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All Serious InjuriesWhat Our Clients Say
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- I asked a friend of mine...what attorney would he use [to handle a mesothelioma case] and he immediately said Rick Shapiro. He called Rick on his cell phone and explained our situation and handed me the phone. That connection to the law firm of Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis and Appleton began a relationship of trust and a sense of confidence that we had not experienced before. It was apparent to us that we had the right team fighting for our father.
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Information on Pertinent Topics and Issues in Injury Law
Visit this blog often to read the latest entries from our experienced Virginia and North Carolina injury lawyers. If you have been hurt due to someone else's carelessness, contact our office today.Brain Damage/Head Injuries
Wheeling Hospital On Concussions: When In Doubt, Sit Them Out
Interested parties gathered at Wheeler Hospital in West Virginia in order to learn how to detect, monitor, and prevent head injuries and brain injuries, especially when it comes to concussions in youth sports and high school sports. Virginia Woman Suffers Head Injury In Hit-And-Run Accident
A Virginia woman on vacation suffered a traumatic brain injury in a pedestrian accident. The hit-and-run accident occurred at 3 AM as the woman was using a crosswalk. Brain Injured Man Receives $40 million verdict after being Hit by Van
The driver of a company van struck a construction worker in New York (NY), leaving the worker with severe brain damage and with partial paralysis. This tragic accident makes clear the dangers of brain injury. To learn more, read this article by our brain injury attorneys. Restaurant Accident Leads to Traumatic Brain Injury
Looking for information about brain injuries and their potential effects? If so, check out this blog. Virginia Study: Traumatic Brain Injury Victims Suffer From Low Melatonin
A new study has found that many victims of traumatic brain injuries also suffer from low levels of sleep hormones - a problem which could cause long-term sleep issues. Traumatic Brain Injury from a Motorcycle Crash
Motorcycle accidents are responsible for many cases of traumatic brain injury – if you’ve been in a motorcycle crash, you may have sustained a TBI and not even know. Read more to learn about the symptoms of TBI and get the facts on helmet use. Student-Athletes At Risk for Traumatic Brain Injuries
Parents and their student-athletes struggle to get compensated after suffering a serious brain injury from school-related sports. If your child has recently experienced such an injury, please contact our firm for a free, no-hassle consultation. Our number is 1-800-752-0042. Richmond Cyclist Dies Of Brain Injury After Running Red Light
A Richmond man was killed when he ran a red light on his bicycle and slammed into a SUV's broad side. According to Richmond Police, the man died of a traumatic brain injury sustained during the Virginia cyclist accident.Virginia Car Accident Leaves Victim With Brain Injury
A Virginia woman received a traumatic brain injury in a one-vehicle car accident on Flower Gap Road. She was airlifted to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center with a serious head injury. “Just Not the Same”: The Effects of a Serious Head Injury
A serious head injury can result in loss of memory, decreased mental cognition, and other deficiencies. This happened to a bike rider in Abingdon, Virginia (VA) who was forced off the road by a truck driver. To learn more, check out this article. Additional Compensation Obtained for Baby that Suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury
A young child suffered a traumatic brain injury in a truck wreck. Compensation was pursued compensation from the at-fault truck company and two settlements were obtained. If you’ve suffered a serious head injury that was due to someone else’s carelessness, please contact our firm for a free, no-hassle consultation. Our number is 1-800-752-0042. Traumatic Brain Injury Goes Undiagnosed for a Year
The victim in this car wreck suffered a traumatic brain injury, but wasn’t properly diagnosed until a year after the accident. Fortunately, she hired a lawyer and was able to secure a settlement to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you’ve suffered a head injury and believe it was due to the carelessness of another person or company, please give our firm a call for a free, new client consultation. Our number is 1-800-752-0042. Children Particularly Prone to Brain Injuries
Not every brain injury can be avoided, but all must be guarded against and treated appropriately. If you or a loved one has suffered a concussion or TBI in an accident, you may not need a lawyer. But you won't know for sure until you actually speak to an attorney and discuss what happened. That's why you should give our office a call at (800) 752-0042. We're an ethical, results-oriented firm, and we would love to talk with you. Virginia (VA) Truck Driver Gets $2.5M Settlement After Rear-End Accident Worsens Brain Defect
Accidents involving cars, trucks, motorcycles or pedestrians are the second most common cause of concussions and other serious brain injuries. When the injury is severe -- hence the medical term "traumatic brain injury" -- men, women and children who suffer them can experience physical and mental problems for years and decades. If you or a loved one has suffered a TBI from a traffic accident, call our results-oriented injury law firm at (800) 752-0042 to discuss your possible case. You may save a lot of hassle with the insurance claims department by getting our proven experience on your side to get you the money you deserve. Drunk Driving Devastates Victims, Causes Brain Damage
Car accidents can cause serious injuries, even life-altering injuries. For example, this blog focuses on two sisters who were hit by a drunk driver and both suffered traumatic brain injuries. If you've suffered a serious injury in a car crash, please consider giving our law firm a call so you can talk to a real lawyer for free. Our number is 1-800-752-0042. Even Slow Speed Car Accidents Can Cause Serious Injury
Even in minor accidents, you can suffer a serious injury. This blog describes a woman suffered a traumatic brain injury after the car she was in was hit by another vehicle driving less than 25mph. If you've suffered an injury in an accident, no matter how "severe" the accident is deemed, please give our firm a call at 1-800-752-0042 so you can talk to a real lawyer for free. Concussions: Know the Signs and Symptoms of These Common Brain Injuries
After plaguing the sport from its inception, concussions have become the headline story of the year in the NFL. Classified by neurologists and other doctors as mild traumatic brain injuries, or MTBIs, concussions are overdue for consideration in football, where punishing blows to players' heads occur on virtually every snap. Football players, especially those in the college and professional ranks, accept the short- and long-term risks of concussions. Other people are at no less risk for MTBIs when they slip and fall, get into traffic accidents, have falling objects strike their heads, or even just have their heads jerk backward or forward suddenly, as can happen when a driver slams on his or her brakes to avoid a car crash.
The classic, and usually immediately apparent, symptoms of a full-blown concussion include headache, lack of mental and visual focus, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, lack of physical coordination and slurred speech. Any time a person loses consciousness after getting hit in the head, a concussion likely occurred. Even if the person is just dazed, disoriented or stunned, an MTBI may still have happened.
Longer-term effects of undiagnosed or repeated concussions can, according to the National Institutes of Health, include "physical, emotional, or intellectual changes or deficits." Stated more bluntly, a growing body of evidence indicates that people with untreated or frequent concussions are at increased risk for depression, Parkinson-type diseases and dementia, especially dementia related to Alzheimer's disease.
Because of the potential severe outcomes for people with concussions, family members of, acquaintances of and, most importantly, health care providers for people with concussions need to recognize more subtle signs and symptoms of MTBI. Indications that someone has suffered a concussion or is having ongoing problems related to an MTBI include
- Excessive sensitivity to bright lights (i.e., photophobia)
- Irritability and emotional instability
- Memory problems
- Decreased ability to perform simple mental tasks like add numbers or recite lists
- Insomnia
Anyone displaying these problems days, or even weeks, after suffering a possible concussion should have a complete neurological exam as soon as possible. Detecting concussions early and treating them appropriately are essential for minimizing the chances of later mental, physical and emotional problems stemming from MTBIs.
EJL
NFL brings in outside specialists to consult on player concussions
The National Football League is forcing teams to bring in independent neurologists to treat players with concussions – a marked shift for the league, which has fought growing evidence that players risk permanent brain damage.Traumatic brain injury can have lifelong consequences for people in all walks of life, not just football players.
My colleague Rick Shapiro has written about the matter at length.Until now, team doctors and team trainers have decided who is too badly hurt to play and who isn’t, The New York Times reported.
But the NFL has suffered increasing criticism in recent months as more evidence about brain damage among retired players has come to light.
“As we learn more and more, we want to give players the best medical advice,” Roger Goddell, the NFL commissioner, said on NBC this week. “This is a chance for us to expand that and bring more people into the circle to make sure we’re making the best decisions for our players in the long term.”
Many details regarding the plan have not been decided or disclosed. It’s not known how the independent physicians will be selected, how they will be paid, or how much weight their opinions will carry.
But even an independent physician won’t be able to easily address the greater problem: long-term damage caused by small, repetitive concussions.
Growing evidence suggests that these concussions – going back to high school – have a cumulative effect on players that heightens risk for depression, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other illnesses.
(MM)
The Ramifications of a Closed Head Injury/Brain Damage
A closed head injury is a term used to describe trauma to the skull without cracking or breaking it open. It's also connected to brain injury. Each year, roughly 570,000 people suffer a closed head injury, according to e-medicine.
The mortality rate of someone who suffers a closed head injury is 30-to-50 percent and those who do survive can incur neurological trauma and may never be the same person or possess the same cognitive abilities. Basically, they suffer brain damage.
As an injury lawyer who's represented clients suffering from the after effects of a closed head injury, I know an injury like this can irrevocably change not only the victim's life, but his or her family's life as well. The brain damage can be devastating.
Here's a video illustrating the challenges of recuperating from a close head injury...
People commonly endure a closed head injury and/or brain injury from a car accident or fall. However, it can also occur when playing sports, riding your bike, or working. In these particular settings, you may not even know you've suffered a closed head injury until hours, or even days later. Even if the skull is not fractured, the brain can collide with the inside of the skull and become bruised. The head may look fine, but complications could result from bleeding or swelling inside the skull, according to Medline Plus.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.
PA
Experienced Injury Lawyers in a Navy/Military Town: Why Navy/Military Families Need Top Navy/Military Town Injury Lawyers
My law partner John Cooper wrote about the importance of having a prominent, experienced personal injury lawyer who understands the intricate details of the military when a member of the military or their family is suffering from an injury. To learn more, please click here.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal My injury law firm (VA-NC law offices ) edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, as well as the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service to consumers. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY, who handle car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more.
Head Injury Could Lead to Traumatic Brain Injury
My fellow lawyer Jim Lewis wrote an article on the Virginia Beach InjuryBoard blog about the symptoms and signs of a traumatic brain injury. Many doctors and physicians fail to diagnose this type of injury quickly, which may lead to permanent problems for the victim. To learn more about traumatic brain injuries, please click here.
Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the Northeast North Carolina (NC) border, practicing primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handles only injury law, including car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. The firm's website is: hsinjurylaw.com, the firm edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, as well as the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard and also hosts a video library covering many FAQ’s on personal injury subjects. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.
Workers Suffering From Brain Injuries Deserve Equal Compensation Rights
My law partner Jim Lewis wrote an article on the Norfolk InjuryBoard blog about the need to change workers’ compensation laws to ensure victims of traumatic brain injuries receive equal compensation. The current laws make it easier for relatives of the deceased workers to obtain benefits.
Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the Northeast North Carolina (NC) border, practicing primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handles only injury law, including car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. The firm's website is: hsinjurylaw.com, the firm edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, as well as the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard and also hosts a video library covering many FAQ’s on personal injury subjects. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.
Virginia/Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury
Brains injuries are some of the most understood and misdiagnosed types of personal injuries cases that we see from a legal standpoint. Traumatic brain injury lawsuits can also be some of the most challenging personal injury cases to litigate.
It is often difficult for a jury to sympathize with a person suffering from a brain injury or to understand the impact that the injury has had on that person’s life because the injury is invisible.
To read the entire article, please click here.
Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia practicing primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handles only injury law, including car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. The firm's website is: hsinjurylaw.com, the firm edits two injury law blogs: Virginia Beach Injuryboard & Norfolk Injuryboard, and also hosts a video library covering many FAQ’s on personal injury subjects.
Proving Brain Injury/Closed Head Injury-Presenting the Injury Proof At Trial With Experts
A traumatic brain injury can completely alter a person's quality of life and may even require permanent care from a nurse. If you or a loved one has suffered brain damage from an accident and believe it was due to the carelessness of another person or company, please call our office so we can provide you with a free case analysis. Our number is 1-800-752-0042. Virginia/Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers Discuss Truck/Tractor-Trailer lawsuits and Other Accidents With Brain Injury/Closed Head Injury
Virginia/Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers Discuss Truck/Tractor-Trailer Accidents and Brain Injury/Closed Head Injury Cases
My colleague, Rick Shapiro, posted a new article discussing how our personal injury lawyers have extensive experience in handling brain injury/closed head injury personal injury cases, having handled and tried to verdict several substantial brain injury cases including a record personal injury case in Northern Virginia that resulted in a $46 million verdict in 2000 (a lawyer with our firm was one of two attorneys representing a gas station worker who suffered a brain injury and massive orthopedic injuries -- see "record verdict" under the case result section on this website). As in our case of a gas station worker who had the building walls crumbling around him, there are often no fractured skulls, no blood around the head, and many times is no initial diagnosis of brain/closed head injury, whether at the emergency room or soon thereafter. How do our experienced personal injury lawyers assist a family with these type cases?
Read the full article to learn more.
Traumatic brain injury/closed head injury is a difficult medical diagnosis, sometimes even difficult for a doctor who specializes in brain injury (See our FAQ's section). For this reason, a protocol of various tests is normally appropriate: CT scans of the brain, MRI of the brain, and neuro--psychological tests are done to evaluate whether a closed head injury may actually be a traumatic brain injury with permanent consequences.
In truck, semi/big rig and tractor-trailer cases, aviation/aircraft cases, in any case where a substantial traumatic impact occurs, brain injury also is something that may occur. Certainly, the impact of a 18 wheeler/tractor trailer on a car can be tremendously catastrophic and has a well-known history of causing brain injury. Naturally, falls from heights including aircraft/airplane crashes also are well known to be associated with brain injuries in survivors. An experienced personal injury lawyer must spend weeks or months organizing the medical exhibits to present them not only to a jury, but in an effort to settle the case often these exhibits must be presented to the insurance company adjusters or to the corporate lawyers who will be making a decision on settling in resolving a brain injury/closed head injury case.
If we can help you or a family member with this most difficult and complex type of personal injury claim, please contact us today via toll-free phone or our quick contact form.
Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia practicing primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handles only injury law, including car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. The firm's website is: hsinjurylaw.com, the firm edits two injury law blogs: Virginia Beach Injuryboard & Norfolk Injuryboard, and also hosts a video library covering many FAQ’s on personal injury subjects.
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Case Results
DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT, AND THE VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS MENTIONED ON THIS WEBSITE, WHILE ACCURATE, DO NOT REPRESENT WHAT WE MAY OBTAIN FOR YOU IN YOUR CASE.
Brain Damage/Head Injuries
- Gas Station Worker Pinned In building-train derailment, brain injury
- Brain Injury To Railroad Engineer Caused By Exploding Valve on Engine (verdict)
Awarded: $46,000,000, with Interest 60 Million
Awarded: $365,000.00
News
- Posted on 8/23/2010Airplane Accident Leads to Brain Injury
- Posted on 7/21/2010West Virginia Doctors: NFL Player Chris Henry Had Brain Damage
- Posted on 7/3/2010Motorcycle Accident Victims More Prone to Suffer Serious Head Injuries
- Posted on 6/25/2010Virginia Woman Develops Russian Accident After Head Injury
- Posted on 6/24/2010NFL Physicians Discuss Traumatic Brain Injuries In Virginia Area
- Posted on 6/18/2010Attorney Discusses Traumatic Brain Injury Treatments
FAQs
Brain Damage/Head Injuries
- What is anoxic brain injury?
- What do I have to do to prove I have a brain injury?
- What are the long-term effects of a brain injury?
- What are the side effects of a brain injury?
- I met with a personal injury lawyer about my head injury and they said I don't have a case. If a lawyer doesn't believe I can, or should, file a claim, does this mean I don't have a case? Should I speak with another attorney?
