Doctors and brain injury lawyers agree: When TBI isn’t recognized and treated, we all pay

We’re in our last week of Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month. But just because it’s the end of March, doesn’t mean our brain injury lawyers are going to stop talking about this important subject.  Today I’d like to discuss how much it actually costs when someone sustains a traumatic brain injury.

As a lawyer, I’ve been helping people injured in car accidents and truck accidents for nearly 20 years, and I’ve personally seen the costs and the long-term consequences of the people I’ve helped who’ve suffered brain injury.  Brain injury doesn’t go away when the lawsuit does, despite what some not very kind people may think.

Accident attorney: “distracted walking”  accidents with earphones aren’t a punch-line anymore

It sounds at first like a punch-line to a joke or a movie gag.  Man with earphones. Man not paying attention. Man walks right into pole. Laugh track.

But even though it sounds odd, “distracted walking” - especially when someone is reading e-mails or listening to music, is very unsafe. And statistics show the injuries caused by such distracted walking accidents have tripled.

Pedestrians are already at risk using crosswalks and sidewalks around high traffic areas. But walking around with headphones on while listening to music creates a new dangerous situation when you are oblivious to the sounds around you.

On Thursday, I will be speaking to other personal injury lawyers at the Florida Justice Association 2012 Workhorse Seminar. My presentation will be about maximizing the value of cases in your auto accident tort practice.

There are no shortcuts or magic tricks to getting more money for your clients who are hurt in car and truck accidents due to the negligence of others.

Given that computer claims software programs like Colossus — which are being used by the insurance industry today — are causing  a decrease in the value of many personal injury cases, it’s up to personal injury lawyers to show juries how auto accident injuries have really impaired their clients lives, and to try cases whenever possible.

Spread the word during Brain Injury Awareness Month and be good to your brains!

As part of Brain Injury Awareness Month in March, I’d like to share this list with my readers, family and friends.

Every year in the U.S., 1.7 million people will sustain a traumatic brain injury. TBI is most often caused by car accidents, slip and falls or trip and falls, sports injuries especially with children and young adults in high school, and sadly, in the last 10 years combat injuries.

Study identifies TBI as a risk factor for stroke

Almost 20 years ago, I saw my first case where someone was hurt in a car accident, and then shortly, a few days later, suffered a stroke. The adjuster for the insurance company was quick to point out that this stroke was a superceding, intervening event that abruptly cut-off any liability for the injuries my client suffered in his car accident.

How to stay safe and prevent car accidents on one of the biggest drinking holidays of the year

Staying safe isn’t about luck, even on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s about being prepared and knowing ahead of time what you need to do to avoid drinking and driving and car accidents.

St. Patrick’s Day  is  no longer about celebrating with friends and family. It has turned into one of the biggest drinking days of the entire year, where people wearing green guzzle down green beer and some bars open very  early in the  morning. This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on  Saturday,  so we can expect a lot more people drinking all day and getting behind the wheel to drive.

Cell phone law in Michigan aims to prevent teen car accidents

Update: This bill passed the state Senate and is now headed to the house.

Car accidents are one of the top killers of teenagers in the United States. Government data shows that every year, more than 4,000 teens lose their lives in car accidents that are caused mostly by distracted driving.

Distracted driving includes everything from having too many passengers, to using a cell phone or texting while driving. Poor driving decisions also figures prominently as a cause for so many teen deaths.

Pediatric brain injury symptoms, statistics and accommodations

We’re now well into Brain Injury Awareness Month and our attorneys have gotten lots of great feedback to our blogs and to our $10,000 giveaway to the Brain Injury Association of Michigan. Today I’d like to discuss the topic of child brain injury, or as attorneys and doctors frequently refer to it, “pediatric acquired brain injury.”

Child brain injury is a very important topic that is not often addressed. And that’s odd considering that child brain injury is the No. 1 cause of death and disability for children and young adults in the United States.

Diminished attention and concentration frequently challenge Michigan auto accident victims suffering from TBI

Dangerous driving is an obstacle that many Michigan auto accident victims suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) must overcome.

According to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where the doctors and therapists specialize in treating auto accident-related TBI injuries:

“A traumatic brain injury can change a person’s decision making, processing time and ability to react to the world around them. A traumatic brain injury can affect how a person navigates when walking, arranging information, or completing daily living tasks, including driving. Some changes can be subtle, others can be more dramatic, it’s not uncommon for those who experience traumatic brain injury to be unaware that perceptual and processing skills are altered.”

Lawyer of 20 years and Michigan Auto Law partner is honored for protecting auto accident victims from abuse and his charitable work

I’m proud to announce that my partner Dave Christensen has been honored as a Leader in the Law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly for 2012.

Out of more than 40,000 Michigan  lawyers, Dave was chosen for this year’s honor by the legal newspaper.  Michigan Lawyers Weekly states that Leaders in the Law have a record of winning cases and solving problems, achieve success in their practices, display strong character, and are passionate and aggressive on behalf of clients.