Fredericksburg Personal Injury Attorney Nathan J. D. Veldhuis

Author: Attorney Nathan J. D. Veldhuis

*This originally article was published in the Fall 2011 Issue 11-3 of Headway Newsletter, Brain Injury Association of Virginia

The trial lawyer’s duty to prove the nature and extent of brain injuries in personal injury cases involving traumatic brain injury (TBI) requires that lawyers keep up advances in medical diagnosis and treatment.  Many of these advances are made through the development and use of technology.  In many cases involving traumatic brain injury, the results of routine  diagnostic tests, such as MRIs[1] and CT Scans, are normal and do not show the injury. This is true even when a person has clearly sustained a permanent traumatic brain injury and is demonstrating symptoms such as post-traumatic amnesia, changes in mood and personality, and changes in attention and concentration.  However, these symptoms are viewed as subjective evidence of the injury.[2]

Years after the injury, the person in a personal injury case who has sustained a traumatic brain injury may have regular CT Scans and MRIs with normal readings because the brain swelling has subsided. The inability to produce objective evidence to support a finding of permanent brain injury has always been a difficult challenge in these kinds of cases.

Recently, some new diagnostic tools have been developed which can produce objective signs of permanent brain injury years after the initial trauma. The latest neuro-anatomic technology is a test called the “3 Tesla MRI”, which provides the ability to compare the brain of someone who has had a brain injury with a group of normal control subjects of the same age.  Despite the fact that these tests may take place a number of years following the injury, they constitute the most current technology to identify patterns of change and reveal objective evidence of injuries not seen in routine readings of MRI and CT Scan imaging.[3]

The 3 Tesla MRI differs from a standard MRI test in the strength and measurement of the magnetic field.  The 3 Tesla MRI allows images to a resolution of a half-millimeter in terms of brain structure.  In addition, this new MRI allows for a new very specific type of measurement of the brain tissue to get an objective percentage-based finding of how the brain-injured person’s brain compares to normal brain tissue.

Gregory O’Shanick, MD, an expert in this area, has described it thus, “The technology uses a sophisticated mathematical formula to calculate the volume of the brain based upon measurements of brain tissue with a specific type of imaging sequence.”

The studies are performed using a software program that provides healthcare providers with the means to quantify volume within regions of the brain. The comparisons of measurements are done in percentiles so that the patient would be evaluated in comparison to normal subjects of the same age range. The results would reveal how the injured person’s brain compares, in terms of a percentage of volume, to the normal range. Having this objective evidence using real numbers and percentages would appear to be an invaluable tool in attempting to prove the permanence of a brain injury even a number of years after the injury occurred.

These findings are especially useful when considered in the context of “Iowa Collateral Head Injury Interviews.” This interview format for suspected head injury victims has been proven through numerous studies to be effective in evaluating the nature and extent of the symptoms exhibited by the brain-injured person. Persons interviewed would include close family members and friends.  The interviews focus on the behavioral changes exhibited by the brain-injured person. The Iowa Collateral Head Injury Interview test evaluates 21 different items that are ranked from 0 to 2 (0 being no change and 2 being substantial change).  Collateral Head Injury Interview test scores at ten or higher are seen as being clearly abnormal.

When the findings of these interviews (the subjective evidence of neuro-behavioral problems) and the objective evidence of the 3 Tesla MRI tests are presented together, they provide a very persuasive means of determining and proving the nature and extent of the brain injury.  In the context of civil litigation, this is extremely helpful.[4]

For example, a 60-year-old woman suffering from moderate traumatic brain injury could have a regular MRI, interpreted in the traditional way, which would reveal no change. Using the new technology, the report could reveal any change she experienced as a consequence of the injury which was not detected in the traditional MRI reading.

From a purely neurological and healthcare perspective, these tests are of great importance, and can assist in ensuring the nature and extent of a person’s brain injury is fully recognized and diagnosed, so that treatment can be provided accordingly.

Richmond Personal Injury Attorney P. Christopher Guedri

Author: Attorney P. Christopher Guedri

It can happen in an instant. A puddle you never saw, a ball that bounced the wrong way, or a moment of inattention behind the wheel and you are forced to deal with a serious head trauma. Few things are more frightening than hearing that a loved one has suffered this type of injury. Parents drop everything and rush to schools, spouses hurry to hospitals, and entire families wait and pray. Only to find that most of the time, the victim is alright. A little shaken up and perhaps a bit confused, but starting to feel better and ready to go home. Whew. The crisis is over, right? Wrong.

When a person experiences a head trauma the head decelerates so fast that the brain continues traveling and strikes the inside of the skull. Direct damage from that impact is referred to as primary traumatic brain injury, and its consequences are generally noticeable immediately after the accident. However, the impact can also cause a slow bleed or swelling in the brain. Both lead to a slow increase of pressure inside the skull. In these cases the victim often appears fine, but all the time the intracranial pressure is increasing. This is known as secondary brain injury.[1]

In most cases it takes 12-24 hours for secondary brain injuries to develop to the point of showing easily recognizable symptoms. By this time the blood and oxygen flows to the brain can be severely compromised, resulting in brain herniation, coma, serious brain damage, or death.[2]

Secondary brain damage is deadly, but it is also often preventable. Many people choose not to seek medical attention after a head injury because after the initial pain they begin feeling better. Always remember that this quick recovery can hide the beginnings of a serious problem that could have devastating consequences.

Richmond Personal Injury Attorneys: P. Christopher Guedri & Douglas A. Barry

RICHMOND — Reposted from http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-richmond-man-awarded-23-million-dollars-in-lawsuit-20110303,0,72195.story

A Richmond man involved in a serious accident four years ago is awarded 23-million dollars.

A jury found Moen Inc. should pay 42-year-old Ricky Jones millions in damages for the 2007 accident.

Jones was driving a tractor trailer on I-295 when a Moen tractor-trailer pulled onto the interstate and collided with his vehicle.

Jones had to be cut from his vehicle and med-flighted to the hospital for treatment of  life threatening injuries.

Since then Jones has had one leg partially amputated, suffers from brain injury, and has undergone 26 surgeries.

Date: March 31st 2011
Time: Reception 6:30 pm, Comedy show 7:30 pm
Location: Jefferson Theater, 110 East Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Ticket price: $75 — Reception and comedy show, $20 — Comedy show only

For more information and tickets:
Website: http://building-a-bridge.org/news
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=124942894245476&index=1
Call: Daniela Ghaida (434) 989-1274; daghaida@building-a-bridge.org
Tickets also at Siips at the downtown mall
Tickets online at the Jefferson Theater

Details:
At the reception and silent auction that precedes the comedy show, our honored guest UVA football coach Mike London will take a few minutes from his busy schedule to remind us why we must never give up. Coach London will share with us some of his compelling personal narrative. As a community leader who shares our determination to make the most out of what we’ve got and our vision to move forward with our lives Building a Bridge will present him with our first ever “Never Quit” award.

Comedy show:
After the reception the evening continues with Jane Foy from WINA, Co-host and Producer at the Charlottesville Radiogroup who will host the comedy show introducing our two comedians: Frequent guest on The Tonight Show and recipient of the National Humor Treasure Award, Brett Leake will be headlining the evening. Brett, himself no stranger to adversity, describes himself as a sit-down stand up comic as he performs his act from a wheelchair.

Tony Deyo, a comic and former professional symphony musician, who bills himself as semi-obscure but who co-authored The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Jokes and was part of HBO’s U.S. Comedy Arts Festival will also entertain.

The brain injury attorneys of Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen are proud to sponsor this event and Building A Bridge. Building A Bridge is a private, long-term residential community for adult survivors of traumatic brain injury in Charlottesville, Virginia.

BIAA honored BIAV for their work using public service announcements (PSA’s) to inform Virginians about the dangers of sports concussion, a topic that has generated quite a bit of concern, from national professional sports organizations, including the National Football League, to local school and travel sports teams.

BIAA, the country’s oldest and largest nationwide brain injury advocacy organization, was founded in 1980. BIAA and 40 chartered state affiliates exist to provide help, hope and healing to people with brain injury and their families, educate the public on the risks and impact of brain injury, and advocate for legislation and improved medical and community based services. Collectively, they serve over 3 million individuals.

“National awards are always exciting, and we are very proud that the value of our statewide educational campaign to reduce injury and enhance concussion management by coaches, parents and student athletes has been appropriately recognized,” said Anne H. McDonnell, Executive Director of the Brain Injury Association of Virginia.

The PSA’s emphasized early identification and proper management of sports concussion.  “Concussions are generally reversible events provided they are recognized early, treated appropriately and prevented from reoccurring during the recovery phase,” said Dr. Gregory O’Shanick, Medical Director of the Brain Injury Association of America, and Medical Director of the Center for Neurorehabilitation Services in Midlothian, Virginia.

To find out more information about the Brain Injury Association of Virginia, visit www.biav.net. To view the PSA’s, visit BIAV’s YouTube page at http://www.youtube.com/user/biavirginia. To learn more about brain injury and sports concussion, visit http://www.biav.net/sports-concussion.htm or http://www.biav.net/BIAV-concussion-PSA.htm

The personal injury law firm of Allen & Allen was proud to be a part of the development and production of these Public Service Announcements. Allen & Allen attorneys have handled thousands of brain injury cases from mild traumatic brain injury to severe traumatic brain injury to hypoxic brain injury and brain injury cases resulting from medical malpractice. The brain injury attorneys of Allen & Allen are active supporters of the Brain Injury Association of Virginia.

Richmond TBI Attorney P. Christopher Guedri

Author: Attorney P. Christopher Guedri

Many of our clients have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A traumatic brain injury can drastically change the life of the victim and their loved ones. In some severe cases, the person who has suffered the brain injury is no longer able to live independently and needs temporary or permanent living assistance.

In Charlottesville one organization is dedicated to proving living assistance to adults with traumatic brain injuries: Building a Bridge.

The Building a Bridge (hereafter “The Bridge”) organization, a tax-exempt Virginia corporation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, operates in the City of Charlottesville. The organization provides lifelong homes and residential staff to adults who have disabilities arising from the aftermath of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Traumatic brain injury is a life-altering event that can happen easily to anyone, in the midst of the most routine activities.

In the The Bridge program, the primary purpose and activities are the fostering of a family-like setting for daily life wherein brain-injured adults can live to the greatest degree possible as independent members of the general community, rather than as dependent members in the households of their families of origin or as institutional clients.

At The Bridge, the staff lives together with the residents and devote 100% of their time to run households that create the maximum opportunities for disabled residents to take an adult role in life.  Some of the residents hold a regular job, attend classes and cultural activities in the community, interact socially with members of other households in the Bridge community, travel for vacations (usually to visit family), participate in the general upkeep of the homes in which they live, and help out at the other Bridge homes with various things such as preparing meals or raking leaves in the autumn.  The in-house weekly art- and music therapy is well attended by the residents.

Because of the family-style arrangement at The Bridge, the needs for support that are unique to each resident can be addressed.  For example, some residents are capable of using the city bus for transportation, while others’ disabilities require assisted public transportation, and still others need to be driven to appointments by Bridge staff members.

Persons who sustained a traumatic brain injury often had academic and professional backgrounds prior to their trauma. Hence, the location of four homes in the downtown neighborhoods of Charlottesville (three owned by The Bridge) within the Charlottesville community is extremely important. It offers not only extensive medical facilities and experts, but also a rich academic and cultural life of a university town, all of which is so important for the integration and inclusion of the disabled adult.

Contact information on Building a Bridge: www.building-a-bridge.org | Phone: 434 293-6446
723 Lexington Avenue | Charlottesville, VA 22902

Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

For decades, the brain injury attorneys at the law firm of Allen & Allen have worked with clients who have suffered brain injuries caused by the negligence of others. Often these injuries are a result of falls, as a result of product defects, from car, motorcycle, or truck accidents, or from a myriad of other circumstances. Each year, approximately 1.5 million Americans suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) of some degree. 1 Because many of our clients have sustained this type of injury, our attorneys are accustomed to seeing the many and varied causes and manifestations of traumatic brain injury.

Of course, we are not physicians, and we do not diagnose brain injuries. However, we try to remain alert to the possibility that a client may have sustained an unrecognized brain injury in addition to more obvious injuries like a broken leg, lacerated spleen, or shoulder and neck strain. Surprisingly, these injuries can be difficult to diagnose.

Symptoms of traumatic brain injury can range from subtle, easy to overlook, effects to the more obvious, impossible to ignore, signs. Patients — and even health care providers 2 — often fail to recognize the more subtle symptoms of a mild brain injury; often they assume these symptoms are either exaggerated or related to other medical conditions. Sometimes even family members may notice a change in a relative’s behavior or listen to his description of seemingly random complaints, but conclude these signs are associated with problems at work or just “getting older”.

The truth is that traumatic brain injuries may be revealed through a wide variety of physical and psychological symptoms. 3 Sometimes it takes modern technology, in the form of a medical device like a MRI or a CT scan, to pinpoint or document such an injury. However, the most important thing for the injured person and his family to do is pay attention to all symptoms and act immediately to seek medical help when they suggest a possible brain injury.

Typical signs and symptoms of mild traumatic brain injuries (like a concussion) may include some of the following:

• Loss of consciousness, usually for a brief period at the time of injury
• Headaches
• Dizziness or loss of balance
• Inability to concentrate
• Memory problems
• Amnesia for events occurring just before or after an injury
• Changes in mood or behavior
• Confusion
• Blurred vision, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), or a bad taste in the mouth

It’s easier to recognize and diagnose persons who have suffered moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries because many are hospitalized immediately after an injury and undergo extensive testing. Moreover, their symptoms are likely to be more obvious; they may include:

• Seizures or convulsions
• Continued vomiting or nausea.
• Persistent headaches
• Combativeness and/or agitation
• Loss of coordination
• Slurring of speech
• Dilation of one or both pupils of the eye
• Profound confusion
• Weakness or numbness in arms or legs
• An inability to awaken from sleep

Always keep in mind that some signs of serious traumatic brain injury come on gradually, weeks or months after an initial injury. For example, an elderly person may fall and hit his head, but the signs and symptoms of a developing subdural hematoma may not become obvious for many weeks. When they do, the patient and/or his family must act quickly to get appropriate, potentially lifesaving medical care.

Children may be harder to diagnose because they are often too young to communicate effectively. For this reason, parents should look for changes in a child’s normal behavior such as:

• Altered sleep patterns
• Deteriorating academic performance at school
• Loss of interest in favorite toys or activities
• Listless behavior and unusual crankiness
• Refusal to eat

Even a mild brain injury can have adverse effects on a person’s daily activities, employment, and enjoyment of life. For this reason, the sooner a diagnosis is made and treatment begins, the sooner a brain injured person can move towards recovery. 4

2 -To assist health care providers to diagnose these injuries, the Centers for Disease Control has prepared information on mild traumatic brain injuries; see “Heads Up: Facts for Physicians about Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries” at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/tbi_toolkit/physicians/mtbi/mtbi.pdf.

3 -For more information, see the “Traumatic Brain Injury” information at the National Institutes of Health‘s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm.

4 -For more information about diagnostic tools, see information at the Mayo Clinic’s website at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/traumatic-brain-injury/DS00552/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis.

Multiple Concussions are Dangerous

Concussions are among the most widely reported injuries in young people who participate in sports and recreational activities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated there are as many as 3.8 million sports and recreation related concussions in the United States every year. 1

Classified as traumatic brain injuries, concussions are caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that causes the soft, gelatin- like substance of the brain to move rapidly back and forth inside the hard, bony skull. Concussions can change the way the brain normally works.

Although most of us associate concussions with “contact” sports like football, ice hockey, or basketball, they can also occur in any sport or recreational activity. A concussion can occur from a fall on the ground, tennis court, squash court, or even from falling against a wall or goal post. Furthermore, you don’t have to be “knocked out” or lose consciousness to suffer a concussion.

Most young people make a good recovery from a single concussion that is recognized and treated appropriately. However, mounting evidence shows that repetitive head injuries can cause serious, permanent brain damage. Every year children in the United States suffer serious injury or death as a result of a concussion in sports and recreational activities.

Youngsters who experience multiple concussions may take longer to recover after each concussion. They may also endure prolonged post-concussion symptoms and suffer cognitive impairment.

Recently, the media has focused on retired NFL football players who appear to suffer an unusually high rate of dementia that doctors now attribute to the head traumas they suffered during their playing days. The medical condition, known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE, is a disease that damages the brains of athletes and others who suffer repeated blows to the head.

Perhaps more alarming, however, is a medical condition seen only in children, Second Impact Syndrome (SIS). Although rare, it may occur when a child sustains a second (perhaps minor) trauma to the head before he or she has recovered from a prior concussion. This re-injury can lead to a series of medical events that causes rapid brain swelling, a dangerous and sometimes life-threatening condition.

Given the risks associated with cumulative concussions, coaches and parents must take the lead in protecting children from these injuries. Coaches, athletes and parents all want their team to perform well, but the safety of the players must be the paramount concern. Often it can be difficult to determine how soon after a blow to the head it is safe for a child to return to play. The following guidelines, suggested by the CDC, are just common sense.

• Keep an eye on your players or children at all times. Watch for blows to the head and falls during practice, games, and other activities; look closely for signs and symptoms of concussion after these events.
• A coach should immediately remove from play an athlete who displays or reports the signs or symptoms of a concussion. He should ensure the player is evaluated promptly by an appropriate health care professional. If the coach does not follow this protocol, a parent should intervene whenever possible. A coach has an obligation to inform the athlete’s parents or guardians about a possible concussion and to recommend prompt and proper medical care.
• Keep in mind the athlete himself may not be a reliable source of information. He may not want to report his symptoms for fear of being taken out of a game or letting his team down.
• Do not allow a youngster who has suffered a concussion to return to any physical activity or sport until he has been cleared to do so by a doctor familiar with the American Academy of Neurology guidelines regarding prevention of SIS and cumulative brain injury.

Most concussion symptoms disappear within a week or so. After multiple concussions, however, symptoms can persist for weeks or months. What general signs and symptoms should a parent look for?

• Headache, which is a common symptom
• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness, problems with balance
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Fatigue, a change in sleep habits like sleeping more or less than usual
• Irritability
• Inability to concentrate or remember
• A “foggy” feeling

The CDC suggests that, in addition to the above symptoms, a coach should be alert for more subtle signs and symptoms in the minutes following an event that might cause a concussion:

• The athlete appears dazed or stunned after a hit or fall.
• He appears confused about his game assignment or position.
• He forgets sports plays.
• He is uncertain of the score, game, or opponent.
• He moves clumsily or is unsteady on his feet..
• He answers questions slowly or with hesitation.
• He loses consciousness (even very briefly).
• He exhibits changes in his behavior or personality.
• His memory is affected – he doesn’t remember events before or after a hit or fall.

The CDC is a helpful resource for parents and coaches who want to protect young athletes from the dangerous effects of cumulative concussions. 2 Although many parents want their children to participate in sports for all the many benefits such participation brings, we all have a responsibility to help children do so safely.

2 - For more information, see CDC website “Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports” at http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/youth.html. See also other injury prevention topics at the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention & Control website at http://www.cdc.gov/injury/.

About the authors: For decades, the experienced head injury attorneys at Allen and Allen have represented victims of mild, moderate, and severe traumatic brain injury.

Attorney Jason W. Konvicka

Author: Attorney Jason W. Konvicka

This Christmas, many boys and girls will wake up to a new bicycle, scooter or skateboard under the tree. Hopefully they will also unwrap a new helmet to go with it.

Did you know that nearly 50 percent of children age 14 and under who are hospitalized for bicycle, in-line skating, and skateboard-related injuries are diagnosed with a brain injury? Many of those injuries could have been prevented through proper use of a helmet. For instance, wearing a helmet when riding a bike can reduce your risk of head injury by 85 percent, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Similar statistics exist for other sports as well.

Not all helmets, however, are created equal. Different sports require use of different types of helmets. Be sure to pick out the correct type of helmet for the activity your child will be engaged in. A knowledgeable salesperson at a sporting goods, bicycle, or skateboarding store can point you in the right direction. (1)

In addition, proper use and adjustment of a helmet is critically important. If the helmet doesn’t fit or is not worn properly, it will offer less protection. A helmet should be comfortable but snug. Also, make sure that the helmet sits level on your child’s head – not tilted too far back or forward. The chin strap should be securely fastened. (2) A properly fitted helmet should not move in any direction when adjusted and fastened properly.

Helmets need to be maintained and kept in good shape as well. Although helmets are designed to take a tough blow, they often need to be replaced if they have been involved in a serious accident. Many skateboard and bicycle shops will inspect helmets for free. When in doubt, replace a helmet that has sustained a serious impact. After all, your child’s head is at stake.

Finally, set a good example for your children. Be sure to wear a helmet when you ride a bike with your children. Let them see that wearing a helmet is “cool.” You will be leading by example and protecting yourself at the same time. Also, be firm when you set the ground rules. No helmet means no riding. And encourage helmet use at a young age. If young children learn to consistently wear a helmet any time that they are “on wheels,” they are more likely to continue the tradition as they get older.

Death and serious injury due to head injury isn’t something that can happen. It does happen. Don’t allow your children to take unnecessary risk with their lives. When they take that new bike, skateboard, or scooter out for its first ride, make sure that they do it in a properly fastened and well fitting helmet. Have a happy and healthy holiday season!

About the Author: Richmond accident attorney Jason Konvicka is experienced in handling personal injury cases involving bicycle accidents and traumatic brain injury.

(2) In 2005, a professional skateboarder and skateboard instructor, Eric Costello, died while demonstrating a move to a class at a skateboard park. He was skating in a bowl that was 10-12 feet deep. According to news reports, his helmet either did not fit or the chinstrap was not properly tightened, so that the helmet came off during the fall, resulting in massive head injuries that led to his death two days later. See article at http://www.nctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/article_5d154029-993e-5aae-916e-ebb10c84cfa3.html.

Attorney Jason W. Konvicka

Author: Attorney Jason W. Konvicka

I recently read an article that stated that a person sustains a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States every 21 seconds. In fact, the same article indicated that traumatic brain injuries occur more frequently and affect more people than breast cancer, AIDS, and Alzheimer’s disease combined. At first, I found these statistics surprising. I even questioned their accuracy despite having personally represented numerous traumatic brain injury victims over the years. Then, after further thought, the statistics made sense. It also reminded me that many times traumatic brain injuries go undiagnosed for weeks, months, and even years after an accident. In fact, some accident victims may never fully realize that they have sustained such an injury even though they and those around them feel that something just isn’t right.

One of the keys to recovery from a traumatic brain injury is prompt recognition. Once the extent and nature of the injury is determined, a treatment plan can be crafted that best meets the needs of the injured person. Further, diagnosis allows the injured person to come to grips with the new life that has been cast on them and it gives family and friends the opportunity to become a critically important support team.

So you might ask – How do I know if someone has suffered such an injury? First, consider the nature of the accident. Did the injured person hit their head? Did they sustain a complete or partial loss of consciousness? Traumatic brain injuries can be caused in a number of ways including car crashes, falls, occupational injuries, contact sports, and physical assault.

It’s helpful to know the signs and symptoms of such an injury. Outward evidence of a traumatic brain injury can develop immediately after an accident, but can also reveal itself over time. Further, signs and symptoms can range from the obvious to the subtle. Some of the more common include: loss of memory, dizziness, loss of balance, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), blurred vision, headaches, altered sense of taste and/or smell, personality changes, depression, reduced concentration, and impaired judgment.

Pediatricians often tell new parents that they will instinctively know when their child is sick enough to require a trip to the doctor. An innate sense will warn the parent that their child is not acting like themselves. The same can be true for loved ones who have suffered a traumatic brain injury. Some brain injuries are obvious, but many are not. In fact, many times only those close family members and friends who know the injured person best will recognize that a change has occurred. Sometimes the person who has suffered a mild traumatic brain injury is not aware of the injury themselves. If someone you know exhibits clear signs of a brain injury after an accident or is no longer acting like themselves, he or she might be one of the Americans who suffer such an injury every 21 seconds. If so, they need the assistance of a trained medical professional as well as your love and support.

About the Author: Jason Konvicka is a Richmond brain injury attorney. He has handled cases involving TBI, hypoxic brain injury and birth related injuries.