Litigation
Brain Injury News and Information 
Latest news and informaton on brain injury. concussion, coma, traumatic brain injury authored by noted legal authority on brain injury who is President of Brain Injury Association of New York State and past chair, Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
Post Frequency: 1.3/day Last Entry: November 20, 2009 at 18:26:26 Recent Entries: 448
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Congratulatons to ThinkFirst on receiving distinguished service award from Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Posted on November 20, 2009Congratulations to the ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation `which was recognized as a leader in injury prevention by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS). CNS presented the 2009 Distinguished Service Award to the ThinkFirst Foundation at the CNS Annual Meeting of over 2,000 neurosurgeons in New Orleans...
A refreshing bit of honesty about concussion management
Posted on November 20, 2009USA Today reports a refreshing bit of honesty regarding the manner in which sports concussions have been treated in the past with the NFL. The article reports on information obtained by the Huffington Post in which former Packers VP Andrew Brandt questioned whether he had acted appropriately to combat the effect of concussions during his stint with the team...
Nearly 20 percent of professional football players fail to report their concussion symtoms according to an AP study
Posted on November 19, 2009A study sponsored by the Associated Press reports that nearly 20 percent of professional football players have hidden the fact that they sustained a concussion or down played their concussion symptoms. The AP concussion study interviewed a cross section of NFL players, talking to five players on each of the 32 teams, which amounts to approximately 10 percent of all players...
Caring for family members with a brain injury
Posted on November 05, 2009Thanks to BrainLine for providing this tip: On November 20, NOW - PBS's weekly national news magazine show - will examine the issue of families acting as caregivers for service members with TBI. The show will profile several caregivers including a former teacher with a toddler son and a former research scientist, both looking at a lifetime of caring for their spouses with brain injuries...
Some important insights into concussions from Harry Carson
Posted on November 04, 2009Hall of famer, Harry Carson has delivered some important messages on the tragedy of concussions in professional sports today. Harry has devoted a great deal of time to alert the public and especially those participating in amateur athletics to the dangers associated with concussions...
November Brain Injury Conferences
Posted on November 01, 2009The following brain injury conferences will take place during the month of November 2009: Nov 4 Collaborative Approaches to Rehabilitation for Adults with Brain Injury Omaha, NE 715-829-8055 click here Nov 5 Cognitive Rehabilitation: Meeting the Challenges in The Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury & Polytrauma Grand Forks, ND 715-829-8055 click here Nov 5-6 BIA of West Virginia presents "My Child Has a Brain Injury: Information for Families and Schools" South Charleston, WV click here Nov 16-18 14th Annual Brain Injury Association State Affiliate Leadership Conference San Antonio, TX 703-761-0750 ext...
Brain Injury Association Legislative Update
Posted on October 31, 2009Her is the latest brain injury legislative update prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIA) Health Care Reform Update On Wednesday, October 28, 2009, House Democrats introduced their consensus health bill, HR 3962, at a rally on the Capitol's West Front...
Finding statistics on disabilities
Posted on October 31, 2009Thanks to the special education law blog for information on where to find statistics that are important in the disability arena. An important resource that provides a wealth of disability related statistics is published by the Rehabilitation Research & Training Center on Disability Statistics & Demographics...
A proposal to reduce brain injuries in football
Posted on October 28, 2009Today's congressional hearing on the prevalence of brain injuries in the NFL produced few surprises. The league unfortunately still refuses to concede the connection between chronic brain damage and repetitive concussions. This denial in the face of overwhelming medical evidence is further evidence that the league may be incapable of policing itself and may cause congressional action including the revoking of the league's antitrust exemption...
Concussions in the NFL--A problem that won't go away
Posted on October 27, 2009On the heals of new medical evidence that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is linked to repetitive concussive injuries in football players, the House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing for tomorrow to examine the way that the NFL handles brain injuries both for present players and those who have unsuccessfully sought disability retirement benefits...
Brain Injury affects all sports
Posted on October 18, 2009An interesting article appears in today's New York Times, after Injury, an F1 driver's mind must recover also, reporting on the testing and evaluation that takes place in formula one car racing before drivers a permitted to return to the track following any closed head brain injury...
Congress has scheduled hearings on Concussion Injuries in NFL
Posted on October 17, 2009NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith will testify at a Congressional hearing on head injuries among NFL players. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich., said that the committee will hold its hearing Oct...
60 minutes looks at concussions and the long term damage that results
Posted on October 11, 2009This evening's 60 minutes report on concussions and the long term dangers associated with this injury was an excellent over view of the hazards associated with multiple concussions. Here is a brief excerpt from the show: You can't separate violence from football - it's part of the thrill of the game...
Proof that you can throw a football is not reason for parent's to allow their children to return to play following a concussion
Posted on October 11, 2009Yes, we are all glad that Tim Tebow survived four quarters without sustaining another concussion, because if he did, those "concerned" individuals who should never have allowed him to return to play should be forever stripped of their ability to harm other players...
The Times Got It Right--Tebow Shouldn't Be Permitted To Play
Posted on October 10, 2009The New York Times story, Florida's Decision on Tebow Should Be Obvious is right on point. Here is what the Times has to say about even thinking about letting Tim Tebow play tonight after sustaining a concussion that left him unconscious: The devastating effects of concussions are no longer a secret...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on October 10, 2009The following brain injury legislative update has been prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America: FY10 National Defense Authorization Act On Wednesday, October 7, 2009, the House and Senate Armed Services Committees announced that they had reached an agreement on a conference report to H...
60 Minutes to Look at Alarming New Research on the Longterm Effects of Concussions and Head Trauma
Posted on October 09, 200960 minutes is scheduled to air a segment this Sunday at 7 PM (eastern standard time) on the most recent research linking repeated concussions with a condition known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). The condition, destroys brain tissue and causes dementia...
Brain Injury Speech and Language Conference
Posted on October 08, 2009Thanks to BrainLine for tipping me off to the on line brain injury conference geared to audiologists and speech-language pathologists. Traumatic brain injury and concussions often lead to speech and language difficulties. This on line conference sponsored by the American-Speech Language Hearing Association is scheduled for October 13th to October 26th 2009...
Brain Injury: Active Clinical Trials
Posted on October 07, 2009The Brain Trauma Foundation (BTF) has annouced their next interactive web based lecture topic: Current Active Clinical Trials in TBI in their Lunchtime Lecture series. The program is scheudled for October 14, 2009 from 12:00-1:00 PM EDT for a live, interactive, web-based lecture on Current Active Clinical Trials in TBI...
Colorado Brain Injury Association Annual Conference
Posted on October 05, 2009The Brain Injury Association of Coloardo (BIAC) will hold its 27th annual conference at the Marriott Denver Tech Center on October 7-9, 2009. The conference will be held in conjunction with the meetings of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Society of Neurorehabilitation at the same hotel...
NPR Radio explores concussion issues in NFL
Posted on October 03, 2009NPR Radio's sports program Only A Game aired today, October 3, contains portions of an interview with me in their segment which explores the recent study which showed that former NFL players were much more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer?s and dementia than the non-football playing public...
NFL Players Association and Congress to Take a Closer Look at Concussions
Posted on October 03, 2009Following stories in the New York Times earlier this week on the studies sponsored by the NFL which show a link between repeated concussions and early on set dementia, the NFL Players Association has formed a committee to address the issue of head trauma among players...
Concussions and risk of future damage to players is bigger than the NFL
Posted on October 02, 2009A thought provoking story appears in today's New York Times as a follow up to the revelations revealed earlier this week regarding the increased risk of dementia found in professional football players years after their retirement. Today's story, Players Face Injury Risk Before NFL asks the all important question, what are the risks to high school and college athletes? Are they at increased danger of permanent brain damage following concussions? The story also explores the bias of the NFL against admitting the link between concussions and permanent brain injury and the lack of good faith by the league,many of its...
Tomorrow's Evidence Lecture
Posted on October 01, 2009I am honored that tomorrow I will be lecturing to New York lawyers on recent developments in Evidence at the yearly law update conference sponsored by the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers. The Academy is composed of both plaintiff and defense trial lawyers from throughout New York State dedicated to protecting, preserving and enhancing the civil justice system...
NFL Study Finds Rate of Dementia In Retired Players 19 Times Higher Then General Population
Posted on September 30, 2009The New York Times has exposed a study commissioned by the NFL which found that Alzheimer?s disease or similar memory-related diseases appear to have been diagnosed in the league?s former players vastly more often than in the national population ? including a rate of 19 times the normal rate for men ages 30 through 49...
Conan O'Brien: Concussions are no joking matter!
Posted on September 29, 2009The video clip of Conan O'Briens fall on last week on the set of the Tonight Show is now available on You Tube. By watching the clip you can clearly see Conan striking the back of his head against the ground and then rebounding forward. The fall is then played in slow motion and the impact becomes even more dramatic...
What hemet does the best job in preventing brain injury?
Posted on September 26, 2009An article appears in today's on line edition of the New York Times discussing the continued debate on what is the best standard to determine the safety of motorcycle helmets and their ability to prevent or reduce the severity of brain damage. The artlcle is entitled, Sorting Out Differences in Helmet Standards and reviews the debate between Federal Department of Transportation helmet standards, the Snell Standard and an new safety standard being introduced by Snell...
Celebrating with Dorothy and the team at Wizard of Oz anniversary celebration
Posted on September 25, 2009We had a great time last night celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Wizard of Oz hosted by Warner Bros. Entertainment last evening. I am hopeful that my conversations with executives of Warner Bros.explaining the significance of this film to those who suffer from a traumatic brain injury will lead to future collaboration between the producers and the Brain Injury Association of New York State.
Wizard of Oz 70th anniversary celebration
Posted on September 23, 2009We're off to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Wizard of Oz tomorrow evening and the release of the remastered edition of the film. Shana and I are honored that we have been invited to attend the Warner Brothers 70th anniversary celebration tomorrow evening in New York City...
Preventing Infections in Brain Surgery
Posted on September 22, 2009The Brain Trauma Foundation has announced that their next interactive, web based lecture will cover the important topic of Infection Prophylaxis in severe head injury cases undergoing brain surgery. The web based lecture will be held on September 23, 2009 from 12:00-1:00 PM EDT...
When are CT scans necessary for children in the emergency room?
Posted on September 21, 2009More than one-fifth of children who receive CT scans following head trauma don't need them, researchers found in an article published this week in The Lancet. Previous studies have suggested that CT scans were being overused for pediatric head trauma, but they were subject to various limitations, including small sample size and lack of validation or independent assessment in children younger than 2, according to the researchers...
New York State Governor Patterson
Posted on September 20, 2009New York State Governor Patterson has just signed into law the Nursing Quality Protection Act which requires hospitals and other heath care facilities to report information about nursing staff levels and certain data regarding the quality of patient care to State agencies as well as members of the public that request this information...
BrainLine receives 2009 Freddie Award
Posted on September 18, 2009Congratulations to BrainLine for being the 2009 recipient of the Freddie Award for having the best health and medical information web site. My partner, brain injury attorney, Shana De Caro and myself are proud to participate in Brain Line's Ask The Expert page where we have answered many questions on legal issues pertaining to traumatic brain injury...
International Brain Injury Association International Congress Preliminary Program Now Available
Posted on September 17, 2009The preliminary program for the International Brain Injury Association?s Eighth World Congress on Brain Injury is now available for viewing on-line. The Congress will be held in Washington, DC, March 10-14, 2010. There will be over 100 world renowned experts in the field of brain injury presenting on a variety of topics across the continuum of care...
More brain donations to Sports Legacy Institute
Posted on September 16, 2009The Sports Legacy Institute has announced that three active NFL players will donate their brains and spinal cord tissue to a Boston University medical school program that studies sports brain injuries. The Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy ? a collaborative venture between BU Medical School and Sports Legacy Institute whose mission is to better understand the long-term effects of repeated concussions...
Important Civil Rights Ruling for Mentally Disabled
Posted on September 12, 2009A very important decision was handing down this week in Brooklyn Federal Court concerning New York State's policy of housing mentally ill adults in large adult homes. The Federal Court in Disability Advocates Inc. v. New York State 03 CV 3209, ruled that New York State violated the Americans With Disabilities Act by failing to place mentally ill individuals in the "most integrated setting"-meaning a setting that enables these individuals to interact with non-disabled persons to the full extent possible...
Coma Research Study Seeks Volunteers
Posted on September 11, 2009Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute (MRRI), the research arm of MossRehab, is seeking volunteers from throughout the country in a new research study to investigate how the sleep drug zolpidem (Ambian) might restore consciousness for patients in the vegetative state...
"Crude": The Movie, A Must See
Posted on September 11, 2009Last evening I was invited to the New York premier of the documentary film, "Crude" the fascinating story of one of the largest and most controversial pending legal cases in the world. It is the story of the legal case brought by 30,000 indigenous residents in the rain forest of Ecuador against the U...
Watching You Tube May Provide Link to Detecting Brain Damage
Posted on September 10, 2009Brain injury researchers at the University of Kentucky have spent hundreds of hours watching YouTube videos of people getting smacked, punched and knocked in the head during sporting events and recreational activities. The team was collecting data to document a visible, involuntary response to head trauma...
Malpractice Reform and Health Care Reform Are Not the Same
Posted on September 10, 2009Within President Obama?s speech on our national health crisis last evening were references to ?reform? of medical malpractice litigation. The problem is not that their are too many medical malpractice law suits, but that we have too much medical malpractice! As medical malpractice brain injury attorneys, we see the tragic brain damage caused by medical errors...
Injectable Gel May Help Brain Tissue Regenerate
Posted on September 09, 2009An injectable biomaterial gel may help brain tissue grow at the site of a traumatic brain injury, according to findings by a Clemson University bioengineer which were presented on Wednesday, at the Military Research Forum in Kansas City. The conference is geared toward improving the overall health and welfare of the U...
New York City Epilepsy Education Program
Posted on September 08, 2009Traumatic brain injury and head injury are frequent causes of seizure disorders and epilepsy. The Epilepsy Advocate Program will be offering a free program in New York to take place on October 6 at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers. A reception is scheduled for 6 PM with the program beginning at 6:30 PM...
Abusive Head Trauma-Shaken Baby Syndrome Conference
Posted on September 06, 2009A conference to explore head trauma and shaken baby syndrome as well as other head injuries caused by assaults on children has been announced by the office of the Queens District Attorney. The head trauma conference is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 21, 2009 at the offices of the New York City Medical Examiner, 421 East 26th street from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM...
New York City Brain Injury Research Symposium Announced
Posted on September 05, 2009A one day symposium exploring cutting edge research on the brain and brain injury has been announced by the Brain Injury Association of New York State in conjunction with NYU-Hospital for Join Diseases. The brain injury conference is scheduled to be held on December 4th from 9 AM to 4 PM at the Hospital for Joint Diseases conference center...
New York Brain Injury Attorney Elected Fellow of Belli Society
Posted on September 04, 2009I am pleased to inform my readers that I have been elected a Fellow of the prestigious Belli Society named in honor of Melvin M. Belli. The society was originally formed by a handful of prominent attorneys in honor of Melvin M. Melli, often referred to as the King of Torts and an innovator in court room communication and trial practice Election in the society is my invitation only and is limited to the top trial lawyers in the United States...
Brain damage caused by blast waves-new research can improve helmet design
Posted on September 03, 2009New research on the effects of blast waves could lead to an enhanced understanding of head injuries, brain damage and improved military helmet design. Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory have determined that blast waves generate enough force to cause brain deformations even without direct contact with the skull and without a skull fracture...
Artificial Brain: Read More
Posted on September 02, 2009According to the director of the Blue Brain Project, a detailed, functional artificial brain can be built within the next ten years. The Blue Brain Project was launched in 2005 at Switzerland's Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne and aims to create a brain from laboratory date...
Free Concussion Tips Wallet Card
Posted on September 02, 2009In response to a rising number of concussions and recent research which shows young athletes with repeated brain injuries are at great risk for future neurological problems, the Illinois Athletic Trainers Association (IATA) and the Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch (CINN) are offering a wallet-sized card with tips for detecting and monitoring concussions...
Brain Injury: Disability Rights and Service Animals
Posted on September 01, 2009My partner, brain injury attorney, Shana De Caro has recently been selected to be a member of the Ask The Expert panel on BrainLine. Her most recent post, Ask the Expert: What the Disability Laws Say About Service Dogs has recently been published on the BrainLine web site...
How many brain injuries are too many?
Posted on September 01, 2009In a speech delivered at Harvard Medical School, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff said that the military is considering pulling service members out of combat operations if they have sustained three concussions. Mullen said, "I don't know what the right number is, but 30 is way too many...
International Brain Injury Group Calls for Ban on Olympic Boxing
Posted on August 23, 2009Headway, an international brain injury association dedicated to the prevention of traumatic brain injury has reacted to the news that women's boxing could be added to the Olympics by calling for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to remove all forms of boxing from Olympic competition...
Tort Reform No Cure For What Ails Our Health Care System
Posted on August 21, 2009With the current debate concerning health care reform heating up, I want to share with you some thoughts on malpractice law suits and its role in the health care debade. The article was authored by the American Association for Justice of which I am a sustaining member...
Brain Injury: Tips for getting the most out of meetings with your attorney or physician
Posted on August 19, 2009Brainline published my tips for persons who have sustained a traumatic brain injury to get the most our of their visits to professionals such as doctors and attorneys. Often times, visits by those suffering from brain damage with professionals are frustrating experiences with very little gained...
Mixed Messages in David Wright Concussion Story
Posted on August 18, 2009As those who follow sports may know,New York Met's baseball player, David Wright was struck in the head on Saturday from a fast ball moving at a reported speed of 93 miles per hour. Even though he was wearing a helmet, which probably saved his life, he still was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion...
Research study to focus on brain remapping-Volunteers in St. Louis needed
Posted on August 17, 2009Researchers at Saint Louis University are recruiting civilians and military veterans for a study of traumatic brain injury. The four-year study will use imaging equipment to map and better understand brain injuries. The study will also identify parts of the brain that can rewire themselves and recover some function...
Brain Surgery Without Opening The Skull
Posted on August 16, 2009Recent advances in neurosurgery now permit some types of brain surgery to be performed using ultra sonic waves without ever cutting open the skull. This new type of neurosurgery is reported in the recent issue of the Annals of Neurology and more information can be obtained from the post at Fast Company.
NIH Launches the Human Connectome Project to Unravel the Brain?s Connections
Posted on August 15, 2009The National Institutes of Health Blueprint for Neuroscience Research is launching a $30 million project that will use cutting-edge brain imaging technologies to map the circuitry of the healthy adult human brain. By systematically collecting brain imaging data from hundreds of subjects, the Human Connectome Project (HCP) will yield insight into how brain connections underlie brain function, and will open up new lines of inquiry for human neuroscience...
North American Brain Injury Association-Legal Conference
Posted on August 14, 2009The North American Brain Injury Association (NABIS) has posted their registration and event schedule for the 22nd Annual Conference on Legal Issues in Brain Injury to be held in Austin, Texas from October 14-17, 2009. An important part of this conference is the Pre-Conference Symposium of Pediatric Brain Injury sponsored by the Sarah Jane Brain Project...
New York Human Rights Law amended to prohibit discrimination against victims of domestic violence
Posted on August 13, 2009Domestic violence is a frequent cause of traumatic brain injury in women. New York State recently joined a handful of other states by enacting legislation prohibiting discrimination against victims of domestic violence. On July 7, 2009, New York Governor David A...
Happy Anniversary to the Wizard of Oz
Posted on August 13, 2009Happy 70th anniversary to the Wizard of Oz which had its premier this week. The movie is a journey of traumatic brain injury. From Dorothy's loss of consciousness-concussion through her transition and new identity formed in OZ and then her return home, the film can teach us a great deal...
How is long term disability following brain damage determined by the CDC
Posted on August 12, 2009Understanding the Prevalence of Long-Term Disability Following Traumatic Brain Injury -How many traumatic brain injuries occur each year? -What are the statistics for people living with long-term disabilities after TBI? -How is this data gathered, and why have the numbers changed in the last few years? BrainLine advisor Jean Langlois Orman, ScD, MPH (Scientific Program Manager for Brain Injury Rehabilitation Research and Development Service at the U...
Will new baseball helmet prevent brain injuries?
Posted on August 12, 2009Today's New York Times has a story entitled, "Batting Helmet Is Safer, but Players Hate the Look" detailing a new helmet developed by the Rawlings company and intended to be introduced for major league baseball to prevent brain damage to baseball players...
Housing conference for the disabled--Albany, New York
Posted on August 11, 2009An important conference on exploring ways to advance opportunities for affordable housing for persons with a disability will take place in Albany, New York on October 6, 2009 from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm at the Crowne Plaza,State & Lodge Streets. The conference is entitled, "Building Public/Private Partnerships to Advance Affordable Housing for People with Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities" Here is the list of speakers: Welcome and Opening Remarks: Diana Jones Ritter, Commissioner, NYS OMRDD Keynote Speaker Charles D...
Deadly medical mistakes on the increase
Posted on August 10, 2009An important series highlighting the alarming increase in medical errors began yesterday in the Hearst newspapers including the Albany Times Union. The story entitled, Dead By Mistake is an in depth look at preventable medical malpractice in the United States today...
New Health Insurance Protection for College Students--"Michelle's Law"
Posted on August 09, 2009A new federal law effective this fall will provide needed protection to the health insurance benefits of college students who are compelled to take a medical leave of absence from school because of illnesss or injury. The law will be particularly helpful for students who have sustained traumatic brain injuries and are undergoing prolonged brain injury rehabilitation...
Loss of Self-Identity Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on August 09, 2009A front page story in Sunday's New York Times, entitled, After Injury, Fighting to Regain a Sense of Self, recounts the struggles of a 19 year old who sustained severe brain damage following a motorcycle accident. The 19 year old was thrown from his motorcycle after a car traveling in front of him began to act erratically causing him to lose control of his motorcycle...
41% of Patients in Minimially Conscious State May Be Misdiagnosed!
Posted on August 08, 2009A troubling study published on line at Bio-Medical Central has examined the rate of misdiagnosis of those in the minimally conscious state. A sixteen-month study of consensus-based diagnosis of patients with disorders of consciousness has shown that 41% of cases of minimally conscious state (MCS) were misdiagnosed as vegetative state (VS), a condition associated with a much lower chance of recovery...
The Brain Injury Research Center
Posted on August 07, 2009The Brain Injury Research Center at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York is conducting a survey about the use of Facebook in the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) community. They are looking for people willing to fill out an online survey. If you are interested in being a part of the project, please read the information below...
Returning to School Following A Brain Injury, Some Tips
Posted on August 07, 2009Brainline has put together an excellent post entitled "Helping Your Child Return To School" which contains many useful suggestions on practical accommodations that should be requested for your child. They have prepared a list of common problems to help you and your child?s teachers start to develop an effective return-to-school plan...
Malpractice causes brain damage in new born
Posted on August 06, 2009ABC News has broadcast a very disturbing story of a young girl who has suffered severe brain damage as a result of a condition known as Kernicterus which is caused by high levels of bilirubin in the blood- stream following birth. The story also reports on experimental brain stimulation therapy designed to minimize some of the effects of the brain damage...
Multiple Bombings Slowly Destroy Soldier's Brain
Posted on August 05, 2009Thanks to the Huffington Report for reporting a story originally broadcast on CNN of a U.S. soldier who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was subjected to multiple bombings. Despite serious, multiple brain injuries, he was repeatedly sent back to duty...
Sports Legacy Institute 2nd Annual Awards Dinner Announced
Posted on August 04, 2009The Sports Legacy Institute, a group formed to advance the health and wellness of athletes and the overall safety of sports and athletic endeavors will be holding their second annual awards dinner on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 in Boston, Mass. To date the Institute has focused its efforts on the study of degenerative brain conditions including Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, a condition caused by repetitive concussive and sub-concussive brain injuries...
Can Cerebral Palsy and Brain Damage Be Prevented in New Borns?
Posted on August 03, 2009Inhibiting an enzyme in the brains of newborns suffering from oxygen and blood flow deprivation stops a type of brain damage that is a leading cause of cerebral palsy, mental retardation and death, according to researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center...
Neuromonitoring in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Children
Posted on August 02, 2009Neuromonitoring in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Children: Current and Future Technologies: The Brain Trauma Foundation has announced a new lecture to be held on August 10, 2009 from 12:00-1:00 PM EDT which will discuss standard and novel methods of neuromonitoring in pediatric traumatic brain injury including current evidence based medicine indications and limitations of specific neuromonitoring technologies...
Brain Injury Law Firm Launches Facebook Page
Posted on August 02, 2009De Caro & Kaplen, LLP has launched a facebook page. Click the following link, to become a FAN of the Brain Injury Law Firm, De Caro & Kaplen, LLP on Facebook. Stay in touch! Michael
Returning to work following a traumatic brain injury: What do I tell my employer?
Posted on August 02, 2009BrainLine has a new video on their Ask The Expert page featuring my answer to the following question: I had a mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) last year and now my employer expects me to work as I had before my injury. I still have problems with fatigue, memory, and concentration but have no visible scars...
New York State Mental Retardation and Developmental Disability New Information Line-Complaint Line and Web Site
Posted on August 01, 2009The New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) has established a new information and complaint line as well as a new web site. The information line is designed to help people get answers to questions about supports and services for individuals with developmental disabilities in New York State...
Brain Injury Law Firm Update
Posted on July 31, 2009I am pleased to report that my presentation at the American Association for Justice annual convention on the pitfalls involved in the trial of a traumatic brain injury case was very well received. My presentation to a national audience of trial attorneys was entitled, "The Poison Pills of Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation" and was intended to introduce the audience to the favorite defenses which insurance companies attempt to use in order to attack claims involving traumatic brain injury...
Urgent Call for Action: Urge your Senators to Vote In Favor of The Veterans Health Care Authorization Act of 2009
Posted on July 30, 2009In the coming days the Senate will consider S. 252, the Veterans Health Care Authorization Act of 2009. Among the provisions of the bill, the legislation authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs(VA) to provide care to veterans with traumatic brain injury through contracts with non-VA providers when necessary...
$10 Million Dollars Allocated To Brain Injury Programs By Congress
Posted on July 23, 2009The following brain injury legislative update comes from Susan Connors, president and chief operating officer of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA): I?m pleased to announce that the House Appropriations Committee has passed its version of the FY 2010 spending bill, allocating $10 million to the HRSA state grant and protection and advocacy programs...
I will be heading to San Francisco
Posted on July 21, 2009I will be heading to San Francisco later this week to deliver a presentation on traumatic brain injury at the American Association for Justice annual meeting. My presentation focuses on meeting and defusing the defenses in a traumatic brain injury case...
The difference in concussions in our clients and professional football players
Posted on July 19, 2009A story in theNew York Times, Risk of High School Football Tackles is good proof of why information that we obtain from research done on concussions in professional football players cannot be relied on in judging the seriousness of concussions in amateur athletes and for concussions sustained by members of the general public...
See the railroad spike that pierced the brain of Phineas Gage
Posted on July 18, 2009Those who know the story of Phineas Gage will appreciate the photo below of Gage holding the famous railroad spike the pieced his brain. This is a true event that took place in 1848. Gage was the foreman of a construction crew laying a railroad roadbed...
New web site launched by Brain Injury Association of New Jersey
Posted on July 16, 2009The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey has launched a new website, NJteen- Driving to help increase awareness and educate parents about the risks associated with teen driving. Information available on the site includes the risk factors that play a role in teen crashes, details of the Graduated Driver License program (GDL), current and relevant legislation related to teens getting behind the wheel, and features such as videos, news articles, an interactive teen crash site map, tips and important contacts...
Deadline extended for The George Washington University Master's Brain Injury Certification Program
Posted on July 15, 2009I have been requested to forward the following announcement from The George Washington University Graduate Acquired Brain Injury Certification Program. I have been honored to be a guest lecturer at this program for the past several semesters and have viewed first hand what a great program they offer...
Baseline Testing Helps to Identify Returning Vets With Mild Brain Injury
Posted on July 13, 2009An interesting story at NPR about baseline neuropsychological testing in returning vets, highlights the importance of screeing procedeures for early identification of victims of brain trauma. According to the NPR story, one in five returning combat soldiers is a victim of traumatic brain injury...
Concussion Insurance Benefits for Student Athlethes
Posted on July 12, 2009Here is some hopefully, refreshing news from an insurance company for a change. It has been reported that Wells Fargo?s Student Insurance Division (SID) and the Sports Concussion Institute (SCI) has launched Play It Safe Concussion Care (PSC). According to the insurance carrier, it?s a new concussion management treatment and services solution for athletes nationwide...
Drug found effective in treating cases of partial losss of smell
Posted on July 11, 2009Anosmia is the inability to perceive smells and is a frequent complication following a head injury. The condition can be either temporary or permanent. Although the sense of smell is controlled by the olfactory nerve, this nerve is seldom tested as part of the standard neurological examination and frequently victims of head trauma do not associate their loss with the trauma producing event...
Urgent Call to Action for Traumatic Brain Injury Congressional Funding
Posted on July 10, 2009The Brain Injury Association of America has just issued this important call to action to Urge Congress to Increase Funding for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Programs: The Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education begins consideration of the FY10 funding bill today! Over the next few days, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education will be considering a bill which will provide the funding allocation for programs authorized through the TBI Act and for NIDRR's TBI-related research programs, including TBI Model Systems of Care...
New Drugs May Prevent Development of Seizures and Epilepsy From Head Injury
Posted on July 08, 2009Chronic seizures, also known as traumatic epilepsy caused by traumatic brain injuries or head injury, may result from chemicals released by the brain's immune system attempting to repair the injured site, according to a study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder and reported in the July issue of the journal, BRAIN...
Supreme Court reaffirms principals of Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Posted on July 07, 2009The United States Supreme Court has reaffirmed the principal and purpose of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in providing all children with a free and appropriate public education. In the recently decided case entitled, Forest Grove School District v...
Brain Information Resources
Posted on July 06, 2009The National Institutes of Health has some great resources for teachers and students from elementary school on up. Click on the "Brain & Nervous System" section from the list of topics on their home page for teaching curricula and teaching aides, including Power Point Slides, discussion guides and videos...
Brain Injury Recovery Documentary
Posted on July 06, 2009In 2004, Jason Crigler's life was taking off. He was one of New York's hottest young guitarists, his new CD was due for release and his wife, Monica, was pregnant with their first child. Then, at a gig in Manhattan, Jason suffered a near-fatal brain hemorrhage...
New Brain Injury Support Group forming in North Fork-Suffolk County, New York
Posted on July 03, 2009A recent article in The Suffolk Times reports that a new brain injury support group is forming on the North Fork of Suffolk County, New York. The group they will start up in the fall is aimed at patients and also their families and friends. The purpose is to provide a refuge for area people who have suffered brain injuries from accidents, illnesses or even drug use...
Following Severe Brain Injury: Need to Monitor For Seizure Activity
Posted on July 02, 2009Two new studies published in the Annals of Neurology and Critical Care Medicine demonstrate a need for more vigilant monitoring for seizure activity among intensive care patients who may be experiencing subtle seizures that are typically unrecognized...
Limiting Malpractice Law Suits Will Not Fix Nation's Health Care Crisis
Posted on July 01, 2009Our nation's health care system is a mess. Those who work with injured individuals on a daily basis are well aware of the frustrations that our clients have in obtaining health care that is both readily available to them and affordable. Insurance companies constantly are throwing up road blocks to accessing medical care...
Kaplen appointed legal advisor to Sarah Jane Brain Foundation
Posted on July 01, 2009I am honored to report that I have been appointed as a member of the legal advisory board of the Sarah Jane Foundation. As a brain injury attorney, I am pleased to be able to offer my years of experience in representing victims of brain trauma to the foundation...
Protecting service members from medical malpractice in the military
Posted on June 30, 2009Senator Charles Schumer has introduced the Carmelo Rodriguez Medical Accountability Act of 2009 (S. 1347 / H.R. 1478), which would guarantee active military servicemen and women the right to sue for medical malpractice. Under the Feres Doctrine, a 1950 Supreme Court ruling, active military members cannot sue the government for non combat related injuries...
Blast Injuries and Traumatic Brain Damage
Posted on June 29, 2009Blast-induced traumatic brain injury (TBI) has reached critical levels in modern-day warfare. The current issue of Journal of Neurotrauma focuses on the intensive efforts to develop effective treatment strategies and model systems for studying the cause and effects of explosive blast TBI...
Could TV Pitchman, Billy May's Sudden Death Be Caused By A Traumatic Brain Injury?
Posted on June 29, 2009TV Pitchman Biilly May, suddenly passed away on Sunday. Word is spreading that on Saturday, while on board an airplane, he struck his head after the plane's tires blew out during a rough landing. Sounds similar to the fate of Natasha Richardson who also died suddenly after she struck her head...
Decompressive Craniectomy: Studies Underway To Determine Effectiveness
Posted on June 28, 2009Decompressive craniectomy , a procedure where a portion of the skull is removed to allow the brain to expand is widely used to treat intracranial hypertension (high pressure within the brain causing brain damage) following traumatic brain injury (TBI)...
Traumatic Brain Injury Can Cause Premature Death
Posted on June 27, 2009An interesting news report from ABC News examines the link between traumatic brain injury and premature death .Can Brain Iinjury Lead To Death Years Later? It is important to realize that the impact of a traumatic brain injury may have long term consequences including premature death...
Protect the Public From BIG Truck Accidents On Our Roads and Highways
Posted on June 27, 2009Large trucks on our nation?s road are a significant cause of highway injuries and deaths. Many of these injuries are head injuries resulting in traumatic brain damage. The following statistics are shocking: Every year, about 5,000 people die and over 100,000 people are injured in large truck crashes...
Reducing the severity of brain trauma following a car crash
Posted on June 26, 2009The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to look at new technologies to reduce severe brain injuries following motor vehicle accidents. In a new report titled, Recommendations from the Expert Panel: Advanced Automatic Collision Notification and Triage of the Injured Patient the CDC looks at inboard car computer programs that provide information following a car crash...
Pool Safety Tips
Posted on June 25, 2009Pool accidents are a leading cause of traumatic brain injury. It's easy to prevent drowning and other injuries around the pool with proper care. Whether you are a pool owner or guest, go to the lake or beach, safety is a priority. Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation has offered these Top 10 Water Safety Tips: If you are a pool owner, be sure to have clearly marked depth indicators around the entire pool...
Progesterone Study For Traumatic Brain Injury Now in Third Phase
Posted on June 24, 2009Preliminary research studies at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia have shown that patients who receive progesterone injections shortly after sustaining a severe head or severe brain injury have reduced risk of death and long term disability. The small pilot study had enrolled 100 Participants...
Three Years and Not One Service Member Tested for Subtle Brain Damage
Posted on June 23, 2009Subtle brain damage is often missed by conventional MRI testing, leading many to falsely conclude that no structural brain damage has taken place. This false premise has subjected many individuals who have sustained brain injury, including returning veterans to have their claims rejected...
Comparing Brain Damage in Brains of Wounded Vets to Brain Damage in Football Players
Posted on June 23, 2009The Sports Legacy Institute and the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy have announced that they will be now examining the brain tissue of service members who have passed away after suffering from blast injuries. They will be comparing the pathological findings in the brain tissue of victims of blast injury to the findings in tissue examined in football players who have sustained multiple concussions...
Brain Injury Resource Lecture at The George Washington University
Posted on June 22, 2009I am thrilled to be in Washington DC today to again lecture at the Master's Degree Program in the Center for Education and Human Services Acquired Brain Injury Masters program at The George Washington University. This semester?s lecture is focused on examining the various sources of information that is available on the internet in the area of traumatic brain injury...
More State Brain Injury Association Annual Conferences Scheduled
Posted on June 21, 2009The Brain Injury Association of Michigan has announced that their 29th annual conference will be held on Sep 24-25 in Lansing, Michigan. More information is available at the Michigan Brain Injury Association web site. The Brain Injury Association of Ohio is hold their 28th annual conference on Oct 1-2 in Columbus, Ohio...
Grants to assist youths in trouble with the law following a traumatic brain injury
Posted on June 21, 2009Adolescents suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) often face behavioral issues which may cause them to incur difficulties with the law. Unfortunately, rather than address these behavior and anti-social difficulties, these youths are identified as criminals and become part of the criminal justice system...
Department of Defense Announces New Campaign to Remove Stigma of Seeking Assistance For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Posted on June 20, 2009Post-traumatic stress is a common problem among American service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. To combat the stigma that keeps some members of the military, veterans and their families from seeking needed psychological help, the Department of Defense launched the Real Warriors Campaign...
Spanish Language Resources for Brain Injury Survivors
Posted on June 19, 2009Thanks to brainline for providing a tip on where to obtain spanish language information for individuals with brain injury and their families. The material was prepared by the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) and are Spanish translations of three popular DVBIC handouts...
Pennsylvania Brain Injury Association Annual Conference
Posted on June 18, 2009The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania is holding their annual conference on Jun 22-23 in Lancaster, PA. For more information go the the Brain Injury Of Pennsylvania web site.
New Concussion Guidelines for Children and Teens: Keep Them Off the Field!
Posted on June 17, 2009An international panel of neurologists, updating their recommendations on concussion care in the May issue of The British Journal of Sports Medicine, said that any athlete 18 or younger who was believed to have sustained a concussion during a game or practice should never be allowed to return to the playing field the same day...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on June 16, 2009This week's brain injury legislative update has been prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA): Health Care Reform Update On June 9, 2009, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee released a draft health care reform bill...
Congratulations to Shana De Caro, Esq.
Posted on June 16, 2009Congratulations to my partner, brain injury attorney, Shana De Caro who has again been selected for inclusion in the 2009-2010 Edition of Who's Who in American Law. According to the editors, this edition will chronicle the country's most distinguished legal professionals who have made significant contributions to the advancement, understanding and appreciation of the legal profession...
Elected to Board of Governor's: American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys-Medical Malpractice
Posted on June 15, 2009I am honored that I was elected to the Board of Governors of the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys this past weekend during their annual meeting. The Board is the only association accredited and approved by the American Bar Association to certify attorneys in medical and legal malpractice...
Take The "R" Word Out Of New York State Vocabulary
Posted on June 15, 2009Thanks to my friend, disability advocate, Ralph Shields for bringing this important legislation to my attention and to the work of the Center for Disability Rights for the following memo: Action Alert ? No More "R" Word! Support A07566! For many years, advocates have pushed for a name change for OMRDD (Office of Mental Retardation Developmental Disabilities) and are extremely pleased at the possibility that New York will now join all but a few states in the USA that have removed the words 'mental retardation', often referred to as the "r-word", from the name of the state agency that supports...
Cognitive Fatigue Following Brain Injury Documented in New Study
Posted on June 11, 2009A recent study by Kessler Foundation Research Center published in Brain Injury, the official journal of the International Brain Injury Association, uncovered the possible cause of cognitive fatigue in patients suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI)...
Aphasia Awareness Month
Posted on June 08, 2009Aphasia, an impairment in the ability to use (speak) words or comprehend words frequently occurs as a result of a traumatic brain injury or other head injury. June has been designated National Aphasia Awareness Month. Aphasia can affect multiple functions of the brain including: auditory comprehension (understand words said to you) verbal expression (expressing your want and needs) reading comprehension (understanding written words) written expression (writing words) The type and extent of impairment with aphasia differs from person to person and is highly dependent on the degree of damage to the brain and the location of the brain damage...
Traumatic Brain Injury Research Studies at New York City's Mt Sinai Brain Injury Reserach Center
Posted on June 07, 2009The following traumatic brain injury research studiessponsored by the Mount Sinai Brain Injury Research Center (888) 241 5152 have been announced: Needs After Traumatic Brain Injury: Researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital are developing a questionnaire to assess the needs of people with traumatic brain injury...
Weekly Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on June 06, 2009Here is this week's traumatic brain injury legislative update provided by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) Health Care Reform Update Currently, the Senate Finance Committee has reached no consensus on major provisions of the anticipated health care overhaul, raising doubts that it will be considered this month...
Concussion Management Bill Introduced in Congress
Posted on June 05, 2009Urge House Members to Cosponsor HR 1347, The Concussion Treatment and Care Tools Act of 2009 Members of the House of Representatives have introduced the Concussion Treatment and Care Tools Act of 2009 (HR 1347), a bill designed to ensure adoption, dissemination, and implementation by elementary and secondary schools of concussion management guidelines for the purpose of better treatment and awareness of the injuries of the estimated 3...
Enrollment Halted in Study of Concentrated Saline for Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on June 03, 2009The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health has stopped enrollment into a clinical trial testing the effects of highly concentrated (hypertonic) saline solutions on patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) when given as soon as possible after the injury ? that is, before the patient arrives at the hospital or emergency room...
Brain Damage Due to Over Medication from Anesthesia
Posted on June 02, 2009A new web site sponsored by the non-profit Goldilocks Anesthesia Foundation promotes the use of brain monitors during anesthesia to prevent brain damage caused by over medication. Death isn't always the biggest danger of too much anesthesia, says Goldilocks Anesthesia Foundation...
Glasgow coma scale not best predictor of long term outcome following traumatic brain injury
Posted on June 01, 2009The findings on the glasgow coma scale (GCS) , the presence of post traumatic amnesia (PTA) and abnormal findings on an MRI are often looked at to predict the long term consequences of traumatic brain injury. New research indicates that the presence and duration of post traumatic amnesia as well as structural changes found on MRI studeis are better predictors then the use of the glasgow coma scale to predict long term consequences of traumatic brain injury...
Living with the uncertainty of epilepsy
Posted on May 31, 2009Epilepsy is a common consequence following all types of head trauma. Epilepsy has been found to occur following mild, moderate and severe brain injury and often occurs following car accidents, drowning and injuries that cause lack of oxygen to the brain...
New Guidelines for Epilepsy and Pregnancy
Posted on May 31, 2009New guidelines developed by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society show it's relatively safe for women with epilepsy to become pregnant, but caution must be taken, including avoiding one particular epilepsy drug that can cause birth defects...
Effects of Brain Trauma In Children May Last For Life Time
Posted on May 30, 2009The effects of a traumatic brain injury in childhood may linger for years, a meta-analysis showed. Deficits in intellectual functioning and attention in children with moderate traumatic brain injury resolved only modestly after two years, "suggesting that they do not fully catch up to their demographically-matched peers," according to Talin Babikian, Ph...
Nutritional requirements following severe traumatic brain injury
Posted on May 29, 2009The Brain Trauma Foundation(BTF) is sponsoring a lecture on the nutritional requirements for patients who have sustained a severe traumatic brain injury . The lecture is scheduled for June 2, 2009 from 12:00-1:00 PM EST and will be a live, interactive, web-based lecture on "Food for Thought" Implementation of Nutritional Guidelines for the Acute TBI Patient...
More evidence that children need to be assessed following a concussion before being allowed to go back to sports or play time activities
Posted on May 28, 2009Children hospitalized with concussions should wait until they are seen by a clinician in a follow-up exam before returning to regular sports or playtime activities, according to researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Rather than only consulting a doctor when there are obvious trouble signs after the initial treatment, the Children's Hospital researchers recommend that a qualified healthcare provider perform a formal assessment after hospital discharge but before child resumes exertional activities...
New national guideline proposed for sports concussions
Posted on May 28, 2009A national guideline that young athletes suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in practice or games be removed from competition until examined or cleared by a medical professional is at the heart of a multi-organizational call-to-action announced today at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on May 23, 2009This week's brain injury legislative update has been prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America: Health Care Reform Update This week the Senate Finance Committee engaged in three daylong sessions to discuss various policy options that may be included in a Health Care Reform bill later this year...
The Brain Injury Association of
Posted on May 17, 2009The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey will present its 2009 annual seminar, titled "Brain Injury Perspectives," from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 20 and 21 at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center, Eatontown. The seminar will feature more than 20 workshops and 40 exhibitors...
Brain Injury Association Legislative Update
Posted on May 16, 2009Here is this week's leglislative update provided by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA): Health Care Reform Update This week House Democratic leaders vowed to pass a comprehensive overhaul of the nation's health care system before the Congressional recess in August...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on May 09, 2009The following is this week's brain injury legislative update, prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) Health Care Reform Update Lawmakers are now developing policy options that could become part of the national health care reform, but currently no legislation has been introduced and there are no specific bills to support or oppose...
Urge Congress to Support the Principles of the Brain Injury Healthcare Reform Pledge
Posted on May 08, 2009The following request has been received from the Brain Injury Association of America: The Brain Injury Association has embarked on what may be the most important advocacy effort in our 29-year history. President Obama and the U.S. Congress are undertaking a comprehensive overhaul of our nation's healthcare system and the discussions on what to include in the legislation are happening now...
A message of support for our care givers
Posted on May 07, 2009The following message was prepared by Lee Woodruff. She has shared some very poingnant thoughts that need repeating. Please share this message with your friends. Memorial Day is on the horizon and for most of us, it¹s a blessed three-day weekend where we can sleep in, char something on the BBQ and relax with our friends...
Brain Injury Association of New York State Fundraising Event
Posted on May 06, 2009Join me on Saturday, May 30, 2009, to walk and roll with other supporters of the Brain Injury Association of New York State in the 21st Annual Freihofer?s Community Walk in Albany, NY. This fun event gives us all the opportunity to raise funds for the Association...
How long should we monitor cerebral perfusion pressure following a severe traumatic brain injury?
Posted on May 05, 2009Autoregulation is the ability of the brain to regulate the amount of oxygen it receives. Following a severe traumatic brain injury the autoregulatory ability of the brain is impaired leading to profound changes in oxygen perfusion pressure. The medical profession with large efforts on the part of the Brain Trauma Foundation has recognized the importance of monitoring perfusion pressure in the brain immediately following severe brain injuries...
Concussion: Compliance with Return to Play Advice and Follow-up Status
Posted on May 04, 2009While we are all concerned with the incidence of concussions in sporting activities and return to play decisions, we need to have equal concern for the rate of compliance among individuals who have sustained concussions. The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences, (Volume 36, Number 2 / March 2009) reports the results of a study designed to determine the compliance rate among hockey players with concussion or other head injuries who were advised by a physician about return to play...
Congratulations to Dr. Wayne Gordon
Posted on May 03, 2009Congratulations to Dr. Wayne A. Gordon, Professor of Neuropsychology at New York City's Mt. Sinai Hospital School of Medicine, this year's recipient of the Robert L. Moody Prize for Distinguished Initiatives in Brain Injury Research and Rehabilitation...
This Week's Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on May 01, 2009The following brain injury legislative update was produced by the Brain Injury Association of America: Appropriations Update On Wednesday, marking President Obama's first 100 days in office, Congress adopted a fiscal year 2010 budget resolution, setting the stage for action on many of his top legislative priorities...
Disability Law Handbook
Posted on April 30, 2009The Southwest DBTAC has announced that their Disability Law Handbook is now available on their website. Click: Disability Handbook. The book can be downloaded and you can print as many copies as you would like. The book will also be translated into Spanish and is expected to available electronically in about three weeks...
Important Information to Aid Families With Discharge From Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Rehabilitation Facilities
Posted on April 29, 2009The United Hospital Fund wants to make you aware of a new resource, Next Steps In Care which provides information ot patients and family members regarding the important information necessary to make informed decisions when someone is about to be discharged from a hospital, nursing home or rehabilitation facility...
Brain Injury Program To Be Held at Mt Sinai Medical Center, New York
Posted on April 28, 2009The death of Natasha Richardson has generated many inquiries at Mt. Sinai Hospital for a program addressing brain injury prevention, diagnosis and treatment. A program entitled: Brain Injury: Perspectives on Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment has been announced with providing members of the community information on: Brain injury and sports Brain injury prevention strategies How to recognize a head or brain injury What do to if you suspect a brain injury and where to go When: May 11, 2009 at 6:00 pm ? 7:00 pm Where: Seminar Room, 1st floor, 1425 Madison The program is open to the general public...
New Traumatic Brain Injury Policy Position to Open in New York State
Posted on April 27, 2009As a result of the recent grant received by the State of New York for the improvement of services to victims of traumatic brain injury, a new position has been created fwith the New York State Department of Health for the administration of this grant...
New Neuroanatomy Application For I Phone
Posted on April 27, 2009Thanks to medGadget for alerting me to this cool new application for I Phones that will enable you to see the human brain in three D with identification of over 200 regions. Here is an excerpt from the device's product page: Cerebrii is an interactive neuroanatomy tool put together by a student for fellow neuroscience students and enthusiasts...
This week's brain injury legislative update
Posted on April 26, 2009The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) has requested that I distribute this week's traumatic brain injury legislative update. Healthcare Reform Next week, BIAA will engage in a series of meetings in the House, Senate, and the White House to discuss healthcare reform principles that would benefit the brain injury community...
The American Academy of Pediatrics
Posted on April 26, 2009The American Academy of Pediatrics wants doctors to stop using the term "shaken baby syndrome" in favor of something more scientific. The largest U.S. pediatricians' group recommends "abusive head trauma," calling it a more comprehensive diagnosis for brain, skull and spinal injuries associated with shaking and other head injuries inflicted on infants...
Support the Neurotechnology Initiative Act of 2009
Posted on April 25, 2009A request has been received today from the Brain Injury Association of America that our readers be rquested to urge their house of representative member to Cosponsor HR 1483, The National Neurotechnology Initiative Act of 2009. Members of the House of Representatives have introduced the National Neurotechnology Initiative Act (HR 1483), a bill designed to foster new discoveries and accelerate the development of new and safer treatments for Americans living with brain-related illness, injury or disease...
Tinnitus Association Annual Walk For A Cure
Posted on April 24, 2009Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is a frequent occurrence following a traumatic brain injury. The condition can be quite disabling with disruptions to every aspect of an individual's life. The American Tinnitus Association(ATA) is raising funds for their critical mission of assisting victims of tinnitus, research efforts and advocacy programs...
Long Term Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury In Children
Posted on April 21, 2009Thanks to the Child Psychology and Reserach Blog for tipping me off to an article published in the Journal Pediatrics entitled, Longitudinal Trajectories of Postconcussive Symptoms in Children With Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries and Their Relationship to Acute Clinical Status...
Sports Concussions To Be Discussed At Next Meeting New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council
Posted on April 20, 2009The next meeting of the New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council will be held this Wednesday, April 22, 2009 in Delmar, New York in the Main Conference Room of the Health Department offices located at 161 Delaware Avenue, Delmar...
On-line Guide to Understanding Brain Disease
Posted on April 15, 2009I just came across a very informative web site sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes which has information on hundreds of brain disorders and links to clinical trials and updated news on the brain. Click: brain research and brain disorders for more information.
Up to date information on learning disabilties
Posted on April 15, 2009Up to date information on learning disabilities can be found at LD OnLine. The site produced by the Washington DC public service broadcasting network, WETA provides up to date research based information on learning disabilities to parents, educators, and people with LD and ADHD...
Blood screening test to detect traumatic brain injury
Posted on April 11, 2009According to a paper published in this month's Journal of Emergency Nursing, a blood screening test is being developed to detect a traumatic brain injury as an alternative to CT scans. The screening called S-100B is a serum protein bio-marker that rises sharply following a brain injury...
New York State Awarded $1 Million Federal Grant to Improve Life for New Yorkers With Traumatic Brain Injuries
Posted on April 11, 2009To improve the quality of life for New Yorkers with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), the New York State Department of Health (DOH) announced today it has been awarded a four-year, $1 million grant by the United States Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration...
Retired Hockey Player Donates Brain For Medical Research
Posted on April 10, 2009Former, NHL player, Keith Primeau, a victim of repeated concussions has decided to bequeath his brain to the Sports Legacy Institute, an organization dedicated to studying the effects of concussions and other sports-related brain injuries. Upon his death, it will be examined by the Center for Traumatic Encephalopathy at the Boston University Schooll of Medicine...
HBO Newsmagazine Seeking Information on High School Football Players With Long Term Disability Following Concussions
Posted on April 06, 2009HBO's news magazine Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel is researching a story on concussions and football in High School and Middle School age players. They are looking to interview players and family members of players who suffered long term disability following game related concussions...
North American Brain Injury Association: Call For Abstracts
Posted on April 05, 2009The North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) is now accepting abstracts for the Seventh Annual Conference on Brain Injury which will be held at the Austin Downtown Hilton Hotel on October 14-17, 2009. All accepted abstracts will be published in the "Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation"...
Never Shake A Baby
Posted on April 04, 2009The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome has announced the launch of their new web site. The Center has significantly expanded the site and it can be accessed by clicking here .
Virginia Brain Injury Conference
Posted on April 03, 2009The 32nd Annual Professionals' Conference on Rehabilitation of the Adult and Child with Traumatic Brain Injury: Practical Solutions to Real World Problems will be held June 4-5 in Williamsburg, Virginia (USA). The conference will feature presentations relating to innovation and technology, and clinical research from the NIDRR- funded TBI Model Systems of Care...
According to a press release issued
Posted on April 02, 2009According to a press release issued by the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health has stopped a clinical trial studying the benefits and safety of administering a highly concentrated form of saline solution in the ambulance (before hospital arrival) to trauma patients suffering from shock due to severe bleeding...
Training Coaches on Concussion Signs and Symptoms
Posted on April 01, 2009A bill has been introduced in the California legislature that would require all school coaches to be trained in detecting the signs and symptoms of concussions and othersignificant brain trauma as well as in the second impact syndrome. The legislation was introduced in the California assembly by Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi, D-Haywood...
World Brain Injury Congress Call For Abstracts
Posted on March 31, 2009The eighth World Congress on Brain Injury will be held in Washington DC from March 10-14, 2010. The world congress is sponsored by the International Brain Injury Association. (IBIA). They have just issued a request for abstracts in connection with this congress...
Free Brain Videos
Posted on March 30, 2009Learned from boing-boing of free videos posted by Stanford University from professors whose research explores the human brain. The video topics include: Building a circuit diagram for the brain; Understanding blindness and the brain; Brain computer interfaces; Controlling the brain with light; Deafness-emerging strategies for a cure...
Brain Injury Association of New York State Annual Conference
Posted on March 29, 2009This year's 27th annual conference of the Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) is scheduled to be held on June 4-5, 2009 in Albany, New York at the Marriott Hotel. This year's featured speaker is Lee Woodruff, co-author with her husband, Bob Woodruff of the memoir, In an Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing...
New York State Program to Examine Brain Injury In the Military
Posted on March 28, 2009The Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) is sponsoring a conference examining the impact of traumatic brain injury in returning service members. Some of the topics for discussion include: the clinical and psychosocial implication of brain injury sustained in combat the challenges faced by wounded warriors returning to the community the overlap among Traumatic Brain Injury, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other conditions The conference is scheduled to be held in New York City on April 21, 2009 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the OMRDD auditorium located at 75 Morton Street, Manhattan...
This week's brain injury legislative update
Posted on March 28, 2009The Brain Injury Association of Americas has requested that I publish this week's brain injury legislative update: Congressional Brain Injury Task Force Awareness Day on Capitol Hill On Wednesday, BIAA participated in a day-long awareness day on Capitol Hill sponsored by the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force...
New Sesame Street Program Deals With Traumatic Brain Injury and Other Injuries to Returning Service Members
Posted on March 27, 2009Thanks to BrainLine for tipping me off to a new PBS program on difficulties faced by returning service members including the "invisible injury" of traumatic brain damage. According to BrainLine, Queen Latifah, John Mayer, and Elmo are teaming up for a new prime-time special entitled "Coming Home: Military Families Cope with Change...
Alzheimer's Drug May Prevent Damage Caused By Traumatic Brain Injuries
Posted on March 26, 2009A new class of Alzheimer's disease drugs may prevent long-term damage from traumatic brain injury, suggests a study of mice by Georgetown University Medical Center researchers. The drugs -- gamma-secretase inhibitors -- are designed to target amyloid plaque that accumulates in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, according to background information in the study...
North American Brain Injury Conference: Save The Date
Posted on March 25, 2009The North American Brain Injury Association (NABIS) has announced that the Seventh Annual NABIS Conference on Brain Injury will be held at the Austin Downtown Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas. This year NABIS will be holding a full-day Pediatric Symposium on Brain Injury on Wednesday, October 14, 2009, with the full Conference taking place from Thursday, October 15, through Saturday, October 17, 2009...
Fish May Be Brain Food
Posted on March 24, 2009Teenage boys who regularly eat fish may be doing their brains some good, a new study suggests. Swedish researchers found that among nearly 5,000 15-year-old boys they surveyed, those who ate fish more than once per week tended to score higher on intelligence tests three years later...
Brain Injury Victim Dies In Nursing Home As A Result of Nursing Home Abuse
Posted on March 23, 2009An Arizona jury awarded a verdict of $11 million to the widow of a 36-year-old man with traumatic brain injury who died after ingesting foreign objects while in the care of a Phoenix assisted living facility. Earl Scherrer suffered a severe traumatic brain injury as a result of a car accident...
Brain Injury Legislative Summary
Posted on March 22, 2009The following is presented at the request of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA): BIAA Unveils Legislative Agenda for 2009 This week, in preparation for Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill, BIAA unveiled its legislative agenda. With the impending healthcare reform movement looming, BIAA has made access to brain injury care the cornerstone of this year's priorities...
Concussion Information
Posted on March 21, 2009With all the controversy surrounding the recent death and injuries sustained by Natasha Richardson, it would be useful for all to review the free information provided by the Centers For Disease Control (CDC)regarding sports related concussions. To help ensure the health and safety of young athletes, CDC developed the ?Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports? initiative to offer information about concussions?a type of traumatic brain injury?to coaches, parents, and athletes involved in youth sports...
Increase Brain Injury Funding in 2010 Federal Budget
Posted on March 20, 2009The following action alert has been issued by the Brain Injury Association of America regarding the need to contact your Congress person without delay to urge increased funding for traumatic brain injury (TBI) in next year's budget. Appropriations Action on Federal TBI Programs Just Around The Corner Over the next few weeks, both the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees will be working to craft the FY 2010 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education Appropriations bill, which will provide the funding allocation for programs authorized through the TBI Act and for NIDRR's TBI-related research programs, including TBI Model Systems...
Autopsy Results Confirm that Death of Natasha Richardson Could Have Been Averted
Posted on March 20, 2009An autopsy of the actress Natasha Richardson conducted by the New York City Medical Examiner has concluded that that she died of a brain hemorrhage caused by ?blunt impact? to her head. The autopsy suggests that the fall tore an artery in Ms. Richardson?s head, resulting in bleeding in an area between the skull and the lining covering the brain, called the dura mater...
Did Natasha Richardson Receive Proper Care From the Ski Area and the Doctors and Hospitals Who Treated Her?
Posted on March 19, 2009As an attorney who represents victims of brain trauma including brain injuries caused by medical mismanagement, I have been asked to provide my observations concerning the potential for medical malpractice in the care or lack of care that Ms. Richardson received as well as the potential liability of the ski area for her injuries and death...
Natasha Richardson Dies Following Fall on Ski Slope/The Myths of Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on March 18, 2009It is with sadness that I have learned this evening that actress, Natasha Richardson has passed away from head injuries she received when she fell and struck her head on the beginner's ski slope on Tuesday. She was not wearing a ski helmet at the time she fell to the ground...
Natasha Richardson May Have Suffered 'Talk and Die' Syndrome
Posted on March 17, 2009Reportedly, Natasha Richardson suffered a relatively minor fall on the ski slope resulting in severe brain trauma. She fell and struck her head, but did not lose consciousness. She initially told those at the scene that she was fine but she began to deteriorate within the next hour ultimately going into a coma...
Brain Injury and Falls in Hospitals and Nursing Homes
Posted on March 15, 2009One of the leading causes of traumatic brain injury are falls to patients in hospitals and nursing homes. Fortunately, many of these falls are preventable if proper safeguards are implemented. The latest issue of the Journal, Geriatrics discusses new guidelines for the prevention of falls in medical facilities...
NYC Epilepsy Education Program Registration Now Open
Posted on March 14, 2009Registration is now open for the FACES (Finding A Cure For Epilepsy) 2009 New York City Education Program. All programs will be held at New York University Medical Center in Manhattan, New York. The program again is as follows: Schedule Tuesday, March 31, 2009 Navigating the Educational Needs of Children with Epilepsy Presenter: David Salsberg, Psy...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on March 14, 2009Here is this week's legislative update produced by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA): Brain Injury Awareness Month Resolution Reported Favorably Out of House Committee On Tuesday, The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform ordered by unanimous consent that the measure (H...
NEUROTECH BILL INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS
Posted on March 13, 2009A team of prominent members of both houses of Congress introduced today the National Neurotechnology Initiative (NNTI) Act, a bill designed to foster new discoveries and accelerate the development of new and safer treatments for the one in three Americans living with a brain-related illness, injury or disease...
CDC Fact Sheet on Sports Concussions
Posted on March 13, 2009With all the controversy surrounding concussion injuries, the following Fact Sheet by the Center for Disease Control is important to read: THE FACTS A concussion is a brain injury. All concussions are serious. Concussions can occur without loss of consciousness...
Female Athletes and Concussions
Posted on March 11, 2009An interesting story appears in this weeks ESPN Magazine discussing the differences in the rate and reporting of concussions in female athletes as compared to male athletes. Here are some excerpts from the article: In sports played by both women and men, women sustain more concussions...
Washington State Passes Concussion Safety Law For Student Athletes
Posted on March 11, 2009In what is believed to be the first law of its kind, the State of Washington has passed legislation that will prohibit student athletes who have exhibited symptoms of a concussion from returning to play without the approval of a licensed health care provider...
Children and Concusssions: ABC Video
Posted on March 10, 2009ABC News has produced an interesting video featuring the new Journal of Pediatrics article on Concussions which finds that up to 25% of children are at risk for prolonged symptoms following a concussion. The video features an interview with the study author and other important information on concussions...
Spring New York Epilepsy Lecture Series Announced
Posted on March 09, 2009FACES (Finding A Cure For Epilepsy) has announced its spring lecture series. Further registration details have not yet been made available and will be announced shortly and will be provided on this site. Schedule Tuesday, March 31, 2009Navigating the Educational Needs of Children with EpilepsyPresenter: David Salsberg, Psy...
Official Recommendations of International Conference on Behavioral Health and Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on March 09, 2009St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center of Paterson, NJ, in conjunction with Congressman Bill Pascrell, Co-Chair Congressional Brain Injury Task Force (CBITF), will announce the official recommendations of the International Conference on Behavioral Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Report on March 12, 2009, at the U...
New Jersey Brain Injury Association Annual Dinner
Posted on March 08, 2009The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey, will be holding its Annual Gala at the Marriott Hanover, 1401 Route 10 East, Whippany on Tuesday March 10, 2009. The New Jersey Brain Injury Association holds its annual dinner each year during Brain Injury Awareness Month...
Pediatric Brain Injury Lecture
Posted on March 06, 2009The Brain Trauma Foundation is sponsoring a live, interactive web based lecture on BioMarkers in Pediatric TBI: From Understanding Mechanisms to Guiding Therapy on April 1st 2009 from 12:00 to 1:00 EST For more information go to the brain trauma foundation web site.
American Tinnitus Association Needs Your Support
Posted on February 26, 2009Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is a frequent complaint following a concussion. The American Tinnitus Association needs your support. You can join and receive benefits including their journal for only $35 per year by clicking here. More information about Tinnitus can be obtained from the American Tinnitus Assocation.
Headaches Following Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussions
Posted on February 25, 2009Headaches are one of the most common symptoms following a traumatic brain injury. Headaches frequently follow a concussion. The American Academy of Neurology reports that headaches following a mild traumatic brain injury will be a focus of discussion at their annual meeting to be held this April in Seattle...
Good News For Boxer Who Was In Coma
Posted on February 24, 2009Boxer Oscar Diaz has been released from a hospital seven months after being beaten into a coma during a nationally televised fight according to a report in USA Today., Diaz had remained hospitalized since awakening from the coma in September. He has been released to a brain rehabilitation center for further treatment...
Risk of Epilepsy Following Traumatic Brain Injury Lasts For More Than 10 Years
Posted on February 24, 2009Children and young adults who suffer a traumatic brain injury are at high risk of developing epilepsy for more than 10 years after the injury, Danish researchers report. But there's good news, too: treatments carried out during that time period may help prevent epilepsy, the team adds...
Neurotrauma conference: Save the Date
Posted on February 22, 2009The International and National Neurotrauma Societies and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine (VCU) invite you to attend NEUROTRAUMA 2009: The Second Joint Symposium of the International and National Neurotrauma Societies, in collaboration with the AANS/CNS Section on Neurotrauma & Critical Care, at Fess Parker's Doubletree Resort in Santa Barbara, California from September 7-11, 2009...
New Program to Assess Returning Troops for Traumatic Brain Injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Posted on February 21, 2009The State of Montana has developed a new model for assessing its returning troops for brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder. Recognizing that many problems associated with traumatic brain injuries and stress do not become apparent for several months after returning home, the program calls for the mandatory evaluation of all troops after they have been home for six months...
Young Adults Suffering From Stroke Often Misdiagnosed
Posted on February 20, 2009When people under 50 go to emergency because of a stroke, they are often misdiagnosed and may miss out on timely treatment, researchers say. Typically, stroke victims are 55 or older. When younger people suffer stroke symptoms, emergency room professionals may mistake the slurred speech, stumbling and other symptoms for intoxication, a migraine or another condition...
New Tools For Brain Imaging
Posted on February 17, 2009I just cam across a fascinating brain blog entitled, "Brain Windows" which focuses on new tools for peering into the brain. The site focuses on new brain injury imaging technology The posts are very technical but provide some fascinating information on cutting edge brain imaging...
Long Island Brain Injury Program
Posted on February 16, 2009The Brain Injury Association of New York State in cooperation with North Shore University Hospital and the Transitions of Long Island is sponsoring an all day program entitled, "Living With Brain Injury: New Developments in Technology and Treatment" The brain injury program is scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 22, 2009 from 8:30 AM until 3:00 PM at Rust Auditorium, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, New York...
Iowa Brain Injury Conference
Posted on February 15, 2009The Brain Injury Association of Iowa will be holding its annual confence on March 5 ? 6 at Hotel Fort Des Moines in Des Moines, Iowa.This 2009 event includes focus on the medical, community-based, educational and cultural aspects of brain injury care, service and support...
Oregon Brain Injury Program
Posted on February 14, 2009The 7th Annual Pacific Northwest Brain Injury Conference Living with Brain Injury: Identifying the Problems - Finding Solutions has been announced by the Brain Injury Association of Oregon and the Brain Injury Alliance of the Northwest. The program will be held March 6-7 2009 with a pre conference workshp to be held on March 5, 2009 entitled Managing Challenging Behaviors The brain injury conference will be held at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel 8235 NE Airport WayPortland, Oregon 97220 For more information or registration/brochure go to the oregon brain injury associaton web site.
Brain Injury Association Legislative Update
Posted on February 13, 2009Here is this week's legislative update prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America: TBI and the Military: On Thursday, Congressmen Pascrell and Platts hosted a briefing featuring Col. Michael Jaffee of the Department of Defense, DOD Defense Center of Excellence (DCoE), Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center...
Long Island Head Injury Assocation Brain Injury Program
Posted on February 13, 2009The Long Island-based Head Injury Association is hosting its annual ?Head Injury Awareness & Prevention Sports Celebrity Forum? on Thursday, March 12, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Wind Watch (1717 Motor Parkway in Hauppauge, NY). The event is free and open to the public...
Brain Injury Awareness Month Urgent Request
Posted on February 10, 2009Help us designate March as Brain Injury Awareness Month On February 4, 2009, Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Co-chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, introduced legislation that would designate March as "Brain Injury Awareness" month(H...
Brain Injury Association Legislative Update
Posted on February 08, 2009The following is this week's leglislative update from the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA): Former Senator Tom Daschle Withdraws His Nomination This week former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle withdrew from consideration to become the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services...
First Annual Conference on Culture, Ethnicity and Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Posted on February 06, 2009Save the date for the First Annual International Conference on Culture, Ethnicity, & Brain Injury Rehabilitation (March 12 and 13, 2009) . A full spectrum of topics relating to the neurobehavioral, cognitive, functional, vocational, psychosocial, family and medical aspects of rehabilitation will be addressed via lectures, workshops, panel presentations, and 30 posters...
Traumatic Brain Injury Career Center
Posted on February 04, 2009I just finished reading the latest issue of Brain Injury Professional, published by the North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) and came across a very interesting advertisement concerning the establishment of an Internet based bulletin board for career information for brain injury professionals...
Coma-Vegetative State-Minimally Conscious State: How Do We Know?
Posted on February 02, 2009One of the most frustrating aspects of evaluating individuals as they emerge from a coma is their level of awareness. An interesting article appears in this month's on line Scientific America entitled, "Understanding Consciousness: Measure More, Argue Less" The article discussed the progress in unraveling the mind-body problem and the development of new and ingenious ways to measure consciousness...
South Carolina Brain Injury Conference
Posted on January 31, 2009The Brain Injury Alliance of South Carolina (BIASC) and the South Carolina Brain Injury Leadership Council will be having a Statewide Brain Injury Conference on Thursday, May 14- Friday, May 15 at the Columbia Conference Center, located at 169 Laurelhurst Ave...
Dept of Defense Announces Opening of Traumatic Brain Injury Outreach Center
Posted on January 30, 2009In a news release, the Department of Defense announced the opening of a 24-hour outreach center to provide information and referrals to military service members, veterans, their families and others with questions about psychological health and traumatic brain injury...
Federal Legislative Update
Posted on January 30, 2009The following brain injury legislative update was prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America: ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE APPROVED BY HOUSE This week the House passed their $819 billion economic stimulus bill, setting the stage for Senate action next week...
Concussions Cause Permanent Brain Damage
Posted on January 29, 2009Adding to the evidence that concussions cause permanent brain damage, yesterday's New York Times reports on the latest findings on the effects of cumulative concussions in football players. "New Signs of Brain Daamge in the NFL" Brain damage commonly associated with boxers has been found in a sixth deceased former N...
Cognitive Rehabilitation Following Brain Injury Finds Support in New Meta Analysis
Posted on January 29, 2009Cognitive rehabilitation after a serious brain injury or stroke can help the mind in much the same way that physical therapy helps the body, according to a new meta-analysis. Because the data suggest that treatment may work best when tailored to age, injury, symptoms, and time since injury, the findings may help establish evidence-based treatment guidelines...
Vocational Outcome Conference in Traumatic Brain Injury Announced
Posted on January 28, 2009The 3rd International Vocational Outcomes in Traumatic Brain Injury Conference has been scheduled for May 7 ? 9, 2009 at the The Empire Landmark Hotel & Conference Centre, Vancouver, BC CANADA. The conference sponsors have stated that the conference is "State of the art, practical, solution-focused data will be provided on rehabilitation of survivors of traumatic brain injury...
Mild brain stimulation may enhance motor skills in traumatic brain injury
Posted on January 28, 2009A recent study holds promise for enhancing the motor skills of individuals in rehabilitation following a traumatic brain injury. Individuals in the study were significantly better able to learn and perform a complex motor task than those in control groups...
Lingering effects of a concussion seen 30 years later
Posted on January 28, 2009A single concussion early in an athlete's career can take a toll on memory, attention and reaction time 30 years later, Canadian researchers said on Tuesday. Compared with athletes with no history of concussion, those who had sustained a concussion had memory and attention problems and had slower reaction times, researchers reported in the journal Brain...
Identifying Victims of Domestic Violence
Posted on January 27, 2009Brain injury is a frequent finding in individuals who are victims of domestic violence. Many of the victims fail to be identified because of their reluctance to come forward and even when they are identified, their traumatic brain damage is frequently not addressed, A new study reported in the January/February issue of the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery finds that there are distinct patterns of facial injury which occur in women who suffer domestic violence...
Post Traumatic Epilepsy: Next Wave of Brain Injury For Returning Soldiers
Posted on January 27, 2009Traumatic brain injury has become known as the signature injury of the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, yet it may represent just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the long-term neurological and financial costs of the wars. Speakers at the Presidential Symposium of the annual ANA meeting said that one injury that still hasn't been fully appreciated is post traumatic epilepsy...
It is far better for individuals
Posted on January 26, 2009It is far better for individuals who suffer from traumatic brain injury to receive home based care rather than be forced to be confined to a nursing home or a rehabilitation facility. New York has led the nation in understanding that "there is no place like home" and has adapted wide ranging home based Medicaid regulations that allow for care to be rendered at home as opposed to an institution setting...
New Guidelines To Prevent Brain Damage Following A Stroke
Posted on January 25, 2009Brain damage following a stroke is frequently preventable if proper medical intervention takes places in a timely fashion. Patients who suffer a stroke that involves bleeding between the surface of the brain and the brain tissue have a better chance of survival and reduced disability if they are treated within 24-hours ? and at a hospital that handles many brain-attack emergencies, according to updated guidelines from the American Heart Association, published today in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on January 24, 2009The following legislative update has been released today by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA): ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE APPROVED BY HOUSE COMMITTEES As many of you know, this week has been both historical and chaotic in the city of Washington...
New Emergency Room Guidelines for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on January 11, 2009The American College of Emergency Physicians in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) revised the clinical guidelines for mild brain injuries. It is expected to lead to better patient outcomes for the more than one million patients who visit the emergency department every year for traumatic brain injury or concussion...
100 Fascinating Facts About the Human Brain
Posted on January 09, 2009Over at Nursing Assistant Central is an interesting post entitled 100 Fascinating Facts You Never Knew About the Human Brain. The post provides some interesting factoids about the brain which warrants a look.
Long Term Study to Determine Most Effective Rehabilitation for Traumatic Brain Injuries
Posted on January 08, 200911 health-care facilities in the United States and Canada that will share a $4.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to identify the most effective rehabilitation therapies for traumatic brain injuries. The five-year study will collect detailed records on more than 2,300 patients nationwide who have suffered moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries...
Treatment Involving Deep Brain Stimulation For Patients With Advanced Parkinson Disease Provides Benefits--
Posted on January 07, 2009Patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD) who received deep brain stimulation treatment had more improvement in movement skills and quality of life after six months than patients who received other medical therapy, but also had a higher risk of a serious adverse events, according to a study in the January 7 issue of JAMA...
Sports Concussion Management Highlighted in Times Story
Posted on January 07, 2009A story in yesterday's New York Times, Roethlisberger?s Injury Highlights Nerve Center for Head Trauma highlights the work of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's sports concussion management program. The concussion management team has spent more than 10 years developing the computer-based neurological test now used by hundreds of high school, college and N...
Brain Injury Association--Year End Legislative Update
Posted on December 24, 2008The following update was prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America: As this year comes to a close, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) would like to thank you for your support during 2008 - a year which included many accomplishments in advocacy on behalf of individuals with brain injuries and their families...
Drowning--New Swimming Pool Safety Requirements
Posted on December 21, 2008Drowning and near drowning are a leading cause of death and brain injury. Many of these unfortunate incidents could be presented if swimming pools had proper anti-drowning drain covers and suction cut off devices installed. These covers and suction cut off devices are designed to prevent children from being caught in the swimming pool drain as a result of strong suction Under a new federal regulation which took effect on Saturday, public swimming pools and hot tubs are required to install special devices that will prevent drain suction from trapping children under water...
Nursing Home Rating Scale
Posted on December 20, 2008The quality of care rendered in nursing homes has always been of interest to me. In addition to representing victims of traumatic brain injury, De Caro Kaplen, LLPalso represents victims of nursing home abuse including patient?s who have sustained decubitus ulcers (bed sores), falls and brutality in nursing homes...
International Brain Injury Association World Conference--Save the Date
Posted on December 19, 2008The International Brain Injury Association has announced its 8th World Congress on Brain Injury to be held March 10 - 14, 2010 in Washington, D.C., USA. This is the first time that the association is holding their annual conference within the United States...
Special Brain Injury Supplement
Posted on December 18, 2008The editors of Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation have announced a special supplement to the December issue, highlighting traumatic brain injury (TBI). Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is the official journal of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation...
Helmets for Hockey Coaches
Posted on December 14, 2008I have always said that parents and coaches need to set the right example and wear helmets themselves when engaging in sporting activities. A recent policy in Canada implemented will require all minor league Hockey Coaches to wear helmets themselves. This policy is in addition to the requirement that players wear helmets...
Brain damage can be prevented in cardiac patients with cooling therapy
Posted on December 08, 2008In recognition that prompt cooling therapy can reduce the chance of brain damage in patients suffering from cardiac arrest, the City of New York has taken the important step of requiring ambulances to only take cardiac patient's to hospitals that offer this therapy...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on December 07, 2008The following brain injury legislative update has just been issued by the Brain Injury Association of America: 110th Congress Enters Its Last Week of Session; FY09 Appropriations Action Looms: The 110th Congress is expected to be in session for the last time next week, and along with the potential bailout of the automobile industry, it appears that appropriators in both chambers are working on conference negotiations for the Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09) funding bills...
Better Screening of Troops For Brain Injury Urged
Posted on December 06, 2008A report issued by the Institute of Medicine, a government advisory group that studies health and medical issues, recommended that the military test all new recruits for cognitive skills and then do large-scale studies of returning combat veterans to better evaluate and respond to traumatic brain injury...
Congress takes up funding for Traumatic Brain Injury Programs
Posted on December 05, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America has requested that I forward the following action alert to my readers concerning important congressional action on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) funding programs: Right now both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are reportedly working on the Fiscal 2009 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education Appropriations bill in anticipation of action on the bill as soon as the new legislative session begins in January...
New Statistics on Prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injury in U.S.
Posted on December 01, 2008The following press release was issued this morning by Susan Connors, CEO of the Brain Injury Association of America commenting on newly released data on the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States. The number of civilians in the United States living with a long-term disability from traumatic brain injury (TBI) is now estimated to be 3...
Brain Injury Association and Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation Form Partnership
Posted on November 26, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) and Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (LWW) have entered into an agreement that designates the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation (JHTR) as BIAA's official scholarly journal beginning January 1, 2009...
GW Graduate Brain Injury Programs Still Accepting Applications
Posted on November 25, 2008The George Washington University (GW) has two excellent programs providing graduate training to serve individuals with traumatic brain injury. I have been privileged to be a guest lecturer for the past several semesters and can attest to the hih quality of the courses offered, the spirit and dedication of the student body and the commitment of the school's administration in improving the quality of life for persons with brain injury...
Brain Injury Association Legislative Update
Posted on November 22, 2008The following information comes from the most recent Brain Injury Association of America Legislative Update: Defense Secretary Gates Responds to Senators? Letter on Cognitive Rehabilitation: United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has responded to the letter a group of Senators issued on August 4, 2008 calling on him to ensure official TRICARE coverage of cognitive rehabilitation...
New Ways To Demonstrate Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on November 18, 2008An article in USA Today, "Mild Brain injuries are now easier for doctors to detect" reports on research presented to the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. The researchers reported that by combining tow advance brain scanning techniques, MEG (magnetoencephalography) and DTI (diffusion tensor imaging), they were able to discover brain injury that conventional MRI and CT studies had missed...
Can a redesigned helmet prevent brain injury?
Posted on November 18, 2008The brain can be injured in many ways. Although popular opinion is that direct impact is necessary for injury to the brain, this is not true. Frequently, the brain is injured from indirect forces causing the movement of the brain within the skull. One such indirect injury is the blast injury sustained by solders...
Decompresive craniectomy following severe traumatic brain injury
Posted on November 16, 2008A decompressive craniectomy can be a life-saving procedure to relieve critically increased intracranial pressure. In a paper published in the journal Neurosurgery (October 2008), the author's investigated what the long term clinical results were following this procedure...
Care Givers Need To Be Compensated For Their Services
Posted on November 15, 2008The New York Times had a very important story earlier this week entitled "Veterans' Families Seek Aid For Caregiver Role". The story explored the difficulties that family members who are acting as caregivers for those who have sustained a traumatic brain injury have in obtaining compensation for their services...
Head Injury and ADHD
Posted on November 14, 2008There has always been a reported connection between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and head injury. Researchers have set out to determine if the head injury is the cause of the development of ADHD. In a paper published in the British Medical Journal this week, the researchers found that it is the trait of excessive risk taking shared by children with ADHD and those who have sustained a head injury and not the head injury itself that is the cause...
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Posted on November 12, 2008Carbon Monoxide poisoning frequently results in brain damage. As the temperature gets colder and more furnaces and portable heaters are used, there is a dramatic increase in carbon monoxide poisoning cases. The Poison Control Center today issued the following warning and press release pertaining to the dangers of carbon monoxide exposure and poisoning in the winter season: The onset of cold weather greatly increases the chances for exposure to poisonous carbon monoxide (CO) gas as consumers increase their use of appliances such as space heaters andportable generators, warns the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC)...
How Brain Science May Change the Way We Live
Posted on November 10, 2008Thanks to Brain Wave for alerting us to a new article in this month's The Oprah Magazine entitled, The Brain Age. Cutting-edge neuroscience has escaped from the lab and is suddenly showing up everywhere, changing the way we practice law, go shopping?even, possibly, fall in love...
Brain Injury Lawyer Named Editor of Trial Lawyers Legal Monthly Update
Posted on November 09, 2008Congratulations to my partner, Shana De Caro for being named as an editor by the New York Academy of Trial Lawyers of their monthly law update. The law update is designed to summarize the most significant cases decided by the New York appellate courts and is distributed on a monthly basis to all academy members...
November Brain Injury Conference Information
Posted on November 05, 2008Several interesting brain injury conferences are scheduled for the remainder of November. They are as follows: November 10-11Brain Injury Business Practice CollegeLas Vegas, NVBrain Injury Association of America November 20TBI Seizures: Myths, Realities and Practicalities (online)Brain Trauma Organization November 21-22Advanced Cognitve Rehabilitation WorkshopLondon, United KingdomBrain Tree November 21-23State of the Art Medical and Rehabilitative Care in Brain InjuryNapa, CACalifornia Brain Injury Association If you have a future brain injury event that you would like me to include in future posts, please email me, brain injury lawyer
Brain Injury Caregiver Support Conference
Posted on October 31, 2008The Brain Injury Association of New York State in cooperation with Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation is sponsoring a one day program for Individuals with traumatic brain injury and their caregivers to explore supports and resources. The topics scheduled to be discussed include: rebuilding relationships following brain damage including social networking and recreation; community reentry programs following a traumatic brain injury and a session devoted to sharing strategies for caregivers of those who have sustained a brain injury...
Brain Injury Association of New York State Awards Dinner
Posted on October 31, 2008On Wednesday evening, I had the privilege of being one of the sponsors along with the brain injury law firm of De Caro & Kaplen, LLP of the gala dinner on behalf of the Brain Injury Association of New York State. The dinner honored Steven R. Flanagan, M...
Early and Aggressive Treatment of Jaundice in Pre-Term Infants Reduces Risk of Brain Damage
Posted on October 30, 2008Early treatment to prevent severe newborn jaundice in extremely early preterm infants reduces the infants' rate of brain injury, according to a study in the October 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Jaundice in new borns is frequently the result of high billirubin levels caused by blood incapability between the mother and the new born...
Interstate Trucking Accidents and Brain Injury
Posted on October 29, 2008I've just returned from Atlanta where I gave a presentation on Traumatic Brain Injury to The Association of Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America and the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. Our law firm has handled many brain injury cases that were caused by a big truck wreck...
Assistance for Parents With Disabilities
Posted on October 28, 2008A new National Center for Parents with Disabilities and their Families has been established in Berkeley, California under the auspices of Through the Looking Glass, a non-profit organization founded in 1982. The Center will oversee several national research studies concerning parents with disabilities and their families, as well as provide consultations, trainings and publications to parents, family members and professionals...
National Academy of Neuropsychology Conference Update
Posted on October 23, 2008Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to address neuropsycholgists at the National Academy of Neuropsychology's (NAN) annual conference on the interaction between attorneys and neuropsycholigsts in the courtroom and the use of neuropsychological testing to prove and/or disprove traumatic brain injury...
Using the Arts to Promote Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Posted on October 22, 2008Art therapy has been shown to be a powerful tool in brain injury rehabilitation. A conference designed to explore this exciting form of therapy has been planned by the Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS). The conference is scheduled for November 3, 2009 in New York City...
Repeat concussions can lead to coma
Posted on October 16, 2008The New York Times reports of a tragic injury suffered by a high school football player in New Jersey who is in critical condition and unlikely to recover after sustaining a brain hemorrhage during a recent game. The player, a junior linebacker, collapsed after making a tackle during a junior varsity game...
Feeling Tired After Brain Injury?
Posted on October 12, 2008An interesting study confirms that following recovery from brain damage, patient's may have to use more of their brains then they did before the brain trauma. The study published in the September 9th issue of Neurology found that patients who sustained diffuse axonal injury and returned to pre-injury levels of functioning in either school or work required more regions of their brains to perform tasks related to executive functioning and working memory...
New York State Brain Injury Conference
Posted on October 12, 2008The New York State Department of Health Traumatic Brain Injury Program is again sponsoring its Working Together: Best Practice 2008, Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Conference on October 16th in Albany, New York from 8 AM to 5 PM. The conference will be held at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center...
New Concussion Awareness Program
Posted on October 10, 2008A new concussion awareness program has been developed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in affliation with the Brain Injury Association of Washington and the Seattle Seahawks...
New Evidence That Coma Patients Feel Pain
Posted on October 08, 2008Their is increasing research which shows that individuals in a comatose state who were previously thought to be incapable of feeling pain, are in fact aware of pain and require pain medication. Coma is a poor term to describe the various states of unconsciousness...
Drug Can Repair Brain Tissue After A Stroke
Posted on October 08, 2008A cancer drug called bryosatatin can repair brain tissue if it is administered within 24 hours after a strike according to a recent article appearing in the Sept issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The drug is also being investigated as a treatment for reversing brain degeneration in Alzheimer's disease as well as in traumatic brain injury...
Massachusetts Brain Injury Prevention Program Seeks Speakers
Posted on October 07, 2008The Brian Injury Association of Massachusetts is seeking speakers interested in presenting a prevention program about brain injury awareness for new teen drivers. This program is called KEYS (Keep Every Youth Safe) and more information about this program can be found at the Massachusetts Brain Injury Association website...
Coma Recovery Program
Posted on October 07, 2008The Harvey Cushing Institutes of Neuroscience at North Shore/LIJ Health System and the Coma Recovery Association, Inc. have announced a new program entitled ?An Integrated Approach to Brain Injury Recovery? to be held on Saturday, October 18, 2008 from 8:30 a...
Urge New York Governor Patterson To Sign Lead Paint Abatement Legislation
Posted on October 06, 2008Lead poisoning can cause irreversible brain damage in infants, toddlers and young children. It can lead to reduced attention spans, hyperactivity and problems in school. Children exposed to lead face high risk of brain damage and developmental disabilities...
Brain Injury Association of New Jersey Walk/Cycle Event
Posted on October 04, 2008The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey is sponsoring their 6th Annual Walk For Thought / Cycle For Safety which will take place on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville and at Saddle River County Park in Paramus...
Dangerous child booster seats
Posted on October 03, 2008The risk of a brain injury to a child in a car crash can be reduced by the use of child car seats and car booster seats. But, now we hear that Insurance industry and transportation researchers have cited 13 booster seats that don't put children in the best position to be protected in a car crash, but makers of the seats said their products meet or exceed federal regulations according to reports at the Associated Press...
Brain Injury Association New York State Gala Reception
Posted on October 03, 2008The brain injury law firm of De Caro & Kaplen, LLP is proud to be a prime sponsor of the the gala benefit on behalf of the Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS). This exciting event which will honor Steven Flanagan, MD, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, NYU Rusk Institute, Kim Williams, Chief Operating Officer of the NFL network and Timothy Pruce, Outreach Coordinator of Advocacy and Peer Support, NY Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Program, Mt...
Neuro Ethics
Posted on October 02, 2008I just came across a new web site dedicated to issues surrounding ethical issues in the neuro sciences. With continued focus on the brain and new technologies being developed on a daily basis, hard ethical issues need to be focused on by all of us. The University of Pennsylvania maintains a comprehensive site dealing with a wide array of ethical issues pertaining to the brain...
Brain Injury Conferences
Posted on October 01, 2008October is shaping up to be a busy month for me. I have been privileged to participate as an invited speaker at many brain injury conferences and brain injury events to be held this month. I am on my way to New Orleans where I will be speaking on Friday at the North American Brain Injury Association (NABS) legal conference...
Culture, Ethnicity, and Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Posted on September 25, 2008The International Brain Injury Association has just announced The First International Conference on Culture, Ethnicity, and Brain Injury Rehabilitation to be held in Washington, D.C. area, U.S.A., March 12 and 13, 2009 at the Marriott Crystal City. They have issued a Call for Abstracts with a deadline of Deadline November 1, 2008...
VA Recognizes Disability From Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries
Posted on September 24, 2008The VA is finally recognizing that persons suffering from the effects of a mild traumatic brain injury can have permanent disabilities that impede their ability to work. This has some very important implications that hopefully will filter down to other government programs such as social security disability benefits, and workers compensation...
Long Term Recovery Following Brain Injury
Posted on September 22, 2008Brain Injury Conference in Kingston, NY on October 2: The Northeast Center for Special Care will hold its 4th annual brain injury rehabilitation conference on Thursday October 2, 2008 at the Holiday Inn in Kingston, NY. This year?s conference theme is: Post-Acute Rehabilitation: Meeting the Challenge of Long-Term Recovery...
This week's traumatic brain injury legislative update
Posted on September 19, 2008I am pleased to reproduce the brain injury federal legislative update prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America. In reviewing this update, I was pleased to see the call by the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force for the inclusion of brain injury rehabilitation benefits in armed forces TRICARE coverage...
Epilepsy Conference
Posted on September 16, 2008The New York Universtiy Medical Center, Epilepsy Department's foundation, FACES (Finding A Cure For Epilepsy) will be holding its fall Epilepsy Conference on Sunday, October 26, 2008. This annual one day symposium will bring together world renowned doctors and researchers to present cutting edge information on the treatment of Epilepsy and Seizures to patients and their caregivers...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on September 15, 2008Here is the most recent legislative update prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America which I have been requested to distribute on their behalf: Dear Advocates: Congress reconvened this week to begin its fall legislative session after a month-long summer recess...
The importance of base line neuropsychological testing for concussion management
Posted on September 14, 2008The New York Times had a very interesting op-ed piece yesterday entitled, "Head Games" on the importance of keeping athletes who sustained a concussion from returning to play until they return to base line. The real difficulty in concussion management is determining when to allow a player to return to play...
Brain Injury Association Fall Legislative Outlook
Posted on September 06, 2008The following fall legislative outlook has been supplied by the Brain Injury Association of America: Dear Advocates: This special Fall Outlook Special Edition of BIAA?s Policy Corner E-Newsletter contains numerous legislative updates on congressional activity which took place in the days right before the beginning of the summer recess period...
Traumatic Brain Injury and Falls: Web Cast
Posted on September 05, 2008Falls in the elderly population is an increasing problem as the U.S. population ages. Recent statistics furnished by the CDC confirm that one of the leading causes of traumatic brain injury are falls, especially in older adults. A web cast is scheduled for Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 2:00 E$T - 3:00 EST to explore the issues of fall prevention and traumatic brain injuries...
The Lingering Effects of Concussions
Posted on September 02, 2008An interesting article in this months Scientific American explores the lasting effects that concussions have on football players. The article cites research confirming that players who sustained three more more concussions were three times as likely to develop clinical depression and players as a group who suffered from concussions were five times more likely to develop mild cognitive impairments and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's...
Brain Damage Increases Risk For Alzheimer's Disease
Posted on August 29, 2008Persons who have suffered brain damage as a result of a traumatic brain injury have a two to four times greater risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease. Researchers at Washington University, St. Louis and the University of Milan have concluded that the levels of a protein linked with Alzheimer's disease rise as people recover from brain injuries...
Concussions in Sports
Posted on August 28, 2008With the start of the school year, it is important for all parents, coaches and student athletes to be reminded about the signs and symptoms of concussions and the need to take proper precautions if a concussion takes place. The Centers for Disease Control has an excellent web site on concussions in sports where you can obtain detailed information about concussions, frequent complaints following a concussion and important guidelines on concussion management and return to play decisions.
New York Epilepsy Game Day Hosted By FACES (Finding a Cure for Epilepsy)
Posted on August 27, 2008The New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Center's not for profit epilepsy advocacy group, FACES, [Finding A Cure For Epilepsy] is again sponsoring a game day to be held this year on Saturday, September 27, 2008 from 2:00-5:00pm The program will be held at the The Field House at Chelsea Piers, Between Piers 61 and 62 located at West 23rd Street and the Hudson River, New York, NY You can enjoy the soccer field, basketball courts, batting cages, trampolines, rock climbing walls, a toddler gym and more! There will also be clowns, arts & crafts, a magic show as well as...
View Neurosurgical Procedures On Line
Posted on August 27, 2008If you are interested in neurosurgery, check out a site where you can view seventeen different neurosurgical procedures on line. Click here to view the brain operations.
Mild Brain Injuries are Difficult to Detect: NY Times
Posted on August 26, 2008A New York Times article, "War Veterans' Concussions Are Often Overlooked", NY Times, August 25, 2008 provides some good insight into the difficulties that survivors of mild traumatic brain injury have in obtaining treatment and benefits. The invisible injury characteristic of mild traumatic brain damage is masked by the fact that an individual appears to look and sound normal...
Epilepsy and Drowning
Posted on August 22, 2008Persons with epilepsy have a 15 to 19 times higher risk of drowning compared to the general population according to a study published in the August issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The risk was highest for people with epilepsy and a learning disability, those in institutional care and those who have had brain surgery but who were not all free of seizures...
Returning TBI Vets to Work: A New Web Site
Posted on August 21, 2008Vocational rehabilitation following a traumatic brain injury and return to work issues cause a great deal of frustration in all survivors of traumatic brain damage. A new web site has been launched by the U.S. Department of Labor entitled "Welcome to America's Heroes at Work" that focuses on the employment challenges of returning service members living with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)...
Employer Tips To Assist TBI Caregivers
Posted on August 20, 2008The Department of Health and Human Services New Freedom Initiative Subcommittee (NFI) has announced a Caregiver Broadcast: Innovative Employer Caregiving Programs scheduled for September 17, 2008 from 1:00 p.m.?2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The broadcast will focus on ?Innovative Employer Caregiving Programs? and include presentations from employers and other organizations that have developed and conducted successful programs for employed caregivers...
Cognitive Rehabilitation
Posted on August 05, 2008Cognitive rehabilitation following brain injury continues to be a source of frustration to the millions of survivors of traumatic brain injury. Insurance carriers, government entities and others continue with the unpersuasive argument that there is no support for cognitive rehabilitation in the medical literature...
Paticipate in Tomorrow's Disability Forum
Posted on July 25, 2008All those interested in the issues surrounding disability and services for those with disabilities, including traumatic brain damage should sign up for the webcast of the National Forum on Disability Issues, which will be held tomorrow (July 26, 2008) from 12:30 to 4:00 p...
Important Brain Injury Legislative Alert
Posted on July 25, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America has issued the following important legislative alert this evening: Tell Your Senators to Vote YES on Advancing America's Priorities Act Call Your Senators TODAY. Click here to take action. Earlier this week, Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev...
Brain Mapping
Posted on July 24, 2008Thanks to the Brain Stimulant blog for information on a new brain mapping project. A team of researchers has modeled in high-resolution the underlying architecture of the human cerebral cortex, showing how different brain regions interact with one another...
North American Brain Injury Associatio n Legal Conference
Posted on July 22, 2008I am pleased to have been invited to speak again at the 21st annual North American Brain Injury Legal Conference to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, on October 2-4, 2008. The conference is sponsored by the North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) and will offer detailed, practical information on every aspect of litigating a traumatic brain injury case...
Unsafe Truck Drivers: A continued roadside hazard
Posted on July 21, 2008Unsafe truck drivers and the vehicle crashes they cause are a continued source of traumatic brain injuries. A 30-page General Accounting Office study, released by the Associated Press today in advance of a governmental hearing on truckers and unsafe tractor trailer operations scheduled for later this week found that 563,000 commercial drivers were determined by the Veterans Affairs Department, Labor Department or Social Security Administration to also be eligible for full disability benefits over health issues...
Brain Injury Association, Legislative Alert
Posted on July 20, 2008The follow is this week's legislative alert distributed by the Brain Injury Assocation of America: Dear Advocates: Numerous developments related to brain injury policy and advocacy efforts occurred this week in the nation?s capital. In a welcome development on Tuesday, Congress successfully overrode the president?s veto of key Medicare legislation (H...
Urge Governor Patterson to sign new law to protect persons with a disability
Posted on July 18, 2008Legislation is presently pending before New York Governor, Patterson (A.7277 (Destito) S.7337 (Griffo)) which would amend state law to require state agencies to ensure that services for New Yorkers with disabilities are provided in the most integrated community setting, rather than in state or other institutional or segregated settings, by requiring state agencies to prioritize that in their state plans and to file annual reports demonstrating that priority...
Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group Elects Shana DeCaro, Treasurer
Posted on July 17, 2008Congratulations to my partner, SHANA DE CARO for being elected an officer of the American Association of Justice (AAJ) Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group. Shana has served as a member of the executive board for the past four years and was unanimously elected an officer at our annual meeting just held as part of the American Association of Justice annual convention held in Philadelphia Pennsylvania...
Congressional Brain Injury Task Force Newsletter
Posted on July 10, 2008The first edition of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force Newsletter has been published. This document is not yet available on line so I have published the entire newsletter for our readers: Congressional Brain Injury Task Force NEWSLETTER 110th Congress July 9, 2008 In an effort to educate and promote the awareness of brain injury, one of the driving missions of the Task Force, we would like to introduce the first edition of the quarterly Congressional Brain Injury Task Force Newsletter...
FDA Seeks New Warning for Epilepsy Drugs
Posted on July 08, 2008Roughly 2.7 million Americans have epilepsy, according to government estimates and many forms of epilepsy are caused by a traumatic brain injury. The Food and Drug Administration is recommending a "black box" warning about the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior with epilepsy drugs, just days ahead of an advisory panel meeting...
Survey of State Medicaid Waiver Programs
Posted on July 07, 2008Traumatic brain injury waiver programs that will enable those suffering from brain damage to receive services in a home or community based setting vary greatly from state to state. MedThe Center for State Health Policy, the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers University has recently published an issue brief, ?A Survey of Medicaid Brain Injury Programs? by Leslie Hendrickson, Visiting Professor at Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, and Randall M...
Baseline Neuropsychological Testing to Detect Brain Damage
Posted on July 06, 2008The New York Times weighed in today on the need for baseline neuropsychological testing. Recognizing that, "brain injuries can manifest themselves in subtle, ignorable ways, like irritability and dizziness", the Times said, "this type of sophisticated diagnostic tool is essential...
Nutrition Supplementation Important Following Brain Damage To Improve Outcome
Posted on July 05, 2008Following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), patients should be given nutritional supplementation through a gastric feeding tube as soon as possible. A new study by researchers at New York-Prebyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center found that this simple intervention can improve chances of survival by as much as four-fold...
Fourth of July
Posted on July 04, 2008On this 4th of July from the The Continental Congress: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness...
Oxygen Therapy Following Hypoxic Brain Injury May Cause Further Damage
Posted on July 03, 2008The current standard practice of giving infants and children 100 percent oxygen to prevent brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation may actually inflict additional harm, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found. Brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation, known as hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, is one of the most common causes of death and long-term neurological damage among infants and children...
Latest Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on June 28, 2008Here is this week's legislative update which has been prepared by the Brain Injury Associaiton of America: Dear Advocates: Legislative activity related to traumatic brain injury policy ensued on numerous fronts this week, as Congress made progress on several bills before leaving town for a week-long July 4 recess beginning on Monday...
Increase assistance for TBI family caregivers
Posted on June 27, 2008Often times, family members are called upon to provide a variety of care and services after their loved one returns home following a traumatic brain injury. Unfortunately, our insurance system and governmental assistance programs do not provide compensation to the service provided by these family members...
Brain Injuries Leading Cause of Accidental Death In The Elderly
Posted on June 25, 2008A new CDC study has found that brain injuries account for half of all deaths from falls. The study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the first comprehensive national look at the role brain injuries play in fatal elderly falls. It examined 16,000 deaths in 2005 that listed unintentional falls as an underlying cause of death...
?Unidentified TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) : The Importance of Finding Those Who ?Get Lost? and Those ?Not Found?? now available
Posted on June 23, 2008Th web cast ?Unidentified TBI: The Importance of Finding Those Who ?Get Lost? and Those ?Not Found? is now available on line. The original program was aired on May 22, 2008. Dr. Wayne Gordon from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, was the speaker. The web cast focused on the link between a previous brain injury and problems later in life...
Brain Injury Business Practice Conference Announced
Posted on June 18, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America has announced plans for its 2008 Brain Injury Business Practice College to be held on November 10-12 at the Westin Casuarina Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. The conference is designed for CEO's, owners, managers, admissions professionals as well as sales and marketing staff of a brain injury rehabilitation program or long-term brain injury care center...
Long-term care brain injury rehabilitation facility for vets with brain injuries approved
Posted on June 17, 2008A five-year pilot project to treat up to 25 wounded warriors and veterans with severe to moderate traumatic brain injury has been approved by the Federal government. The center is to be located in Johnstown, PA in the former Crichton Rehabilitation Center at the Hiram G...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on June 16, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America has requested that I share this week's legislative update with you: Now that Congress has successfully passed this year?s budget, next week will feature key activity on appropriations on numerous fronts. Late this week, Fiscal 2009 302(b) Appropriations Subcommittee Allocations were announced, including an allocation of $153...
Refractory Epilepsy Lecture
Posted on June 14, 2008The New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Department has requested that I post this reminder of the final lecture of the FACES (Finding A Cure For Epilepsy) 2008 evening epilepsy lecture series which will take place on Monday, June 16, 2008. Dr. Lara Marcuse will speak on the topic of "Refractory Epilepsy?...
Keeping familes and friends connected following a brain injury
Posted on June 13, 2008I recently came across an on line web site designed to keep family and friend connected after a serious injury takes place. The free service sponsored by CaringBridge allows individuals to create in a very simple fashion private, personalized web sites which allow for journal entries,, photographs and allow visitors to read updates and leave messages of encouragement...
Cooling the brain following traumatic brain injury not proven helpful
Posted on June 12, 2008Cooling the brain after a traumatic brain injury may not help improve neurological outcomes and might even increase mortality. That's the conclusion of a randomized trial of 225 children with brain injuries. However,the study researches suspect that by changing the cooling and re-warming protocol, other researchers may have more success with this therapy...
Family Issues following a traumatic brain injury to be reviewed by defense health board
Posted on June 11, 2008The Traumatic Brain Injury Family Caregivers Panel, a Defense Health Board subcommittee will hold a public meeting in Silver Spring, MD on June 17 and 18, 2008. The Panel will deliberate and vote on matters needed to continue dissemination of the Traumatic Brain Injury Family Caregivers curriculum and to hear from the public regarding this issue...
New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council: Meeting Agenda
Posted on June 10, 2008The next meeting of the New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council, which I am proud to chair has been scheduled for Thursday, June 9, 2008 from 10 AM until 2 :30 PM. The focus of this meeting is Traumatic Brain Injury and Domestic Violence with speakers exploring the service needs of individuals who have sustained a TBI as a result of domestic violence...
Medicaid Assistance following a brain injury
Posted on June 10, 2008One of the most important resources for persons with a brain injury are the health and rehabilitation benefits provided by Medicaid. New York has been the leader in establishing home based care for victims of brain injury through its Medicaid waiver program...
Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania Annual Conference
Posted on June 09, 2008The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania is scheduled to hold their annual conference on June 23 and June 24, 2008 in Harrisburg, PA. The conference is entitled, "Best Practices in Brain Injury: Meeting the Challenges of Role and Life Cycle Changes," in recognition that needs after brain injury may continue throughout an individual's lifespan...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on June 08, 2008The following federal policy activity related to traumatic brain injury has been prepared by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA): BIAA joined coalition efforts focused on several important policy issues impacting the disability community, including efforts to protect Medicaid, strengthen the Americans with Disabilities Act, and formally comment on recently proposed rules concerning the Developmental Disabilities Act...
Long Island Brain Injury Event
Posted on June 04, 2008The Long Island Chapter of the Brain Injury Association of New York State has announced plans to hold their first "Walk n Rollathon to be held on Saturday June 28, 2008 at the Holtsville Ecology Center 250 Buckley Road, Holtsville, NY from 11 am to 2 pm...
Brain Trauma Foundation to Sponsor On Line Brain Injury Lectures
Posted on June 03, 2008The Brain Trauma Foundation which promotes current guidelines for the treatment of traumatic brain injury and the intra cranial pressure monitoring of patients who have sustained severe brain injuries, has announced a series of on line lectures dealing with the multiple aspects of brain injury including mild traumatic brain injury, nutrition support in acute brain injury, hypotermia as a treatment following brain damage, current clinical trials following a traumatic brain injury and the development of seizures and epilepsy following a traumatic brain injury...
New Brain Injury Book To Be Featured on NPR
Posted on May 27, 2008National Public Radio's Diane Rehm Show to Feature New Brain Injury Book On Tuesday, May 27, at 11 am EDT, nationally-recognized talk show host Diane Rehm will interview Susan Connors, Brain Injury Association of America president/CEO, and Michael Mason, author of Head Cases, the compelling compilation of individual stories of brain injury and its aftermath...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on May 26, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) has issued the following legislative update which they have requested that I share with you: After a busy week focused on a variety of legislation, including unsuccessful efforts to achieve final passage of the war supplemental appropriations bill and a budget resolution conference agreement, Congress is now in recess until Monday, June 2, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday...
Seizures and Strokes
Posted on May 23, 2008Seizures may be a sign of significant brain injury, and may occur in patients that experience any type of stroke. A new study finds that stroke patients with ensuing seizures are more likely to die in the 30 days following stroke than patients without seizures...
Employment rights for veterans with disabilities
Posted on May 22, 2008The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, publishes a guide titled, "Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)" which contains information for veterans about the employment rights of individuals with disabilities...
Traumatic Brain Injury: Call for Abstracts
Posted on May 21, 2008The North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) has announced that they are the accepted articles for publication in conjunction with their Sixth Annual Conference on Brain Injury October 2-4, 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The articles will be published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation...
New MRI Technique Detects Subtle Brain Injuries
Posted on May 20, 2008A new MRI technique which can detect subtle brain injuries has been reported in the May issue of the Archives of Neurology. Researchers at the Texas Southwestern Medical Center say they can detect diffuse axonal injuries which can occur when suddenly stops moving, such as during a motor vehicle crash, and axons are damaged or deformed...
Brain Injury and the Problems in Life
Posted on May 19, 2008Traumatic brain injury has long been known as the "invisible injury" and the multitude of those suffering from it's consequences have been referred to as the "silent epidemic" An important web cast exploring these issues will take place this Thursday, May 22nd from 2pm to 3:30pm EDT entitled ?Unidentified TBI: The Importance of Finding Those Who ?Get Lost? and Those ?Not Found?...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on May 16, 2008The following legislative update was prepared by the Brain Injury Association for next week: Dear Advocates: Defense issues are expected to be the focus of legislative activity next week, as the Senate plans to debate the war supplemental bill, while the House plans to consider the fiscal 2009 defense authorization bill (H...
Refractory Epilepsy Seminar in New York City
Posted on May 13, 2008The New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy foundation FACES (Finding A Cure For Epilepsy) has announced that registration is now open for the final Evening Lecture which will be held on Monday, June 16, 2008. Dr. Lara Marcuse will speak on the topic of "Refractory Epilepsy?...
Ancient Incas Perform Neurosurgery!
Posted on May 12, 2008Over at Mindhacks, a report on a fascinating article on the recent archaeological discovery of numerous ancient Incan skulls of which over 1 in 6 showed signs of trepanation - an ancient form of brain surgery where a hole was drilled in the skull. The archaeologists make some fascinating inferences about the purpose and success of these operations: Andrushko and Verano argue that the Incas performed trepanation primarily to treat head injuries incurred during battle, because the holes are most often found at the front of the skull to the left, consistent with injuries caused by a right-handed opponent during...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on May 11, 2008The following is the Legislative Update supplied by the Brain Injury Association of America for this week: Dear Advocates: Two weeks remain until Congress leaves for Memorial Day recess, and legislative activity is expected to center on efforts to pass a war supplemental spending bill as well as potentially achieving progress on a fiscal 2009 budget conference report...
National Neurotechnology Initiative Act
Posted on May 11, 2008The National Neurotechnology Initiative (NNTI) Act, was introduced in Congress to foster new discoveries and accelerate the development of new and safer treatments for brain injury and nervous system disorders Designed to increase the speed at which discoveries reach the market, the NNTI employs targeted increases in funding to improve Federal research coordination and ease bottlenecks that inhibit the development of treatments for brain-related illnesses...
Epilepsy Summer Camp Scholarships
Posted on May 10, 2008FACES (Finding a Cure For Epilepsy), sponsored by the NYU Compehensive Epilepsy Department, is once again offering children affected by epilepsy the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful summer camp experience. Families with a demonstrated financial need can visit the Faces website and apply for a select number of scholarships towards tuition at camps around the country...
Traumatic Brain Injury TBI in Iraq War Veterans Explored by MIT's Technology Review Magazine
Posted on May 09, 2008Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, has been labeled the signature injury of the Iraq War. Estimates of the number of soldiers who have experienced concussions while deployed range as high as 20 percent. The long-term implications of TBI are unclear, and no treatments exist to cure long-lasting symptoms...
Brain Injury In the Elderly
Posted on May 08, 2008Of the 1.4 million Americans who receive a traumatic brain injury each year, the hospitalization and death rate is highest for individuals over the age of 75 with injuries stemming primarily from falls and automobile accidents, according to the National Center for Health Statistics...
Frustrations of a Brain Injury Survivor
Posted on May 05, 2008Victims of brain trauma face constant frustration with the accommodations that are made available to them. Frustration abounds because assistance for brain injured individuals is not supplying a wheel chair, crutches or other means of physical assistance...
New Developments in Sports-Related Concussion Conference
Posted on May 04, 2008The University of South Florida, College of Medicine has just announced their program for a sports-concussion conference entitled "New Developments in Sports-Related Concussion Conference" scheduled for July 24-25, 2008 at The Sheraton Station Square, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
Army Vets Not Receiving Adequate Care According to Audit of Veteran's Affairs
Posted on May 03, 2008The Associated Press reports that a report of the VA's inspector general found that many Iraq war veterans with traumatic brain injury are not getting adequate health care and job assistance for their long-term recovery despite years of government pledges to do so...
Brain Injury Association of America: Legislative Update
Posted on May 02, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America has requested that I post the following summary of this week's legislative activity. This week marked a major legislative victory for the brain injury community, as President Bush officially signed into law legislation reauthorizing the TBI Act (S...
New York Attorney, Michael Kaplen Elected to Board of Directors of Prestigious New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
Posted on April 29, 2008I am pleased to report that I have been elected to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the prestigious New York Academy of Trial Lawyers. The Academy is a statewide association made up of the leading trial attorneys in New York State dedicated to preserving and improving the civil justice system...
Traumatic Brain Injury Act Signed into Law
Posted on April 29, 2008Late Monday, the President signed the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act into Law. S. 793, the "Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2008," authorizes appropriations and makes changes to the Department of Health and Human Services programs that provide grants for State programs for: tracking and reporting of brain injuries; and brain injury rehabilitation...
19 % of Returning Iraq Service Members Suffer From Traumatic Brain Injury New Study Reports
Posted on April 28, 2008A new study by the RAND Corporation reports that 19 percent of returning service members report that they have experienced a possible traumatic brain injury and nearly 20 percent of military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan ? 300,000 in all ? report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder or major depression...
Epilepsy Seminars in New York City
Posted on April 27, 2008Epilepsy and seizure disorders frequently develop as a result of a traumatic brain injury or a traumatic head injury. These disorders may develop in the days, weeks or even in the first year following a head or brain injury. New York University's Department of Epilepsy continues its "EVENING EPILEPSY LECTURE SERIES"...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on April 26, 2008The following information has been posted at the request of the Brain Injury Association of America: Dear Advocates: After legislation to reauthorize the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act successfully passed Congress on April 10, the bill still needs to be considered by the President for his signature into law...
Brain information lesson plans
Posted on April 20, 2008Thanks to the Dana Press, Brain in the News for tipping us off to a web site that has developed lesson plans for teaching middle school aged children about the Brain. Topics include: Anatomy of the Brain Protecting the Brain The Nervous System Neurons Meet a Neuroscientist The site was developed by Ms...
Brain Injury Federal Legislative Update
Posted on April 18, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America has requested that I circulate the following legislative update concerning brain injury legislation and other important brain injury related matters occuring on capital hill this week: Dear Advocates: After legislation to reauthorize the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act successfully passed Congress last week, the bill still needs to be considered by the President for his signature into law...
Brain Injury Survivor Web Site of the Month
Posted on April 15, 2008Thanks to the Northeast Center for Special Care for alerting us to their web site of the month. This month they feature a web site entitled Canine and Abled created by brain injury survivor Kimberly Carnevale. Ten years ago Kimberly Carnevale was an accomplished professional equestrian and an Olympic hopeful...
Wrestling Association to Institute Concussion Management and Awarness Program
Posted on April 14, 2008I just received word from my friend, former WWE star Chris Nowinski and the Sports Legacy Institute the the Wrestling Association is about to institute a concussion management and concussion awareness program. At a mandatory meeting for all performers in early March WWE performers took a computerized neuropsychological testing protocol, which evaluates such things as memory, cognitive skills, and reaction time...
Brain Injury Association of New Jersey Announces Annual Conference
Posted on April 13, 2008The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey will be holding its annual conference on May 14 and May 15, 2008 at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Eatontown, NJ. The two day event is entitled, Brain Injury--Reconnecting Mind and Body. The brain injury association states that the objective of this conference is to provide current information on brain injury recovery, specific to rehabilitation, research and therapies...
Shaken Bay Syndrome: Findings of International Symposium
Posted on April 12, 2008Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), also known as childhood neurotrauma or inflicted traumatic brain injury, is the leading cause of death from childhood maltreatment. An international symposium sponsored by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome examined how to establish the incidence of inflicted traumatic brain injury in young children and explored issues of definitions, passive versus active surveillance, study designs, proxy measures, statistical issues and prevention...
Senate and House Pass Traumatic Brain Injury Act
Posted on April 11, 2008In some great news, the Senate today jointed the House of Representatives and passed legislation to reauthorize the Traumatic Brain Injury Act (S. 793). The vote in the House was 392-1. The bill now goes to the President for his signature. The following message was released by the Brain Injury Association of America: The bill authorizes ongoing CDC, NIH and HRSA TBI programs over the period of FY 2009 through FY 2012...
Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and its Aftermath
Posted on April 07, 2008Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and its Aftermath, is a new book authored by Michael Paul Mason which describes his visits to Balad Air Base, 30 miles north of Baghdad which he terms the "brain injury capital of the world" and the difficulties faced by returning service members and their families...
Brain Injury Association of America Urgent Legislative Alert
Posted on April 05, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America has just learned that the TBI Act Reauthorization bill is scheduled for consideration by the full House of Representatives on Tuesday, April 8, 2008. The bill is due to be on the House floor Tuesday afternoon around 2:30pm under suspension of the rules, and will appear as S...
Brain Injury Survivior Documentary
Posted on April 02, 2008The Detroit News reports today about a new documentary produced by brain injury survivors recording their recovery following traumatic brain injury following automobile accidents. The documentary is entitled "The Other Breakfast Club" The club is a support group of 20-somethings who suffered traumatic brain injuries, or TBI, in auto accidents...
Side Effects of Epilepsy Drugs Lecture
Posted on March 31, 2008The NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center continues its 2008 Evening Epilepsy Series with a lecture entitled "Side Effects of Anti Epileptic Drugs" on Monday April 28, 2008 at the NYU Medical Center, 550 First Avenue, New York, N.Y. Smilor 1st floor seminar room...
Access to Mental Hygenie Records in New York State
Posted on March 31, 2008For those attempting to obtain mental health records, The Commission on Quality Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities has published a new pamphlet "Access to Mental Hygiene Records in New York State: A Guide for Individuals Receiving Services and Other Qualified Persons...
Brain Injury Association of New York State Annual Conference: Save The Date
Posted on March 23, 2008The Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) has announced that their 26th annual conference will be held on June 5 and June 6, 2008 at the Albany Marriott Hotel, Albany, New York. Last year's conference hosted over 400 individuals, family members and professional who came together to explore the important issues following traumatic brain injury...
National Brain Injury Caregiver Conference Announced
Posted on March 22, 2008A national brain injury caregiver conference has been announced by the Brain Injury Association of America to be held on June 6-8, 2008 at the Westin Dallas Forth Worth Airport Hotel in Dallas, Texas. The conference is intended to focus on the needs of the caregiver of a person with a brain injury...
Tinnitus Following A Brain Injury
Posted on March 21, 2008Tinnitus, is the perception of sound in the ears or head where no external source is present. Some call it "ringing in the ears" or "head noise." It is a frequent complaint following a traumatic brain injury and is difficult to documents. In almost all cases, tinnitus is a subjective noise, meaning that only the person who has tinnitus can hear it...
Support For Students Suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on March 20, 2008The Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) has created a program known as PROJECT LEARN (Living Education And Resource Network) which provides a great resource to students, teachers and family members to assist them in addressing the issues faced following a traumatic brain injury...
Brain Injury Rehab Center To Offer Free Care to Returning Vets
Posted on March 19, 2008Earlier this week, Shepherd Center, an Atlanta Georgia brain injury and spinal cord rehabilitation hospital announced that they will provide free care to wounded military veterans who need brain or spinal cord injury services that aren't covered by the government...
Department of Defense Inexecusably Delays Brain Injury Screening of Reutrning Troops
Posted on March 18, 2008An inexcusable policy of delaying screening of returning troops for mild traumatic brain injury because of fears concerning the number of soldiers who potentially had post concussion symptoms was revealed today in a story in USA Today. The Pentagon wanted to avoid acknowledgment of the post concussion syndrome and its association with blast injuries...
Brain Injury Association of America: Important Request
Posted on March 17, 2008I received the following important request today from the Brain Injury Association of America: Recently, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) appears to be deemphasizing medical rehab research, including valuable research related to TBI...
Brain Fitness Software
Posted on March 15, 2008Over at SharpBrains, they report about the State of the Brain Fitness Software Market. I never paid much attention to brain fitness software but the conclusions of this report are quite fascinating. The size of this market surely will cause more companies to become involved...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on March 14, 2008Good news from the Brain Injury Association of America regarding the Traumatic Brain Injury Act: The full House Energy and Commerce Committee passed H.R. 1418, legislation to reauthorize the Traumatic Brain Injury Act. Earlier this week, the Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health approved the Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2008 and forwarded it on for consideration by the full Committee...
Brain Damage Leads to Brain Tissue Loss
Posted on March 08, 2008In a study of mild to severe traumatic brain damage, reported in the March 4 issue of Neurology, brain tissue loss was found in all degrees of brain injury. (NEUROLOGY 2008;70:771-778) The analysis, using high-resolution MRI, found a loss of brain volume encompassing both frontal and posterior brain regions...
Brain Injury Association of America Legislative Update
Posted on March 08, 2008Laura Schiebelhut, Brain Injury Association of America, Public Affairs Manager has requested that I circulate the following legislative update Dear Advocates: This week was an eventful one on Capitol Hill, including a long-awaited breakthrough on legislation to reauthorize the TBI Act...
Living With Brain Injury Conference
Posted on March 07, 2008I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow at the ?Living with Brain Injury? conference scheduled from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Rust Auditorium in North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. The conference is sponsored by Transitions of Long Island...
Depression Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on March 07, 2008If you live in the New York City metropolitan area, have had a traumatic brain injury and are experiencing depression, or if you know people who fit that description: The Research and Training Center for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Interventions at Mount Sinai School of Medicine is seeking people who have had a TBI and are experiencing depression...
Urge the Senate to Pass a Tough Consumer Law
Posted on March 06, 2008Right now, the Senate is considering a bill, the Consumer Product Safety Reform Act of 2007 (S. 2663), that would give the Consumer Product Safety Commission much-needed muscle. Please urge your senators to vote for the bill and any strengthening amendments and to oppose industry's proposals to weaken the bill...
News Alert from Brain Injury Association of America
Posted on March 04, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America has just received word that the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health plans to markup the Reauthorization of the Traumatic Brain Injury Act (H.R. 1418) this Thursday, March 6, 2008, at 10 a.m. in Room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building...
Potential Help for Tinnitus Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on March 04, 2008One of the most frequent complaints following both mild and severe traumatic brain injuries is tinnitus, a perception of sound such as ringing in the ears or other sensations such as high pitch beeps or buzzing when non exists. Unfortunately, to date there has been no cure for this very troubling condition...
Long Island Head Injury Association to Host Day Long Program
Posted on March 02, 2008I am pleased to have been invited to participate in the day long program sponsored by the Long Island Head Injury Association in conjunction with Brain Injury Awareness Month. The program to be held on March 13th from 9 AM to 4 PM at the Smithtown Sheraton, 110 Vanderbilt Parkway, Smithtown, New York will feature discussions on "Ethics and Healthcare"; "Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation"; "TBI and Advocacy" and Long term Issues Confronting Families and Individuals following a Traumatic Brain Injury...
Brain Injury Legal Information Guide
Posted on March 01, 2008I am pleased to announce the launching of my new web site, Brain Injury Legal Guide which can be viewed by clicking here . The site is designed to be a resource of those who have questions about brain injury and the legal system. It includes information on how to select a brain injury attorney: Selecting a brain injury lawyer What every lawyer needs to know about traumatic brain injury: Lawyer facts about brain injury The common signs and symptoms of concussion and brain injury: Signs and symptoms of brain injury A guide in preparing for a visit to your...
Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capital Hill: March 12, 2008
Posted on February 27, 2008The Congressional Brain Injury Task Force is hosting a "2008 Brain Injury Awareness Day," on Capitol Hill, March 12, 2008. Multiple events are planned during the day which are designed to educate Members of Congress and their staff about brain injury...
University of Central Florida Announces New College Academic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program
Posted on February 26, 2008Then University of Central Florida (UCF) has announced that it is is launching a TBI Program to provide academic rehabilitation to college students suffering from a traumatic brain injury. According to UCF it is the first university in the country to offer such a program on campus, and its leaders believe it will become a national model...
Information on Substandard Nursing Homes
Posted on February 25, 2008Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Takes Step to Improve Quality in Nation?s Nursing Homes. It is still a sad fact, that many individuals in need of long term care following a traumatic brain injury find that they must obtain these services within the confines of a nursing home rather than at home under a TBI waiver program...
A CDC Review of School Laws and Policies Concerning Child and Adolescent Health
Posted on February 24, 2008Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has a significant impact on the ability of children to obtain a quality education. Unfortunately, not all children receive the education that they are entitled to because of the inability of parents to access services under Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA)...
Domestic Violence and Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on February 22, 2008On Tuesday morning, February 26, 2008, I will be making a presentation on Domestic Violence as a Cause of Traumatic Brain Injury to the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence. I will be educating social workers, attorneys and other agency personnel on the signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injury, concussion and the post concussion syndrome and explain the mechanism of how these devastating injuries take place in the context of domestic violence...
New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council: Next Meeting
Posted on February 21, 2008The next meeting of the New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council which I am honored to chair will take place in New York City on March 28, 2008 from 10:30 AM - 3:00 P.M. at the offices of the New York State Department of Health, 90 Church Street, New York, NY 4th Floor Conference Room...
Traumatic Brain Injury and Senior Citizens: New CDC Publications
Posted on February 20, 2008As you may know, falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and people ages 75 and older have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants to improve the ability of children and other caregivers of older adults to prevent TBI from occurring and to recognize and respond appropriately should their loved one sustain a TBI...
Keeping Your Brain Fit
Posted on February 17, 2008This week's issue of US News and World Report is devoted to Keeping Your Brain Fit. Thanks to Tic Tock Brain Blog for their post on this.
Legislative Update From Brain Injury Association of America
Posted on February 16, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America has requested that I publish the following legislative update on traumatic brain injury issues pending in Congress: Dear Advocates: Congress held numerous budget and appropriations hearings this week, as well as several hearings addressing health care provided to wounded service members and veterans...
Senators Clinton and Mikulski Protest Zero Funding for Traumatic Brain Injury Programs
Posted on February 15, 2008Earlier this week I reported on the failure on the part of president Bush to seek funding for the federal Traumatic Brain Injury Program in his latest budget submitted to Congress. What follows is the correspondence sent by Senators Clinton and Mikulski to president Bush in protest...
Has the Senate Forgot About The Way The NFL Handles Traumatic Brain Injury Claims?
Posted on February 14, 2008The Senate Judiciary Committee in addition to examining the destruction of tapes by the NFL, needs to look at how the NFL and their disability fund handles claims of traumatic brain injury. I am hopeful that the Senate committee and Senator Specter who has been getting a good deal of attention on his questioning of Commissioner Goodell on the missing tapes, spend as much time on looking at the issues of why brain injured players are not receiving the compensation they so justly deserve...
APA to Address Congress on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Following Brain Injury
Posted on February 11, 2008A study published in the Jan. 30, 2008 New England Journal of Medicine found that mild head injuries sustained by soldiers in Iraq are the cause of a variety of neurological deficits and are a major factor in stress-related disorders. As the number and duration of military deployments increase, so do the behavioral health needs of service members and their families...
Criticism of Proposed New Rules on Classifying Brain Damage
Posted on February 10, 2008Formal comments criticizing regulations proposed by the Department of Veterans Affairs governing compensation of veterans with traumatic brain injury has been submitted by U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee who was joined by Senators Rockfeller, Murray, Obama, Tester, Brown, and Sanders...
Coma: The Toll on Families
Posted on February 09, 2008This Sunday's New York Times has an article, Holding on to Hope which captures the toll that severe brain injury including coma and the persistent vegetative state has on parents and other loved ones. The article describes the difficulties faced by three families of army veterans attempting to get the best care for the severe brain damage sustained by their son's who were injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict...
An Apple A Day May Prevent Dementia
Posted on February 07, 2008An article in the Journal of Food Science reports that apples, bananas, and oranges protect against neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer?s Disease. Researchers at Cornell University investigated the effects of apple, banana, and orange extracts on neuron cells and found that the phenolic phytochemicals of the fruits prevented neurotoxicity on the cells...
International Brain Injury Association World Congress Final Program Announced
Posted on February 06, 2008The International Brain Injury Association (IBIA) Seventh World Congress on Brain Injury will take place this year in Lisbon, Portugal. It is the largest gathering of international professionals working in the field of brain injury. Delegates are comprised of physicians, psychologists and neuropsychologists, therapists, social workers, nurses, case managers, legal professionals, advocates and all others working in the field of brain injury...
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Posted on February 06, 2008Carbon Monoxide poisoning is a frequent cause of brain damage. Here is some interesting information on Carbon Monoxide poisoning put out by Fox News: Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, toxic gas that has the molecular formula CO. Carbon Monoxide is produced by the incomplete combustion of the fossil fuels - gas, oil, coal and wood used in boilers, engines, oil burners, gas fires, water heaters, solid fuel appliances and open fires...
Brain Injury Association of America Condemns President's Budget Requests
Posted on February 05, 2008The Brain Injury Association of America has requested that I circulate the following press release concerning the proposed elimination of the Federal Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Program in President Bush's budget submission to Congress: Brain Injury Association of America Condemns President?s Fiscal 2009 Budget (Washington, D...
Can A Monitor Prevent Brain Damage During Surgery?
Posted on February 05, 2008An interesting article appeared in USA Today concerning a monitor that can determine oxygen saturation in the brain during surgery. Although this monitor has been in existence for over ten years, it still faces resistance from some doctors who still question it usefulness...
FDA Warning: Epilepsy Drugs May Increase Risk of Suicide
Posted on February 04, 2008Epilepsy drugs may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior, the Food and Drug Administration warned in an alert to doctors. Very rarely were suicidal thoughts or behavior reported. Still, the FDA found drug-treated patients did face about twice the risk: 0...
Concussions complicated by post traumatic stress disorder and depression
Posted on January 30, 2008A new study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine links the persistent problems following a concussion to the development of post traumatic stress disorder and depression. According to a summary of the study reported in today's New York Times, the new report finds that soldiers who had concussions were more likely than those with other injuries to report a variety of symptoms in their first months back home, including headaches, poor sleep and balance problems...
80 percent of prisoner's found to have sustained brain injury
Posted on January 25, 2008A fascinating story appears on the AP wire service today concerning a survey done of prisoner's by the Wyoming Brain Injury Association. The Wyoming Brain Injury Association found that more than 80 percent of the state's inmates have a mild to high likelihood of having suffered brain injury...
Brain Injury Association Legal Conference
Posted on January 24, 2008I am pleased to have been selected to speak at the Brain Injury Association of America's legal conference to be held in Las Vegas, Nevado from April 3-April 4, 2008. The conference is entitled: Brain Injury Litigation Strategies 2008--Mastering the Science and Trial Strategies...
Depression Following Concussion
Posted on January 21, 2008Researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute of McGill University have identified the neurological basis of depression in male athletes with persisting post-concussion symptoms. The study, published in this week's issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, has important clinical implications for the treatment of individuals who have suffered a cerebral concussion...
GW Graduate Program in Acquired Brain Injury Tuition Assistance Announced
Posted on January 19, 2008The George Washington University (GW) Department of Teacher Preparation and Special Education (DTPSE) has announced that they have received a Personnel Training Grant from the US Department of Education?s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) for the ?Master?s of Education Degree (MA) in Transition Special Education: Emphasis in Acquired Brain Injury...
Full Military Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force Report
Posted on January 18, 2008My earlier post today concerned the Military Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force Report. The full report can be read by clicking here.
Army Study Reports One In Five Brain Injuries Go Unrecognized
Posted on January 18, 2008In a study released yesterday, the Army has confirmed that Up to 20 percent of U.S. troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan may have suffered mild concussions but were unaware of them and did not get treatment. The study reports that the Army has a hard time identifying and treating affected troops because the soldiers and Marines don't recognize the symptoms and don't report them...
Brain Injury Webcast: "Veterans with TBI"
Posted on January 17, 2008A web cast which will provide an overview of the Veterans Health System and address the structure and services available for veterans with TBI and their families by the Program Manage of the Department Veterans Affairs will take place on Friday, February 1, 2008, from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm "Veterans with TBI - The Veterans Health System...
Rehabilitation Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on January 15, 2008The hardships, frustrations and rewards associated with rehabilitation following a severe traumatic brain injury are discussed in an article in today's New York Times, Coaching the Comeback. The article describes rehabilitation efforts at Keller Institute of Rehabilitation in New Jersey and the difficulties and rewards of this work intensive and heart breaking endeavor...
Long Island Brain Injury Symposium
Posted on January 15, 2008The Brain Injury Association of New York State is holding a symposium for brain injury professionals, survivors, families, caregivers and community advocates hosted by Transitions of Long Island. The symposium is scheduled for Saturday March 8, 2008 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Rust Auditorium, North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset...
Brain Injury--Legislative Update
Posted on January 14, 2008The following legislative update has been provided by the Brain Injury Association of America Update on FY2008 Defense Authorization Bill Status House Democratic leaders have scheduled an override vote on President Bush?s recent veto of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (H...
Brain Injury Disability Rating System For Vets: New Proposals
Posted on January 13, 2008The department of veterans affairs has proposed a new rating schedule for the evaluation of traumatic brain injury. The proposal appears in the Federal Register, Vol 73 no 2, 38 CFR Part 4. The proposal is a far reaching analysis of the consequences of traumatic brain injury...
Maureen Campbell-Korves Passes Away
Posted on January 09, 2008It is with sadness that I must report the passing of Maureen Campbell Korves, a past president of the Brain Injury Association of New York Sate following a lengthy illness. Maureen assumed the presidency of the Brain Injury Association in some very troubling times for the association and helped guide it back to its true mission...
More Powerful MRI Approved To View Brain Pathology
Posted on January 08, 2008The power of MRI machines keeps increasing at amazing speed. While most hospitals are still using Tesla 1.5 strength MRI machines, many have now switched over to the Tesla 3.O which enables physicians to see brain pathology including diffuse axonal injury previously missed...
CDC Traumatic Brain Injury Webcast
Posted on January 07, 2008The Center for Injury Research and Control at the University of Pittsburgh has announced a live webcast event entitled ?TBI Outcomes: Overview and Implications for Returning Military Personnel? to be presented by Jean A. Langlois, ScD, MPH, Senior Epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Atlanta, Georgia...
Hospital's Slow Response to Cardiac Arrest Leads to Hypoxic Brain Injury
Posted on January 03, 2008Hypoxia (diminished oxygen) and anoxia (absence of oxygen) are leading causes of brain damage. These events are often precipitated by cardiac arrest which causes the heart to stop pumping needed blood supply to the brain. It is the blood that supplies needed oxygen to the brain...
Brain Mapping Site From National Geographic Magazine
Posted on January 03, 2008I've just come across an interesting visual demonstration of how the brain processes information produced by National Geographic. The site is a visual map of the brain with some excellent graphics which can be very useful for teaching and understanding traumatic brain injury...
Boxer in Coma Passes Away From Head Injuries
Posted on January 02, 2008Sadly, World Boxing Organization intercontinental champion Choi Yo-sam was officially declared dead following head injuries received in a title bout in Korea. Choi's death came after eight days in an injury-induced coma and following him being certified brain dead Wednesday afternoon...
Professional Football Continues to Ignore Concussion Dangers
Posted on December 22, 2007It is truly tragic to read the story in today's New York Times, For Jets, Silence on Concussions Signals Unease. Despite the overwhelming evidence of the long term consequences following a concussion, professional football teams still refuse to acknowledge what is not accepted medical science...
New Spanish Language Web Site on Neurological Disorders
Posted on December 18, 2007Free, accurate information on many neurological disorders is now available on a new Spanish language website from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The website is available by clicking here ...
Brain Injury Legislative Update
Posted on December 17, 2007I have been requested to distribute the following update on federal traumatic brain injury funding by the Brain Injury Association of America: As you will unfortunately read, although there has been a lot of talk in Congress about the need to dramatically increase appropriations for traumatic brain injury, the final bill failed to include the increases requested and advocated by the Brain Injury Association of America and in many cases failed to even maintain funding at last year's level...
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Reauthorization Act Needs Your Help
Posted on December 14, 2007On Tuesday night, December 11, 2007, the Senate passed legislation to reauthorize the TBI Act (S. 793) by voice vote. The fate of TBI Act reauthorization is now up to the House of Representatives. Since authority for the TBI Act officially lapsed in 2005, it is essential that advocates encourage the House to take the bill up and pass it as soon as possible...
Brain Injury Association of America mourns the passing of Charles W. Haynes, former Board Chairman and long-time advocate
Posted on December 12, 2007Charles Walter Haynes, former chairman of the board of the Brain Injury Association of America (then known as the National Head Injury Foundation) sadly has passed away. Charles Walter Haynes (1926-2007) started a new chapter in his life as an advocate for persons with brain injury and their families after his daughter, Bonnie, was injured in a car accident in 1979...
Legislative Update from Brain Injury Association of America
Posted on December 12, 2007The following is a legilstaive update provided by the Brain Injury Association of America: SENATE PASSES TBI ACT REAUTHORIZATION BILL Earlier today (Tuesday, December 11, 2007), the Senate passed by voice vote S. 793, legislation to reauthorize the TBI Act...
Brain Injury Association of America: Legislative Alert
Posted on December 09, 2007Here is the latest legislative alert from the Brain Injury Association of America: Dear Advocates: Congress returned this week from Thanksgiving Break, and acted on several bills impacting traumatic brain injury care and programs. Late last night, the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 was filed, containing important Wounded Warrior provisions, including several related to TBI care for returning service members...
New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council: Meeting Annoucement
Posted on December 08, 2007As the Chair of the State of New York Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council, I am pleased to provide information and the agenda for our next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 10:00 AM at the offices of the New York State Department of Health located at 161 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, New York...
New Study Confirms Even Minor Impacts Can Cause Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on December 07, 2007An important new study to be published in the December issue of the journal, Neurosurgery confirms that impacts considered to be minor can cause a concussion and a traumatic brain injury. The study is based upon date obtained from sensors placed in football helmets...
Psychology Glossary of Terms
Posted on December 07, 2007Ever heard a psychological term or read a term that you didn't understand? I recently came across a very good list at Psych Central which has published a Psychology Glossary reference, a fast and simple way to look-up a psychology term and see it used in an example or context...
Exposure To Lead Can Affect Ability of Brain to Respond to Later Brain Injuries
Posted on December 06, 2007Exposure to lead can hinder the brain's ability to recover from injury, a recent study in laboratory animals shows. Researchers at Jefferson Medical College wanted to know if it was possible that lead might alter the potential for plasticity, the ability of the brain to compensate for an injury...
Head Injury A Growing Problem in Skiing and Snowboarding
Posted on December 05, 2007A review published in the journal Injury Prevention concludes that head and spinal injuries are on the rise as a result of skiing and snowboard accidents. The authors conclude that faster speeds and complicated maneuvers are leading to more head and spine injuries among downhill skiers and snowboarders...
New York Task Force To Examine Mold Exposure
Posted on December 04, 2007The first meeting of the New York State Mold Task Force will be held today in Latham, New York. The task force was created to examine and report to the governor and legislature the magnitude of the mold problem in New York State, current knowledge about this problem, illnesses that it causes and possible future actions by the health department and legislature...
Brain Injury Publication Available on Line
Posted on December 03, 2007The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development (JRRD) has released a single-topic issue on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and polytrauma. Focused on the diagnosis and treatment of TBI, this issue examines the clinical characteristics of military personnel returning from combat and describes several healthcare models that are providing care and support to them and their families...
Dan Windheim, TBI Survivor Listen to His Interview
Posted on December 02, 2007Many years ago, Dan Windheim sustained life threatening brain damage following a car accident. Since then he has devoted his life to assisting survivors of brain injury. He has written several books detailing his experiences and his road to recovery. His positive attitude is an inspiration for all of us...
Department of Defense Establishes Center of Excellence to Address Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on December 01, 2007What follows is a press release from the Department of Defense regarding the opening of their Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Center of Excellence: The Defense Center of Excellence (DCoE) for Psychological Health (PH) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) began initial operations today...
College Football Has To Be Nuts In The Way They Handle Concussions
Posted on November 29, 2007Last Saturday, I was watching the Stanford Notre Dame game on television and viewed the play where Stanford's quarterback Tavita Pritchard was struck so hard that it looked like his head was knocked off! He clearly fell to the ground, struck his head hard and was unconscious of a period of time...
Free Online Test to Help Assess Vision Loss After Stroke or Traumatic Brain Injury
Posted on November 29, 2007NovaVision, Inc. today launched a free online vision test for stroke and brain injury survivors who wish to learn if a vision deficit exists as a result of their injuries. The interactive test, is available by clicking here and according to the company, provides immediate results to people who want to learn more about their visual acuity...
Pope Benedict XVI to visit hospital for brain injury patients
Posted on November 28, 2007Here is an interesting news release from the Catholic News Agency. I am hopeful that the Pope's visit will attract world wide attention to the rehabilitation of those in a coma as well as those suffering from other types of brain injury. This coming Sunday, December 2, Pope Benedict will visit the Roman hospital of St...
Rhode Island Hospital Operates on Wrong Side of Brain Again!
Posted on November 27, 2007Unbelievable, but for the fourth time neurosurgeons at a hospital in Providence Rhode Island operated on the wrong side of a patient's brain. It was the third wrong site operation this year! The Rhode Island Department of Health reprimanded the Hospital yesterday, and fined it $50,000...
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I have worked for this employer for only three weeks. The employer makes up his own rules as to what he chooses to report for the purpose of property taxes. He tells me to "let them come after us". He defines Entertain
He arrogantly insists, "let them come after us." Well, if you are invo...
Is a child fathered out of wedlock by an American diplomat to a foreign women on foreign soil entitled to US Citizenship by jus sanguinis?
This is a very tough situation your friend is in. It is difficult to know the ex...
How to collect a personal loan from a spouse?
You local court will probably have someone to offer you some assistance as you p...
How to cash a cashier's check without ID?
I would get some I.D.! Other than that, maybe you can tell the investigator you ...
Should I return a phone call from a collection agency that doesn't name their client in the message?
In the county of the state where I live in the US, I am able to go to the websit...
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