoxicated. Last week, felony charges were filed against Montana State Senator Greg Barkus after he crashed a boat at high speed into a rocky barge after a night of drinking.

On August 27th, 2009 Senator Barkus was drinking scotch and wine during a dinner with other fellow legislators U.S. Representative Denny Reheberg, as well as his state director, Dustin Frost. The waitress who served him reported that she gave him two scotch drinks, while others at the restaurant report that Senator Barkus was drinking red wine following dinner.

Although those at the dinner maintained that he did not seem intoxicated or impaired when they left the restaurant, Senator Barkus had a blood-alcohol level of .16 when tested two hours later at the hospital. His level was twice the legal limit. When Senator Barkus was tested a second time, almost four hours later, he was still legally drunk with a blood-alcohol level of .12.

The boat involved in the crash did not have a spotlight, nor any other form of lighting. To navigate it was using a GPS system, traveling as fast as 45 miles per hour. One of the passengers reported that he was traveling at full speed. Additionally, another passenger has said that at one point during the trip Senator Barkus seemed confused about their direction. Because of this, he made a huge change in course direction. Almost immediately afterward, the boat went airborne, and then crashed onto a rocky embankment.

When Senator Barkus crashed the boat in Flathead Lake, Representative Rehberg suffered a broken ankle, among other injuries. However, he received the least injury. Frost spent ten days in a coma, and has been left with catastrophic brain injuries. Senator Barkus broke his pelvis and ribs, and two other passengers were also hurt.

Because of the boating accident, Senator Barkus faces charges of criminal endangerment and two counts of negligent vehicular assault. According to court documents, each of these have a penalty of up to ten years in prison, along with significant fines. However, one of the negligence counts cites the serious injuries to Representative Rehberg, and the other concerns the severe injuries to Frost.

Representative Rehberg, as well as Frost’s family, maintain that this was an unfortunate accident, but nothing more. Because this case is very high-profile, the judges in Flathead County decided to send the crime lab evidence out of state in order to avoid favoritism for the state senator.

However, Senator Barkus’ record is not a clean one. He was arrested in 2004 for suspicion of drunk driving, but was ultimately convicted of reckless driving. Although his term ends in December, if convicted of a felony before his term ends he will be forced from office early.

Driving a boat has the potential to be very dangerous, and requires the utmost attention at all times. Adding darkness and alcohol to the combination makes that possibility much more likely. It is important that everyone, not just those in the public eye, are careful not to drive any vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Drunk driving accidents are even more devestating because they are completely preventable. The Law Offices of Bredell and Bredell has years of experience handling both recreational accidents, as well as drunk driving accidents. If you or a loved one have been injured in such an accident, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Los Angeles Metrolink System Drastically Needing Reform

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Last year, twenty-five people were killed in a head-on collision while riding on the Los Angeles’ Metrolink system. And although that made national headlines, many more people have died since due to pedestrian and automobile collisions with the train. Clearly, a solution to this problem is needed.

From 1993-2008, a reported 244 people have been killed on the Metrolink rail system. However, hundreds more people suffered severe, but non-fatal injuries. Those who are critical of the Metrolink believe that it has not done enough to make safety changes, much like the Metropolitan Transportation authority, a sister company.

There are several crossings within the Metrolink system that present a serious safety threat–many are complete with sharp turns and confusing signals that allow hardly any time for drivers to move. It is asking for an accident.  It is not surprising that many Metrolink intersections have all seen prior accidents.

Despite the number of incidents, Metrolink rail system has yet to do anything about the problem. Additionally, following each accident, the organization denied any responsibility, instead blaming the deaths on the motorists who attempted to beat the train. Even after the National Transportation Safety Board heavily criticized their crossing design and signal system, no change was made. Because they faced no legal obligation to follow federal recommendations, only minor issues were modified. The attention has largely been focused on gaining riders, rather than improving safety.

This is all in complete contrast to the MTA, the largest of the five agencies. They also had numerous accidents and deaths after initiating their service in 1990. Since then, they have dedicated a large amount of their resources to analyzing the causes of such incidents, and what to do to prevent them. After proceeding to make several changes, the amount of accidents has dramatically decreased.

Public transportation can be useful, but can also be dangerous with the mass amount of people that utilize it. In areas that have high accident numbers, it is important to make the necessary changes so that all people who use the system can go to their destination safely. The Law Offices of Bredell and Bredell are experienced attorneys who have the resources to fight for you, should you be injured in a public transportation accident. If this applies to you or a loved one, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Catastrophic Injuries from Girl’s Cheerleading on the Rise

Monday, September 21, 2009

A popular sport for young ladies during their school years is cheerleading. This athletic activity was the favorite of fourteen year-old Laura Jackson. However, while trying out for her high school’s varsity squad sustained a catastrophic injury. An attempt at a back flip went wrong, and there was not a trained spotter on hand. As a result of the accident, Laura is now paralyzed and uses a ventilator to assist with breathing.

According to Amy Bohn, a physician at the University of Michigan Health System’s Department of Family Medicine, cheerleading has become the top cause of catastrophic injury to female athletes. The amount of injuries sustained while cheerleading have increased significantly over the past few decades. Data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the rate has gone from 5,000 in 1980 to 28,000 in the past few years. Additionally, The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research determined that cheerleading injuries account for 66% of all female catastrophic injures in high school and college.

Most injuries sustained while cheerleading are common among any sport–muscle strains, pulls, ligament injuries, tendon injuries, and so on. However, Bohn says the concern arises from the fact that there is a recent amount of increasingly severe injuries as a result of the sport. The rise in catastrophic injuries due to cheerleading seems to be because not only is participation at an all time high,  but also because the degree of difficulty and skill required has increased. There is a great degree of acrobatic ability and stunt activities involved that makes cheerleading primed for accidents.

To combat the increasing number of catastrophic injuries, it is important that the coaching staff have experience in injury prevention, first aid and CPR. Additionally, it is key that they are trained in how to develop athletes’ strength, conditioning, and flexibility. A spring-loaded floor along with mats can help prevent injury.

Catastrophic injuries are devastating and life-changing. Whenever participating in an activity that has hazardous situations, such as cheerleading, it is important to always make sure that trained professionals present in case an accident does occur. The Law Offices of Bredell and Bredell have years of experience helping those severely injured in various types of sporting and recreational accidents. If you or a loved one has been catastrophically injured in a sporting or recreational accident, please do not hesitate to contact us immediately.

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