Stockton Injury Lawyer Blog

A recent article concerning brain injuries revealed a frightening statistic - the number of youth athletes suffering from brain injuries has surged by 60% in the last nine years. The leading causes of head injuries include bicycling, football and playground accidents. Traumatic brain injuries are not only caused by sports accidents, but may occur whenever an individual sustains a blunt trauma to the head. These injuries may be the result of any kind of accident including car accidents, slips and falls, amusement park accidents and medical malpractice.

Where an injury occurs as the result of another's negligence, a victim may be entitled to compensation. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, an experienced California brain injury lawyer can review the incident, provide answers to your brain injury questions and determine your next steps.

According to the study, the incidence of traumatic brain injuries among youth rose from around 150,000 in 2001 to close to 250,000 in 2009. The director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention noted that the dramatic increase is likely fueled in part by an increased awareness of the dangers of head injuries and the need for children to been evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible following an accident.

Many times, brain injuries occur without an individual ever losing consciousness and symptoms may not be immediately present - sometimes not showing up until days or even weeks after an accident occurs. Symptoms of even mild traumatic brain injuries may include headaches, dizziness, slurred speech, vomiting and seizures. With immediate treatment, the effects may be lessened or even reversed. However, more severe injuries and those brain injuries left untreated may result in long-term disabilities including:

• Headaches
• Short-term and long-term memory loss
• Confusion/inability to process information
• Communication difficulties
• Paralysis
• Death

Continue reading "Number Of Brain Injuries Continues To Surge" »

With summertime parties and carnival season in high gear, a recent article in USA Today raises an important question. How safe are carnival rides and backyard rental items such as inflatable bounce houses? The answer it turns out, depends on what state you live in. However, even in the states with the most oversight - such as California - accidents occur and injuries happen.

In these instances, it is critical to contact an experienced Stockton personal injury lawyer to determine your next steps. As the article explains, when accidents occur, they may be a result of a variety of factors, such as a safety failure by the manufacturer, errors in installation and failure to properly supervise their use.

Reports indicate that at least 50 children have been injured so far this year in amusement park rides. Last year, 2 children died in carnival accidents. Demonstrating just how dangerous inflatable rides can be, this past June a video captured a strong wind up-ending three inflatable rides, sending them into a crowd and injuring 13 people.

Potential injuries from amusement park rides and backyard inflatables include head and neck injuries, traumatic brain injuries, back injuries, broken bones and cuts and bruises. In the worst cases, dangerous rides have even resulted in wrongful deaths.

Under California law, where an accident occurs on a person's home or property, or at a place of business such as an amusement park, the injured party may bring a premises liability lawsuit. A premises liability lawsuit occurs where an owner or operator of the premises fails to keep their property in a reasonably safe condition or fails to adequately warn of dangerous conditions which the owner or operator knows about, or should have known about. In some situations it may also be possible to bring a product liability lawsuit where an accident occurs as the result of a design defect or manufacturing defect. An experienced Stockton personal injury lawyer familar with premises liability lawsuits and product liability cases would be able to evaluate the circumstances and determine the type of claims available to you.

Continue reading "Carnival Ride Accidents - How Safe Are California Carnival Rides And Backyard Bounce Houses?" »

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is pushing for greater awareness regarding motorcycle safety as well as advocating mandatory helmet laws. According to a USA Today article, more than 12 motorcyclist die each day in the United States from motorcycle accidents, with head injuries as the leading cause of death.

California is one of 20 states in the country that require all riders to wear helmets. 27 other states only require helmets for those under 18, while three states - Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire - have no helmet laws whatsoever. Over the last several years motorcycle deaths have continued to increase with the exception of last year, which several experts attribute to the economy.

A recent article in the Press-Democrat further notes that in California, motorcycle deaths have double since 2000, from 276 to 560 in 2008.

Setting aside statistics for a moment, for your own personal safety wearing a motorcycle helmet is critical. If you are in a crash, nothing protects your head from serious impact and trauma if you fail to wear a helmet.

Continue reading "NTSB Pushing For Stricter Helmet Laws To Decrease Motorcycle Accident Injuries" »

According to ABC News - Stockton, CHP officers are out in force this Thanksgiving weekend in order to reduce car and truck accidents. As part of their plan to improve safety, officers are writing speeding tickets, clearing accidents quickly when they do occur, and helping out stranded drivers.

The increased patrol started on Wednesday and will continue through Sunday night. At least one Stockton car accident has occurred this holiday weekend.

If you are in a car accident this holiday weekend, or at anytime, a few simple tips can help ease the stress of the situation and get you back on track to your destination.

First - assess the situation - if you or anyone involved is injured, seek medical attention immediately. Some injuries - such as traumatic brain injuries - may not show up for a few days or weeks so its crucial to contact a physician if you suspect you've been hurt.

Next - exchange information. Try to gather as much information as possible concerning the other driver such as their name, telephone number and driver's license number. Also, make notes about the circumstances surrounding the accident, including weather conditions, time of day, and any other factors that may have been a factor in the accident. Remember though, don't provide any details that could impact your chances of recovery such as "It was my fault" or "I wasn't paying attention."

Continue reading "Stockton Highway Patrol Increase Enforcement To Reduce Car Accidents" »

California traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) occur in both adults and children, typically the result of a sudden jolt or blunt force applied to the head.

TBIs are the leading cause of death in children and despite the occurrence of more than 1 million cases each year, no effective treatment exists for children with TBIs. Causes of TBIs include car accidents, sports injuries, falls, and birth injuries.

Following research showing progesterone has been effective for adults with TBIs, the University of Michigan has announced plans for a nationwide pediatric patient study that will address innovative treatment for TBIs. A University of California Davis professor is serving as a co-principal investigator in the study.

Other TBI statistics include:

• More than 165,000 children require hospitalization each year as the result of TBIs.
• Those most likely to sustain TBIs include children aged 0-4, adolescents aged 15-19, and adults aged 65 and older.
• Almost 473,947 emergency room visits occur each year for children aged 0-14.

Continue reading "UC Davis Professor To Investigate Childhood Traumatic Brain Injuries" »

California legislators recently approved a bill that will provide funds to develop state-of-the-art treatment for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The San Jose Mercury News reports that on Tuesday, East Bay veterans signed a ceremonial copy of the bill - applauding the attention given to this significant and often debilitating - even fatal - condition.

Traumatic brain injuries are typically caused by a sudden blunt force or blow to the head, such as occurs in a car accident, a bike accident, a fall or even at a sporting event.

Symptoms may be difficult to detect and vague and may include mild headaches, confusion and slurred speech. However, without treatment these symptoms worsen and may affect motor skills, cognitive function, and the ability to communicate.

For veterans, brain injuries are called "invisible wounds of war" with service members returning from duty and not recognizing the symptoms for weeks, even years.

The new bill will provide training and education programs specifically designed to help medical professionals recognize the symptoms of TBIs and begin treating these injuries as soon as possible.

As a California personal injury attorney I support this legislation. Too often these debilitating injuries go undetected. With proper medical attention and treatment, brain injuries can be treated and the effects minimized or eliminated.

Continue reading "Legislation Approved To Treat California Brain Injury Victims " »

A closed head injury is a type of personal injury that is oftentimes sustained as the result of a car or motor vehicle accident. This type of injury is referred to as TBI, or Traumatic Brain Injury. It can vary from mild to severe. The symptoms of a head injury are not always readily apparent. They can manifest themselves in the days, weeks, and months following a car accident. Symptoms can range from forgetfulness, inability to concentrate, headaches, and a decrease in motor function capabilities. In that the symptoms are more subtle a head injury caused by a car accident is hard to diagnose and is oftentimes misdiagnosed or not identified at all.

Only a brain scan is able to identify whether or not you have sustained a head injury after a car accident. Thus, if you or a loved one has been in a car accident and are experiencing cognitive difficulties, be sure to relay those to your doctor. Only with an accurate history of your problems will a doctor be able to order the brain scan necessary to diagnose a closed head injury.