Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyer - Head & Brain Injuries - Most Commented

Lead in Astroturf: This Could be Trouble

Dan Frith — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:14:00 GMT

Recent reports indicate there may be health hazards linked to lead in the artificial turf currently installed in schools, parks, and stadiums nationwide and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is looking into the possible risks to Americans. The problem arises from the fact that pigment containing lead chromate is used in some surfaces to make the grass green and to enable the turf to maintain its color under the fading effects of sunlight.

Health officials have already closed down two fields in New Jersey after detecting what they found to be unexpectedly high levels of lead in the synthetic turf. This raised concerns that athletes could swallow or inhale fibers or dust from the playing surface. “We have a great deal of interest in any consumer product that could be used by children where children could potentially be in harm’s way because of lead exposure,” CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson said.

Exposure to lead in children and unborn children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, lead can damage the nervous system.

We will watch how this story unfolds but if your school or playground has artifical turf...beware!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Dan Frith

Serious Accident - Things to do list:

Lauren Ellerman — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:34:40 GMT

God willing, you will never be in a serious car accident. God willing, no one you know will ever be in a serious car accident. BUT, if you are, here are some important tips:

1. Go to the hospital right away. A jury will think something is up if you wait a week or two - so go, just in case there is something wrong.

2. Notify your insurance company - AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

3. Do not give tape-recorded or written statements to the other carrier without seeking advice of counsel.

4. Have someone go to the scene and take photos - under same weather conditions, same time of day. Digital photos are the best these days and can be used later on in Court presentations, etc.

5. Have someone take photos of yourself if injuries are apparent.

6. Take photos of both cars.

7. Contact witnesses or better yet, have your attorney contact them while the accident is fresh in their memory, and get written statements, or Affidavits signed.

8. Attend any traffic / criminal hearings - even if the charges are against the other side.

9. Notify the prosecuting attorney of your presence, if you attend the hearing.

10. Be organized - keep bills, doctors names, appointment information, journal of injuries etc - and give all of that to your attorney!

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Lauren Ellerman

More Head Injuries in High School Athletes

Shannon Weidemann — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:19:08 GMT

A study released by the American Journal of Sports Medicine has shown that high school athletes are three times more likely to suffer a catastrophic head injury than college athletes. The study was conducted by Dr. Barry P. Boden on 94 cases that happened between 1989 and 2002.

Boden's group defined catastrophic head injuries as injuries resulting in death, permanent disability or serious injuries without permanent disability. All of the head injuries were considered "direct," a result of participation in the sport, rather than "indirect," not associated with systemic failure secondary to exertion during the game.
"The bottom line is that I think we need to be a little bit more careful with these younger athletes," Boden told Reuters Health. "I think they need more attention, and I think concussions need to be taken more seriously so that these players aren't going on to have a more serious injury."

The doctor concluded the disparity between high school and college athletes was due to better access to doctors at the college level and that the younger players were more prone to damage in the brain.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Head and Brain Injuries.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Palm Bay Man Suffers Head Injury

Shannon Weidemann — Fri, 25 May 2007 14:10:08 GMT

A man from Palm Bay was working underneath his vehicle when the trailer hitch fell onto his head. The trailer hitch also pinned the man to the ground. The head injury victim was airlifted to a hospital in Orlando and was listed in critical condition.

Palm Bay police said Marski was underneath a raised sport utility when the trailer hitch broke off.
"The metal portion came down on his head pinning him to the concrete floor," said Yvonne Martinez, spokeswoman for the Palm Bay Police Department.

The accident happened on Sunday afternoon. The police are not exactly sure how the accident happened.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

House Bill to Protect Manufacturers of Defective Products

Staff Writer — Mon, 01 May 2006 08:03:15 GMT

The Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives is considering a bill which would protect manufacturers of defective products from lawsuits by persons injured by those products. HR3509 would completely eliminate the rights of workers covered by workers' compensation to hold the sellers and manufacturers of this equipment accountable when they are injured by a defective product that is more than 12 years old. This would apply regardless of how long the product was designed and built to last. Many products, such as industrial machinery, tractors and construction tools are designed and built to last longer than 12 years. This Bill would leave the innocent injured workers and their families without a remedy when they are killed or injured by a defective product.

In a joint consumer letter from the Alliance for Justice, Center for Justice & Democracy, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Public Citizen and US Public Interest Research Group, these united consumer organizations state: "HR3509 is a strongly anti-safety, anti-worker bill...[it applied to manufacturing equipment executives] knew it was defective at the time of production, note equipment that has become dangerous because it is antiquated or worn out...even where products were designed to function much longer than 12 years, like farm equipment, elevators and industrial machinery". HR3509 would completely shield negligent manufacturers from responsibility simply because more than a dozen years had gone by since the product was made. Workers in dangerous professions such as construction, mining, drilling, manufacturing, farming, forestry and fire fighting, would be particularly harmed by the legislation.

People who are concerned about this issue, especially those who are involved or have relatives involved in one of these professions, are urged to contact their congressman and senators to let them know that they oppose this anti-worker / anti-safety bill.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Brain Injury Group Receives Grant

Staff Writer — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 11:03:57 GMT

The Roanoke Civitan Club has given a grant to Brain Injury Services of Southwest Virginia (BISSWVA) to help support a school readiness program. BISSWVA is an organization that aids brain injury victims and their families and serves people of all ages.

The group was founded by Fran and Greg Rooker, and their web site notes:

Due to modern medical technology, many more people are surviving brain injuries resulting from auto accidents, falls, assaults, and other causes than would have survived twenty years ago. In an effort to provide the specialized services lacking in Southwest Virginia to maximize recovery from this complex disability, Brain Injury Services of SWVA was born.

Kudos to the Rookers for recognizing this need in our area and establishing such an admirable organization.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer