Saturday, November 13, 2010

Types of Memory Loss

The brain is a phenomenal component of human function and interaction. This massively powerful organ is vital to human thinking, movement and overall functioning. However, it is also an extremely sensitive organism, making it susceptible to injury. Because of this, traumatic head injuries can easily lead to brain damage in many forms, including memory loss. The loss of memory function is a very serious injury, and by better understanding what the symptoms of memory loss are, you are better able to take steps for the protection of your personal well-being and the well-being of those you love.

Memory Loss Symptoms

The loss of memory function can be caused through a number of means, including brain growths, suffocation, brain surgery, depression, and serious head injuries or concussions. No matter the cause, it is important to note the many symptoms that can be indicative of a diminishing memory function, which can be permanent or temporary but should always be looked over by a medical professional. These include the following:

No longer being able to remember important dates
Losing the ability to remember appointments and plans
Running errands only to forget the purpose of the trip
Having trouble staying on track or frequently getting lost
Suddenly forgetting how to complete common, routine tasks
Overall confusion with everyday things
Inability to focus or stay alert
Having difficulty making decisions

When the above symptoms occur, they may be a sign of impaired memory abilities, which should be considered a serious occurrence deserving of medical attention. If your loss of memory abilities or the memory loss of a loved one has been caused due to an injury occurring while on the job, an experienced legal professional can help you seek the compensation you deserve.

For More Information

For more information on memory loss, brain injuries, or workers' compensation, visit the website of the Pennsylvania head injury attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. today.




David Caldwell

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Saturday, October 16, 2010

Dysarthria and Speech

When an individual suffers from a degenerative disease or sustained serious head trauma, the effects can destroy major functions in the brain, leading to a drastic change in lifestyle. Although many people may not commonly associate brain damage with language loss, a speech disorder known as dysarthria can occur if the brain is injured. This specific speech disorder is characterized by a lack of articulation, as the most noticeable change due to this disorder comes in the deterioration of motor skills related to speech organs.

The causes for dysarthria include diseases and forms of trauma that can be particularly damaging to the human brain. Obviously, a strong blow to the head, whether from being hit with an object, being involved in a car accident, or slipping and falling can be a major cause for brain damage of this sort. Additionally, diseases and health concerns such as strokes, Parkinson's syndrome, ataxia, and ALS can all contribute to the development of this disorder.

As dysarthria is considered more of an umbrella term for specific nerve damage, many sufferers can cite multiple forms of dysarthria due to their injuries. This disorder can affect a number of major nerves, including the facial nerve, which is responsible for controlling many facial features as well as formulating speech.

Treatment for dysarthria can be a laborious process that requires long-term speech therapy. Considering that this speech disorder directly affects the physical strength and use of these nerves and features, many exercises used attempt to rework these areas through repetitive motions and basic motor movements. In addition to attending regular treatment sessions, sufferers may be expected to practice their speech patterns on their own in order to reinforce connections.

For more information about dysarthria and how injuries causing brain damage can have legal repercussions, contact a personal injury attorney.




For more information regarding your rights in case of an accident, contact the Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorneys of Salpeter Gitkin Law Firm today.

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Monday, August 30, 2010

Medical Liens And Patient Payment In North Carolina

INTRODUCTION

The traumatically brain injured constitute an ever growing segment of our population. Each year, approximately 1.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury in the United States. The costs of a brain injury are not purely financial. Often, a brain injury starts a downward spiral in the survivor's life where the emotional and physical ramifications quickly exceed the financial ones.

Once the acute care period is over and the patient is stabilized, the resources available to the patient can substantially impact treatment and recovery. In a perfect world, every patient would have unlimited access to the best resources available to meet their needs. Ours unfortunately is not a perfect world.

The consequences of a traumatic brain injury are far reaching. Not only are there treatment costs associated with the recovery from the acute injuries, but there are the costs of long term care and supervision, the lost support to the family unit that the injured party previously contributed, the increased physical demands placed upon the caregivers and family of the survivor to meet the needs of their injured loved ones, and the family having to step into the breach of the role that the injured person previously contributed to the family.

The analysis will focus on the sources of funding for treatment and assistance to the traumatically brain injured from First Party Resources.

FIRST PARTY RESOURCES

The person who is ultimately responsible to pay for the treatment and medical care which they receive is the person receiving the care.

A. Persons who sign medical procedure authorizations are also responsible unless they specifically and carefully limit their personal responsibility in the authorizing document. North Carolina has adopted the common law Doctrine of Necessaries. Pursuant to that body of law, a spouse or parent is legally responsible to pay for the necessaries of their spouse or children. In order for the Doctrine of Necessaries to apply, the items or services provided must be required for sustenance or support.

B. Medical Liens

North Carolina allows most health care providers to assert a medical lien against the proceeds of any recovery from a third party received by their patients. The lien is creature of statute. The statute sets forth the steps and procedures which must be followed in order to maintain and perfect a medical lien. Medical liens are perfected by filing notice of the lien with the patient's attorney.

1. The Specifics. Any person who provides drugs, medical supplies, ambulance services, services rendered by any physician, dentist, nurse or hospital or services rendered in connection with an injury is entitled to a lien upon any sums recovered as damages for personal injury.

a. No lien is valid unless the medical lien claimant "furnishes, without charge to the attorney as a condition precedent to the creation of the lien, upon request, to the attorney representing the person in whose behalf the claim for personal injury is made, an itemized statement, hospital record, or medical report for the use of the attorney in the negotiation, settlement or trial of the claim..." and a "written notice to the attorney of the lien claimed." N.C.G.S. 44-49(B).

b. The general statutes further limit the lien to no more than fifty (50%) percent of the amount of damages recovered. N.C.G.S 44-50.

c. The medical lien is paid before disbursement of any funds to the injured party. N.C.G.S 44-50.

2. Pro Rata Distribution

Where the monies available from the settlement are insufficient, within the statutory limitation, to satisfy all the medical lien claimants, each lienholder shall receive a pro-rata distribution. The medical lien claimants are entitled to receive a certification from the payor attorney containing sufficient information to demonstrate that the distribution was pro rata and consistent with the statutes. This certification typically includes a statement of all of the following:

a. The amount of the settlement or judgment.

b. The total distribution to lienholders, the amount of each lien claimed, and the percentage of each lien paid.

c. The total attorney's fees. N.C.G.S. 44-50.1

CONCLUSION

Traumatic Brain Injuries are often referred to as the silent epidemic. A person's life can be substantially and dramatically affected by a brain injury. Those of you serving on the front lines want the best outcome for their patients and clients. By securing all available funding, our patients/clients can focus on their recovery.




Perry Fisher has over 20 years of experience and specializes in traumatic brain injury. P. Fisher's North Carolina law firm provides personal attention and takes the burden of the legal issues off the shoulders of their clients. Only a specialized brain injury attorney can effectively resolve his clients' problems.

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Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Brain Injury Awareness Month: March 2010

March is Brain Injury Awareness month. Discover what's happening in your area during Brain Injury Awareness month.



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Sunday, August 22, 2010

Robotics in neurorehabilitation

How robots can help people who are recovering from a stroke or brain injury.



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Thursday, August 12, 2010

Head Or Brain Injury

Traumatic injury to the head can damage the delicate tissues of the brain. Even if the full damage is not visible, brain injuries are often serious and life altering. The symptoms of brain damage vary widely, depending upon the type and extent of the injury. The most common causes of traumatic head injuries are motor vehicle accidents, falls, and firearms.

Two Categories of Brain Injury

Often, traumatic brain injuries are classified into two categories: penetrating head injury and closed head injury.


  1. A penetrating head injury, or open wound, is visible and involves an actual penetration of the skull and brain tissue.

  2. A closed head injury is the more common type of traumatic brain injury. These vary widely in severity. For example, a minor concussion is a form of closed head injury. On the other end of the spectrum, a closed head injury can result in complete disability, loss of physical function and cognitive ability, or even death.


Symptoms of Brain Injury

Sometimes the symptoms of a profound head injury are not immediately apparent. However, there are recognized symptoms of brain damage. Signs of closed head injury include unconsciousness at the accident site, a coma, or seizure(s). If an individual sustains any injury to the head, it is important to seek immediate medical attention.

When a person's head is struck or jarred in an accident, be on the lookout for headaches, nausea, confusion, or other problems with concentration or memory. Personality changes also may signal a traumatic brain injury. The injured person might become unusually irritable, angry, or depressed. Family, friends, and co-workers may notice these changes, while the injured person does not. Once again, prompt medical attention is very important for a suspected injury.

The Glasgow Coma Scale

The outcome of a traumatic brain injury varies greatly, depending on its severity. A treating physician often uses the Glasgow Coma Scale to assess the extent of the damage.

The Glasgow Coma Scale measures a closed head injury victim's ability to open his or her eyes, provide verbal responses, and provide motor responses. The scale ranges between a score of three to fifteen. The higher the score, the better the overall prognosis.

Brain Injury Statistics

Traumatic head injuries are all too common. According to the Brain Injury Association, over 1.9 million Americans suffer a brain injury each year, and approximately 80,000 of those injuries result in long-term disability. The estimated cost of caring for traumatic brain injury victims is enormous -- over $48 billion dollars per year.

Head or Brain Injury & Michigan Auto Law

Michigan auto no-fault law requires auto accident victims in Michigan to prove that their injury represents a "serious impairment of a body function." The Michigan auto no-fault law defines a "serious impairment of a body function" as an objectively manifested impairment of an important body function that affects a persons general ability to live his or her normal life.

Michigan courts have interpreted the Michigan auto no-fault threshold to restrict access to the courts for many seriously injured auto accident victims. However, Michigan auto no-fault law provides for an exception to this threshold if the auto accident victim is able to claim a closed head injury.

Michgan law, MCL 500.3135(2)(a)(ii), states:

For a closed head injury, a question of fact for the jury is created if a licensed allopathic or osteopathic physician who regularly diagnosis or treats close-head injuries testifies under oath that there may be a serious neurological injury.

If you or a loved one suffered a serious accident involving a closed head injury, brain injury or head injury, talk with an experienced Michigan personal injury lawyer.




Attorney Marya Sieminski joined the Law Offices of Sam Bernstein in 2003. She is admitted to practice law in Michigan state courts and in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated magna cum laude from Wayne State University Law School. Marya has worked as a trial lawyer for 10 years and exclusively represented victims in personal injury litigation and in workers compensation claims. She also was appointed by the Governor to serve on the State of Michigan Workers Compensation Qualifications Advisory Committee.

The Law Offices of Samuel I. Bernstein, our Michigan accident and personal injury law firm, has championed the cause of seriously injured Michigan accident victims for three generations.

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