Because traumatic brain injury is caused by a blunt force to the head, often a result of motor vehicle accidents and falls, head protection is one of the most effective ways of reducing the incidence of TBI.

Motorcycle helmets greatly enhance protection for all motorcycle drivers against TBIs, and contrary to popular opinion do not increase the possibility of neck injury.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcycle helmets are estimated to be 37% effective in preventing fatal injuries, and saved the lives of approximately 1,800 motorcyclists in 2007.

Approximately 140,000 head injuries per year are suffered by children involved in bicycle accidents.  The single most effective safety device available to reduce TBI and death from bicycle crashes is a helmet.    Studies estimate that as many as 85% of these injuries could be prevented by the use of protective helmets.  Additionally, be sure that all bicycles are periodically checked for any defects or damage and are properly maintained.

Car safety design and proper care in automobile seating is integral to preventing death or TBI.  This point has been made abundantly clear with the recent Toyota sudden acceleration defect recalls, as noted by our Chicago personal injury lawyers in various blog posts.

Air bags have been associated with a substantial reduction in fatalities and severe injury with adults, and side air bags which include head protection can decrease death from side impact crashes up to 45%.  With respect to children under 10 years of age seated in the front seat, however, there is a 34% increased risk of death from frontal crashes in cars equipped with dual airbags.  Young children should be seated in rear seats with child car seats properly secured according to manufacturer’s specifications where appropriate.

What to do if you believe you have suffered a TBI

First, immediately seek emergency care for your injuries and inform your treating health care professional of any symptoms, however minor you believe them to be.  In particular, any loss of consciousness (however brief), memory loss, feeling dazed and confused, headache, vomiting, nausea or seizures are signs of TBI.

Second, document any symptoms and complaints you might have as soon as possible, and again regardless of how minor they may seem.  Aggressively pursue treatment of your TBI with the best medical care possible.

Third, understand that TBI is a process, not an event, and that the injury continues to affect the brain for days and weeks after the accident.  Symptoms and problems may not show up until well after the accident has occurred, and should be documented and brought to the attention of your health care professional.

Fourth, ask your doctor for the proper tests to diagnose a brain injury.  While most doctors will order MRI or CAT scans, these will not show most TBIs.  Therefore you should request functional testing such as the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and/or a Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT) be performed.

Fifth, if problems persist, you may want to see a specialist in brain function, such as a neurologist, neuropsychologist or neurosurgeon.  A neuropsychologist, for example, is an expert in brain function, and can conduct tests that help determine the location and extent of any brain injury.

Finally, if you believe that you or a loved one’s head or brain injury was wrongfully caused, it is critical to contact a top Chicago brain injury attorney as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more likely evidence will “disappear,” and you may even lose your right to ever file a claim based on the statute of limitations (i.e., the time in which you must file a lawsuit).

To speak with an experienced Chicago brain injury lawyer at Passen Law Group, call us at (312) 527-4500 for a Free Case Evaluation.

The statistics of TBI are sobering.  According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 1.4 million people, or 1 in every 300, sustain a TBI each year in the United States.  Of these, 50,000 die from their injuries, 235,000 are hospitalized, and 1.1 million are treated and released by an emergency department.

The leading causes of TBI are falls (28%); motor-vehicle accidents (20%); struck by/against events (19%); and assaults (11%).  See chart above.  Many of these causes often stem from the negligence or reckless conduct of another individual or business — in which case, it is important to speak with a top Chicago brain injury lawyer to conduct a legal and factual investigation, and to preserve your rights.

The two age groups most at risk of sustaining TBI are children ages 0-4 year old and 15-19 year old.  Indeed, TBI is the leading cause of long-term disability among children and young adults.  Further breaking down the statistics, males are 1.5 times more likely as likely as females to sustain a TBI, and African-Americans have the highest death rate from TBI.  Direct medical costs and indirect costs such as lost productivity of TBI totaled an estimated $60 billion dollars in the United States in 2000.

In cases where TBI is wrongfully caused, our Chicago TBI attorneys consult with top investigators, medical professionals and life-care planners to consider the impact of the TBI on our children clients throughout the remainder of their long lives.  The compensation received by TBI victims and their families must compensate them for yesterday, today and tomorrow.

As alarming as these statistics are, the reality is that the incidence of traumatic brain injury is likely greatly under-reported.  First, the CDC numbers only include injuries reported by emergency rooms and health care professionals, and do not take into account people who are not seen in an emergency department, or who receive no care.  Second, it is almost certain that emergency rooms routinely fail to diagnose a significant percentage of TBIs, with some studies estimating that up to 85% of TBIs are missed.

Even when a TBI is diagnosed, where the injury is considered “mild”, i.e. where there is little or no loss of consciousness, problems often go unrecognized.  Individuals who suffer mild TBI are often sent home with assurances that they are fine.  However, research indicates that in approximately 15% of such cases, victims can continue to suffer severely debilitating symptoms, and remain unaware of the basis for their altered ability to function.

Altogether, approximately 5.3 million Americans, or about 2% of the population, currently have a long-term or lifelong need for help with everyday activities due to a TBI.  It has been estimated that as many as 40% of those hospitalized with a TBI have at least one unmet need for services one year after injury, ranging from issues with memory and problem solving to emotional distress and upset.

Each Chicago brain injury lawyer at Passen Law Group understands the responsibility we owe to our clients to fully investigate their case and to ensure they receive full compensation available under the law.  If you have any questions, or would like to speak with one of our TBI attorneys, call us at (312) 527-4500 for a Free Consultation.

As discussed previously, traumatic brain injuries are caused by a blunt trauma to the head — often a result of motor vehicle accidents, falls, explosions or other method involving a substantial amount of force directly to the head.  Where a TBI is suspected to have been caused by the carelessness or recklessness of another, it is important to contact a top-rated Chicago brain injury lawyer to discuss your case and ensure your rights are protected.

The severity of a traumatic brain injury can range from “mild,” with a brief change in consciousness or mental status, to “severe,” with an extended period of unconsciousness and amnesia.  TBI can result in both short-term and long-term problems with a person’s independent functioning.

Different areas of the brain impact different physical and cognitive functions.   Therefore, the location of the traumatic brain injury to the brain will largely determine the nature and extent of physical and cognitive deficiencies as a result of the TBI.  See the chart above for the different Functions of the Brain impacted by TBI.

Symptoms can manifest in a variety of physical, cognitive and behavioral symptoms, including changes affecting thinking, language, learning, emotions, behavior and/or sensation.  Additionally, a TBI can result in far-reaching social and developmental consequences.  It is important to note that even a so-called “mild” TBI can result in long-term problems, with an estimated 15% of individuals diagnosed with mild TBI suffering severely debilitating symptoms long after injury.

Especially with children, whose brains are still developing, even mild TBI must be addressed immediately by the appropriate medical professionals — including neurologists, neuroradiologists and possibly neurosurgeons — to minimize permanent consequences of the brain damage.  Our Chicago child brain injury lawyers understand the complexities involved in TBI cases involving children, as well as the magnitude of our responsibility involved in protecting their rights through adulthood.

Physical symptoms of traumatic brain injury are both neurological and non-neurological.  Typical physical symptoms can include chronic headaches or neck pain, persistent exhaustion, mood changes, sleeplessness or changed sleep patterns, light-headedness, dizziness, loss of balance, impaired motor and autonomic function, nausea, increased sensitivity to light or sounds, blurred vision, sensory loss, and ringing in the ears.  Some long-term conditions include various movement disorders, seizures, persistent headaches, visual problems and sleep disorders.  TBIs have been directly linked to epilepsy and increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other brain disorders that become more prevalent with age.

Typical cognitive symptoms can include memory loss or difficulty remembering, inability to concentrate, difficulty in making decisions, slowed thinking, speaking or reading, confusion, inability to focus, and impaired visual perception.  Additionally, TBI can impact problem-solving, abstract reasoning, insight, judgment, planning, and organization.  These symptoms can change in severity and presentation over time, and often go unrecognized.

Typical behavioral symptoms can include verbal and physical aggression, agitation, decreased responsive ability, shallow self-awareness, altered sexual functioning, increased impulsivity, reduced social inhibition, mood disorders, personality changes, lack of emotional control, depression and anxiety.

The social consequences associated with TBI and its accompanying symptoms can be extremely serious, and include increased risk of suicide, divorce, chronic unemployment, economic difficulty and substance abuse.  Problems often do not manifest until after the individual attempts to resume their normal life, with workplace and interpersonal demands uncovering dysfunction and behavioral issues.

As noted above, of particular concern is children who have suffered from a TBI, where the behavioral and cognitive effects of injury may not become apparent until later in a child’s development.   As a result, a child may experience problems with learning ability, difficulties in social development and peer relations, behavioral problems, and difficulty processing social cues.

For a Free Consultation with an experienced Chicago brain injury attorney at Passen Law Group, call us at (312) 527-4500.

Traumatic brain injuries are sudden, devastating and life-changing events.  In the context of a catastrophic truck accident or several-story construction fall, the magnitude of the brain injury is evident.  However, in other instances, the true impact of TBI is more subtle.

TBIs are sometimes referred to as the “invisible injury” and “silent epidemic” by doctors and Chicago brain injury attorneys because the effects of such injuries are generally not obvious to most observers, symptoms may take days, months or even years to show, and victims are often unaware that something is wrong.  But the effects of TBI are very real, and can result in severely debilitating short and long-term symptoms.

Anyone can be a victim of a TBI at anytime.  Therefore it is critical that each individual know what TBI is, be aware of the symptoms of a TBI, know how to prevent or mitigate such injuries, and understand the steps to take and the options available in the event that one believes they may be a victim of a TBI.  Call Passen Law Group at (312) 527-4500 to speak with a top Chicago TBI lawyer regarding a potential legal action relating to a brain injury.

What is a TBI, and what happens when a TBI occurs?

A TBI refers to the damage or destruction of brain tissue that occurs due to a blow to the head, i.e. a “closed” head injury, or when the skull is penetrated, i.e. an “open” head injury.

A closed head injury occurs when a blow to the head whips the head forward and backwards or from side to side, as in a car crash, causing the brain to collide at high speed with the interior of the skull.  This can cause damage to specific areas of the brain, most commonly the frontal and temporal lobes, through bruising and tearing of brain tissue and blood vessels both at the point of impact and opposite the point of impact.  It can also cause damage throughout the brain by stretching and destroying neuronal axons – the long, threadlike arms of nerve cells that link cells to one another, various parts of the brain to other areas of the brain, and the brain to the rest of the body.

While specific damage from bruising and bleeding can often be detected through CAT scans and MRIs, injury to the neuronal axons generally cannot be detected through current imaging technology.  The existence of axonal injury is clear, however, from the effects it has on the individual’s functioning.

An open head injury occurs when a skull is penetrated after substantial head trauma, as for example by a bullet.  Damage in these types of injuries tends to be specific and limited to the area of injury, but can be as severe as closed head injuries depending on the path of the object within the brain.

TBI results in several physiological effects.  Tissue damage can cause substances normally contained safely within brain cells to be released into the brain.  The brain also reacts with biochemical and physiological responses, with the brain entering a hyper-metabolic state and releasing glucose in an attempt to protect itself from the injury.  These processes may mask evidence of injury, even as they cause further damage and destroy brain cells, resulting in what is called secondary cell death.

A further effect is seen in the individual’s functioning.  TBIs are often accompanied by loss of consciousness, varying from a few minutes or hours to several weeks or even months, depending on the severity of the injury.  As the individual regains consciousness, other symptoms may appear, including for example irritability, aggression, amnesia, confusion and disorientation.

Stay tuned for further discussion of TBI in coming days.  For a Free Consultation with a top-rated Chicago brain injury lawyer at Passen Law Group, call us today at (312) 527-4500.

The tainted water well in Crestwood, from which the suburban residents unknowingly drank contaminated water for more than two decades, contained perchloroethylene (PCE), an organic solvent widely used in the dry cleaning industry, and also a probable human carcinogen.

In the State’s report to titled, “Incidence of Cancer in the Village of Crestwood, 1994-2006,” the researchers found that “it is possible that the historical presence of PCE and its degradation products in the Crestwood water contributed to the increase of these cancers.”

However, the researchers noted that “due to methodological and data limitations, the assessment could not establish with certainty this relationship, nor rule out such a possibility.”  A number of other risk factors, such as smoking, diet, hereditary background and workplace exposure to harmful chemicals, are also known to be associated with these cancers, but researchers were not able to evaluate their relative presence in the Crestwood area.  The report finds that “future monitoring of the area’s cancer incidence is needed to evaluate possible changes in cancer incidence following the discontinuation of the contaminated drinking water.”

Still, experts note that the situation in Crestwood is different from other cases where exposure to toxic chemicals is questionable.  Here, according to Ken Runkle, a state health department toxicologist, “We are dealing with a situation where we have known exposure.  That means we can view these elevated cancer levels in a different light.”  Meaning there is a higher probability of the causal relationship between the contaminated water exposure and the development of cancer.

Indeed, kidney cancer in particular is associated with exposure to perchloroethylene (PCE) — the dry cleaning solvent, and known carcinogent, found in the Crestwood drinking water well.   Some forms of lung and gastrointestinal cancer have also been linked to PCE exposure.

In response to the Tribune report, Senator Dick Durbin, Representative Bobby Rush, and Illinois Governor Quinn urged federal and state officials to investigate the Crestwood situation and, in particular, the relationship between the high cancer rates and the contaminated water well.

Litigation is already pending relating to the Crestwood contaminated well, but as more people get sick and realize that their cancer may have been caused by the negligence of their public officials, more personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits are expected to follow.

For a Free Consultation with one of our experienced Chicago personal injury attorneys at Passen Law Group, call us at (312) 527-4500.

According to several news reports, one worker is dead and another was critically injured following an explosion in a construction hole in the Chicago West Loop.  Reports indicate that the two workers were Peoples Energy employees conducting an air pressure test underneath the street at the time of the explosion.

The accident occurred yesterday afternoon around 1:30 pm at Jackson Blvd. and Wacker Dr. in Chicago.  According to Fire Media Affairs spokesman, Quention Curtis, the utility employees were conducting an underground test when an explosion occurred, and the men were taken by firefighters to John H. Stroger Cook County Hospital, initially in critical condition.  “They were pumping air through the system when something went wrong,” Curtis said. “It blew the pipe apart and it hit them.”

What, exactly, “went wrong” remains to be determined.  Peoples Energy confirmed it had crews at the scene investigating the accident.  A Peoples Energy spokeswoman confirmed crews were at the scene investigating, but did not provide further information.

There are various potential legal causes of action that may arise out of this tragic accident sounding in product liability, premises liability, construction negligence and wrongful death.  Although a direct cause of action against the worker’s employer, Peoples Energy, would be precluded based on the Illinois Workers Compensation Act, there may be other viable third-party defendants, including general contractors or subcontractors, private property owners, or the City of Chicago.

A top Chicago personal injury lawyer will not only investigate the law to determine all viable causes of action and viable defendants, but will also conduct a thorough factual investigation to determine what happened — what caused the explosion?  At Passen Law Group, we consult with top private investigators and engineers as part of our factual investigation into such an occurrence.

For a Free Consultation with an experienced Chicago personal injury attorney at Passen Law Group, call us at (312) 527-4500.

This argument was recently made by Mark Robinson and Kevin Calcagnie in their Opinion article, “Why We Need Trial Lawyers.” The authors note recent “demonizing” of trial lawyers in calls for “tort reform” as part of the health care reform debate.  However, they argue that “product-liability litigation has become an ever more important means of keeping consumers safe.”

Again, in keeping with the recent Toyota sudden acceleration defect recall, the LA Times reported that, based on its review of federal records pursuant to a Freedom of Information Request, there were 2,600 Toyota and Lexus car owner complaints of sudden acceleration from 2000 to 2010.  Furthermore, CBS reported that Toyota was aware that its sudden acceleration defects were related to computer software, not to floor mats, as far back as 2005.

However, neither Toyota nor federal regulators did anything to prevent the problem until enough people started dying.  Now, Toyota will be held accountable by product liability attorneys in a court of law.

Our Chicago injury attorneys will continue to fight on behalf of public health and safety.  Those who are most severely injured or killed do not have as powerful a voice when compared to organized lobbyists of manufacturers, big business and the insurance industry.  However, we strive to give those individuals and families a voice.

For a free consultation with a top-rated Chicago personal injury lawyer with Passen Law Group, call us at (312) 527-4500.

Although the Lebron decision was a big win for Chicago medical malpractice attorneys and their clients, the decision also had a negative impact on patient rights — invalidating important medical malpractice regulatory reforms (“the 2005 Reform Laws”).  The Court held that because there was an “inseverability provision” in the Act in which the caps were enacted, the entire Act was invalid based on the unconstitutionality of the damage caps provision.  The Court emphasized that the legislature “remains free to reenact” certain provisions, including the 2005 Reform Laws, if “it deems appropriate.”

On February 20, 2010, the Illinois Department of Insurance issued a press release, which “Encourages Insurers to Comply with 2005 Medical Malpractice Reforms.”  The 2005 Reform Laws imposed changes to the Illinois Insurance Code that improved insurer reporting and transparency requirements and enhanced the Department of Insurance’s rate oversight authority.  In other words, the 2005 Reform Laws are critical to fairness and transparency in the medical malpractice insurance industry.

Since 2005, the Department has observed and documented improvements in the medical malpractice market, including a reduction in medical malpractice premiums, an increase in competition among insurance companies, and entry into Illinois of new insurance companies offering medical malpractice insurance.

Therefore, “given the public interest served by improved stability and affordability of medical malpractice insurance in Illinois, the Department of Insurance requests “continued, voluntary compliance by insurers” with the 2005 Reform Laws, including:

• Timely responses to request for information necessary to determine how rates are set and the reasonableness of those rates;
• Provide the Department with the insurer’s base rates and a list of available insurance agents;
• Provide the Department with additional loss, claims, exposure and expense data as well as company-produced studies of reserves supporting Illinois medical malpractice business and company surplus;
• Continue offering insureds quarterly premium payment options;
• Continue offering insureds policies containing deductibles;
• Continue to submit rate and rule filings to the Department prior to proposed changes;
• Continue to offer discounts to insureds who agree to participate in risk management practices;
• Provide the Department with 180 days notice before discontinuing the writing of insurance

Meaningful insurance reform is critical to providing preventing unfair and predatory practices by the medical insurance industry.  Also, the Illinois Department of Insurance must have continued access to this type of information to combat the baseless arguments from insurance lobbyists that medical malpractice litigation has a meaningful impact on medical insurance rates.

For a free consultation with a Chicago personal injury lawyer for Passen Law Group, call us at (312) 527-4500.

Proponents of tort reform say it will result in huge savings over the long haul. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), that black hole of information, says savings from tort reform can be anywhere from $41 billion to $54 billion over a ten-year period.  Our Chicago medical malpractice lawyers note that this savings amounts to less than one percent of health care costs, at a time when overall health care costs are expected to increase by $2 trillion (with a “T”) in that same ten-year period.

So, tort reform may save Americans less than 1 percent of health care costs over a 10-year period.  But at what cost?  If doctors and medical providers have capped professional liability exposure, will that reduce the incentive to practice safer medicine?  How many more Americans will die or sustain catastrophic injuries caused by medical negligence as a result of capping liability exposure?  What is the cost in terms of damage to families whose lives have been ruined by preventable medical errors, who will not have the financial means to provide for themselves?

The CBO did not measure this cost.

Tort reform removes the ability for victims of negligence to lead as normal a life as possible while giving insurance companies a free pass to profit off the negligence of doctors, hospitals and other health care professionals.

Each Chicago medical malpractice attorney at Passen Law Group understands the devastating impact that medical malpractice can have on families.  Just as the Illinois Supreme Court recently held that damage caps are unconstitutional, we believe that any similar federal law is also unconstitutional.

There are specific factors that must be met in order to bring a medical malpractice case, and such cases also involve doctors, hospitals and insurance companies. The experienced Chicago injury lawyers of Passen Law have a thorough understanding of the factors, players and statutes of limitation.  We also understand that compensation must cover the costs of living with permanent disability, including past and future medical treatment, lost wages, loss of normal life, disfigurement, and past and future pain and suffering.

For a Free Consultation with a Chicago personal injury lawyer with Passen Law Group, call us at (312) 527-4500.

Gallbladder surgery is a relatively routine procedure.  Still, as with all surgeries, there is a risk of serious complications, including death.  It is important to distinguish a “bad result” from “malpractice.”  Only injuries caused by a doctor’s deviation from the appropriate standard of medical care is malpractice.

According to several news reports, Congressman Murtha first hospitalized with gallbladder problems in December, and underwent surgery on January 28 at the National Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Md.  He was discharged from the hospital following surgery, but was re-admitted two days later when complications developed.   According to various sources, Murtha’s surgeon inadvertently nicked his intestine while performing the laparoscopic gallbladder procedure.  The nick, or small cut, caused a serious infection to develop, which led to his death.

Congressman Murtha’s death has brought the issue of preventable medical errors back into the limelight as Congress returns to health care reform legislation.  Preventable medical errors, such as wrong-site surgeries, improper medication and delayed diagnosis of cancer, kill an estimated 98,000 people each year.  If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed while under the care of a medical professional, and you suspect medical negligence could have played a factor, contact a top-rated Chicago medical malpractice attorney at Passen Law today for a free consultation.

Since Murtha’s death, there has been much debate about whether or not the surgeons should have noticed the cut, taken appropriate steps to repair it, and then administered antibiotics to prevent infection and other complications. In other words, did Murtha die as a result of a preventable medical error?  Mr. Murtha’s family has time to decide whether or not to contact a wrongful death lawyer and pursue a negligence action arising out of his death.  It is possible that, behind the scenes, the insurance companies for the doctors and hospitals involved may be trying to resolve the matter without ever facing a lawsuits.  Such negotiations never become public record.

The death of such a prominent politician after undergoing a routine operation is a stark reminder that improved patient safety must be a key component of health care reform.   For a Free Consultation with an experienced Chicago medical malpractice lawyer at Passen Law Group’s, call us at 312-527-4500.

Although transportation industry-related professions have received most of the attention from regulators concerning fatigue prevention, and with good cause, the effect of fatigue on doctors and medical professionals is moving to the forefront of patient safety.  Doctor fatigue is one potential cause of patients becoming permanently injured or killed by medical malpractice.

Earlier this month, a coalition of public safety and public interest groups, including Public Citizen and Mothers Against Medical Errors, launched WakeUpDoctor.org as part of its “campaign to increase public awareness and gather stories about patients who have received inferior medical care from fatigued physicians.” The campaign is an effort to make give voice to patients who have suffered preventable medical errors while under the care of a doctor suffering from fatigue.

Serious medical error caused by physician fatigue may be actionable negligence. If you suspect a permanent injury or death was caused by medical negligence, contact the Chicago medical malpractice attorneys of Passen Law Group today at (312) 527-4500 for a Free Consultation.

The Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the organization responsible for regulating residency training programs, is set to come out with new guidelines this year on safer work hours and better supervision. The forthcoming guidelines are in response to December of 2008 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report titled “Resident Duty Hours: Enhancing Sleep, Supervision, and Safety.”

The report focused on residents, who are doctors-in-training. Residency programs last from three to five years, during which resident doctors work shifts of 24-30 consecutive hours, then a 12-hour shift followed by another 24-30 hour shift. And 24-30 consecutive hour shifts are often scheduled ten times a month. Such scheduling leaves little room for residents to sleep, leading to fatigue and otherwise preventable medical errors.

The report made a series of recommendations, including:

•    Defined off-duty periods between shifts based on the timing and duration of shifts
•    Increase number of mandatory days off
•    Restrict medical moonlighting by residents during their off-hours

Stricter reporting rules were also recommended, such as more frequent and unannounced visits to check for compliance.

For a Free Consultation with one of our Chicago medical negligence lawyers, call Passen Law Group at (312) 527-4500.

The US Army study notes that the number of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) casualties and serious injuries has grown significantly in recent years, especially in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.  Often times, soldiers are unaware they have suffered a TBI, especially a mild brain injury.  Other times, TBI is not properly diagnosed and treated and soldiers are sent back into active duty, placing their lives and the lives of others in even greater risk.

Therefore, with the stated goal of understanding the “neurophysiology that underlies the behavioral disabilities,” the study looks at pre and post-deployment functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).  fMRI provides high resolution images of the brain, and measures the changes in blood flow related to neural activity in the brain to help identify active areas when patients are asked to perform specific cognitive, language and memory tasks.  The results of the study will measure the extent of various levels of traumatic brain injury, monitor treatment and therapy, and prevent furthering brain injury by multiple IED blast exposures.

Traumatic brain injuries are serious injuries and can require life-long care. They are caused by many factors, such as car accidents, falls and lack of oxygen to the brain. They can also be the result of someone else’s negligence, so it is important to contact a top Chicago brain injury attorney.

One proposal from the study is to have soldiers undergo a fMRI scan before being deployed in order to provide a baseline comparison when they return.  This is analogous to recent calls for high school football players to have baseline test done in order to better diagnose and assess concussions, which are a type of TBI.  Since effects from TBIs may not be immediately noticed, such as changes in behavior, a baseline provides a measure to help identify and treat TBIs earlier, reducing the chance for life-long effects.

Another idea is to install sensors onto military vehicles to record information about a roadside bomb blast, such as magnitude and location. The data collected can be used to develop better treatments as well as safer vehicles.

For a Free Consultation with one of our Chicago brain injury attorneys, call Passen Law Group at (312) 527-4500.