Symptoms of a Brain Injury

A traumatic injury is one where only a particular area of the brain is affected, that area where the external blow was applied. Often, it may result in damage only to the area controlling the speech, sight or any such particular function of the body. Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury are: * Unconsciousness is [...]

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Hypoxic Brain Injury

Hypoxic brain injury a condition that refers to a severe decrease of oxygen supplied to the brain, even though there is sufficient blood flow. This condition may be caused by a blockage in the respiratory tract or airways brought about by strangling, suffocation or choking, conditions such as head trauma, cardiac arrest, carbon monoxide poisoning [...]

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Anoxic Brain Injury

Anoxic Brain Injury occurs in cases of severe lack of oxygen to the brain. This usually happens when blood is unable to flow to the brain due to certain injuries or bleeding. There are three types of such injury: anemic anoxia (blood doesn’t carry enough oxygen), toxic anoxia (caused by toxins that block oxygen in [...]

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CARDIO VS. STRENGTH-TRAINING WORKOUTS

March 2nd, 2011 admin
4485190116 535219da07 m CARDIO VS. STRENGTH TRAINING WORKOUTS

In recent years several athletes, fitness gurus or personal trainers insist that strength training is where it’s at for both weight-loss, longevity and (of course), muscle building. Some suggest abandoning cardio-vascular exercise altogether.

To resolve the cardio vs. strength conundrum, I collected studies and talked to experts to find out how each form of exercise would fare. Whether you want to get lean, burn calories, or win a marathon, I’ve unraveled which type of training you should dedicate your efforts to:

To burn fat, and keep it off:
Cardio: On average, cardio has a slight advantage when you account for calories burned during exercise. You’ll burn 10 to 12 calories per minute while running or cycling. Compare this to about 8 to 10 calories per minute lifting weights, according Dr. Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., director of research at South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts.
Strength training: Weight lifting spikes your metabolism for an hour after your workout. This is when your body arduously recovers from muscle injury. That means that you’ll burn an additional 25% more calories after a strength training session.  For example, if you burned 300 calories while lifting weights you’ll burn an additional 75 calories after you’ve left the gym.  If you hoist heavier weights or rest less than 30 seconds between sets, you can burn even more calories.
Additionally, for every pound of muscle that you build into your body, you’ll burn an extra 40 calories a day. That’s about 4 pounds of fat burned per year without doing anything more. Muscle burns about 90% of the calories you consume. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the more muscle you build into your body, the higher your calorie-burning (metabolism) capacity will be.

Conclusion: For fat burning – strength training.

To relieve stress:
Cardio: According to a 2005 study in the European Journal of Sports Science, just 15 minutes of aerobic activity two to three times a week can significantly reduce anxiety.  If you bring that up to 3 – 5 days per week, you can reduce fatigue by almost 50%. According to Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, M.D., director of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Mood Disorders Research Program and Clinic, cardio-vascular exercise boosts serotonin levels in the brain.  Serotonin is a key neurotransmitter involved with relieving symptoms of depression.  
Strength training: Researchers observe promising results of the mood-altering effects of lifting weights. However, more studies are needed to determine the duration, intensity, and techniques needed to match cardio’s benefits.

Conclusion: To relieve stress – cardio.

Injury Prevention
Cardio: Unfortunately, the frequent high-impact and repetitive nature of cardio puts a lot of pressure on your ligaments, joints, tendons, muscles and the cartilage in between.
Strength training: According to researchers in a 2006 study of the American Journal of Sports Medicine, a balance-training program reduces the risk of ankle sprains among athletes.  Lead study author Dr. Tim McGuine, Ph.D., senior athletic trainer and research coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison says, “Functional strength training teaches your brain to allow muscle contractions that are quick enough to prevent or minimize injuries.” Functional exercises include lunges, rows, squats, and presses that force you to bend at multiple joints. Involve your core and improve your balance by working on stability balls, Bosu or stability disks.

Conclusion: To prevent injuries – strength.

Longevity
Cardio: “Nothing compares with cardio for optimizing longevity. It reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, and even certain types of cancer,” says Mike Meyers, Ph.D., an American College of Sports Medicine — certified trainer and director of the Human Performance Research Laboratory at West Texas A&M University.  According to a 2007 study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, a stronger heart pumps more blood with every beat.  It also circulates oxygen more efficiently throughout your body.  Finally, aerobic activity decreases inflammation around the heart and may increase the “good” cholesterol in your blood by up to 8% in just 8 weeks.
Strength training: In a 2006 study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, strength training just twice a week can decrease intra-abdominal fat.  This is the fat that constricts blood vessels and wraps around your organs.

Conclusion: To add years to your life – cardio.

Improve self-esteem
Cardio: Athletes have high confidence levels because of the sense of accomplishment they feel whenever they cross the finish line.
Strength training: Strength training rushes blood to your muscles, making them expand and appear more toned. Confidence also grows because of lifting heavy weights. Some people get such confidence and self-esteem out of shaping and toning, bodybuilding, and powerlifting, that many of the other benefits are almost secondary for them. In a 2006 study at McMaster University in Ontario, female subjects’ self image improved, particularly by the physical results of increasing the amounts they can lift.

Conclusion: To improve self esteem – strength

Endurance and Power
Cardio: “The best way to train for an endurance event is by practicing it,” Meyers says. “Swimmers, for example, need to learn how to breathe properly, and cyclists need to hone cadence.”
Strength training: Strength training is fundamental in improving speed especially for core and legs.  Plyometrics improves stride power (runners) or pedal power (bikers).  According to Diane Vives, C.S.C.S., owner of Vives Training Systems in Austin, Texas.

Conclusion: To improve endurance and power – draw.

Epilepsy ? Symptoms , Causes and Treatment

March 1st, 2011 admin

 

Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder that is characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures.[1][2] These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal, excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain.[3] About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy at any one time.[4] Epilepsy is usually controlled, but not cured, with medication, although surgery may be considered in difficult cases. Not all epilepsy syndromes are lifelong – some forms are confined to particular stages of childhood.

What Causes Epilepsy?

This is a tricky question with no clear-cut answer. Often doctors can’t pinpoint exactly what causes epilepsy in a particular individual. But scientists do know that these are some of the things that can make a person more likely to develop epilepsy:

A brain injury, such as from a car crash or bike accident

An infection or illness that affected the developing brain of a fetus during pregnancy

Epilepsy can arise as a result of many different conditions that affect the brain. Examples of these conditions include stroke (resulting from a blockage of the blood supply to parts of the brain), complications during childbirth, infections (such as meningitis, encephalitis, cysticercosis, or brain abscess), head trauma, and certain genetic disorders.

Epilepsy Symptoms

Eyes are generally open.

The person may not appear to be breathing. The person is often breathing deeply after an episode.

The return to consciousness is gradual and should occur within a few moments.

Simple partial – person fully aware; abnormal twitching movement of part of the body, for example, head, eyes, hand or arm, or tingling sensation; person may sense odd smells, sounds or tastes

Complex partial – person experiences odd tastes or smells or déjà-vu; dream-like state follows; during an attack, lip smacking, grimacing or fidgeting may occur; can be followed by generalised seizure

How Is Epilepsy Treated?

Drug Therapy

Many drugs are available to treat epilepsy, several of which have only recently been released.

Older, classic medications used to treat epilepsy include:

Dilantin or Phenytek

Phenobarbital

Tegretol or Carbatrol

Vagus nerve stimulation — This procedure involves minor surgery and is a relatively new treatment that helps prevent or lessen the severity of seizures. An electrical stimulator is placed beneath the skin of the upper chest. The stimulator, which emits electrical impulses, is connected to an electrode that is attached to a nerve in the neck through a small incision. A patient with a vagus nerve stimulator continues to take medication but sometimes can reduce the amount or number of medications.

Surgery

Surgery is an option for a small number of patients whose epilepsy cannot be controlled with medication. A good candidate for surgery has seizures that always begin in the same cerebral location, which can be removed (resected) without creating deficits. Neurosurgeons generally avoid performing surgery in areas of the brain responsible for speech, hearing, and other important functions.

What is the prognosis?

Most people with epilepsy lead outwardly normal lives. While epilepsy cannot currently be cured, for some people it does eventually go away. Most seizures do not cause brain damage. It is not uncommon for people with epilepsy, especially children, to develop behavioral and emotional problems, sometimes the consequence of embarrassment and frustration or bullying, teasing, or avoidance in school and other social setting. For many people with epilepsy, the risk of seizures restricts their independence (some states refuse drivers licenses to people with epilepsy) and recreational activities.

Types of Cruise Ship Injuries

March 1st, 2011 admin

Cruise ships offer multiple opportunities for injury, but unlike injuries sustained on land, filing a personal injury claim against a cruise line is a complicated and difficult process. An injury attorney with sufficient experience in maritime law is your best bet for receiving compensation when you have sustained an injury on a cruise ship.

Common Causes Cruise Ship Injuries

When you are on a cruise, you can sustain injuries both on the ship, and during organized activities on land. In both cases, you are entitled to compensation for your injuries.

While on the ship, common dangers include:

• Slip and fall injuries caused by wet floors, faulty flooring, or obstructions in a hallway or on stairs
• Fire caused by faulty equipment, improper cleaning, or other forms of negligence
• Collision caused by the captain not paying careful attention
• Being hit by projectiles like a skeet, or a golf ball

When you are on land, you may face similar dangers, but run additional risks when engaging in activities like:

• Hiking or backpacking
• Horseback riding
• Bungee jumping

Cruises are meant to be relaxing and entertaining. But accidents caused by the negligence of the cruise staff and crew can turn your ideal vacation into a nightmare in a matter of seconds.

Common Cruise Ship Injuries

Like personal injuries sustained on land, injuries on a cruise ship can result in myriad long-term consequences. Injuries that might be sustained on a cruise ship include, but are not limited to:

• Broken bones
• Scrapes, cuts, and burns
• Head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries
• Drowning
• Death

Cruise ships are like miniature cities, and as such, any injury you could sustain from someone else’s negligence in a city, you could potentially sustain on a cruise ship.

Unfortunately, unlike American cities, cruise ships operate under their own set of laws, and are often times not even able to be held accountable to the laws of the country in which you boarded them. It is due to these complex laws that hiring a maritime injury attorney is essential to obtaining the full compensation you are due.

Understanding the Condition Add and the Symptoms, Your Child Might Have it

March 1st, 2011 admin

ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) Or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyper is the most common mental disorders that develop in children. When left untreated it can lead to poor school, work, and social behavior. It can also lead to low self-esteem. The Center for the Disease Control and Prevention estimate that about 2 million children have this disorder. Attention Deficit Disorder is a biological or brain based condition. It is impulsive, hyperactive and distractible behavior.

This mental disorder can continue in childhood and through out adult life. 30 to 70 percent will continue to have ADD as an adult. The cause of this disorder is still under investigation. Males are at a greater risk of developing ADD because of genetics and heredity. These two play a major risk factor. Research studies focus on genes and combination of genes to figure out the cause.

The differences between ADD and ADHD are ADD is without the hyperactive and ADHD is with the hyperactive behavior. The symptoms of these two mental disorders are:

Sounds and sights can easily distract inattentive behavior, having difficulty completing a task. Go from one activity to another, ADD can overlooked because sometimes it is hard to identify. ADHD involves hyperactivity. Hyperactivity is when there is a constant motion, always moving around and fidgeting. ADHD runs in the family. About 40%-50% of children with this disorder have a parent that has it. Brain injury might be the cause of ADHD, but a small number of children with this disorder have brain injury.

With ADHD, hyperactivity is very noticeable. Symptoms can be restlessness along with moving around and fidgeting. Having difficulty staying seated, talking too much, blurting out answers when not called upon, always interrupting and do not have the patience to take turns. With these symptoms, it makes it harder for the child to have good academic performance, a stable home-life and have problems developing social relationships.

Enlarged Tonsils can be one of the causes of ADHD. If the tonsils are enlarged, they will get in the way of breathing, sleeping and cause mood swings. Lack of sleep, which causes mood swings and behavioral problems, could lead to the mental disorder. Tonsils can become so large that it can partially block or obstruct the upper breathing passage. This can lead to difficult breathing, gasping and snorting sounds. This condition is called adenotonillar hypertrophy. This is another name for enlarged tonsils. This causes sleeping disordered breathing.

There are muscles in the upper throat that keep the passages open. A symptom of SDB is loud snoring. When you are relaxed, the muscles move closer to each other, which cause this loud snoring sound. When having this condition it can make you have mood swings, behavioral problems, and interfere with your sleep.

If you think, your child has this disorder take them to see a doctor. Learn about it and get your child tested, if you suspect that your child might have it.

Health and You

Overlooked Symptoms Of Umbilical Cord Compression Result In Child’s Cerebral Palsy And A $15,800,000 Verdict

March 1st, 2011 admin

Doctors are aware that there are many difficulties that can come up in the course of a woman’s pregnancy and that some of these complications can result in significant injuries and possibly the death of the unborn baby. A particular problem, normally referred to as umbilical cord compression, arises when the umbilical cord comes under pressure. Circumstances under which this appears include when the cord slips into the birth canal and is compressed as the baby descends, or when the umbilical cords becomes wrapped around the baby’s neck . The reason this complication is so dangerous for the unborn child is that it winds up depriving the baby of a critical supply of blood and oxygen.

If medical professionals find a considerable slowing down of the baby’s heart rate they should consider a cord compression as a potential reason. This is specially true if the heart rate slows downs in waves or episodes – a pattern that is called decelerations. Because an unborn baby cannot survive long without suffering a severe brain injury or even dying, the necessary supply of oxygen needs to be restored right away. If the compression is not significant then repositioning the mother to reduce pressure on the cord, or giving her oxygen and fluids, might ease the problem. In those circumstances where these steps do not relieve the pressure on the cord, it may become necessary to perform an emergency C-section.

By not timely detecting a cord compression and taking the proper action right away a doctor or nurse may lead to a delay that ends in severe harm or even the death of the baby. If this takes place that doctor or nurse may be liable. Consider, for example, the lawsuit that resulted after a pregnant woman, at full term, went to the hospital as scheduled to be induced for labor. The staff used Pitocin to induce labor. After the drug was given, the fetal heart rate monitor revealed multiple umbilical cord compressions as decelerations of the unborn baby’s heart rate. The staff repositioned the progrant woman following which the baby’s heart rate returned to normal.

Regrettably, when the woman asked to use the bathroom, the obstetrics resident disconnected the fetal heart rate monitor. It was discontinued for eleven minutes. These eleven minutes were critical. The cord became compressed reducing the baby’s oxygen supply. The baby was born suffering from asphyxiation with resulting significant mental retardation and cerebral palsy.

No settlement was achieved in this case and so the matter went to trial. In the course of the trial evidence revealed that leaving the fetal heart rate monitor disconected for those eleven minutes after the baby had suffered a series of heart rate decelerations amounted to medical malpractice. Basically, it came with too high a risk that there might be further umbilical cord compressions that would not be detected and thus would not, and indeed did not, result in such curative actions as additional position changes and, if necessary, an emergency C-section that could have kept the child from sustaining brain damage. The law firm reported that the jury returned a verdict of .8 million for the family.

My Son Has Brain Trauma

March 1st, 2011 admin
3376908363 d91e8768e5 m My Son Has Brain Trauma

It was Saturday night 12-13-1910, just pass midnight and he was coming back from seeing some friends when he hit black-ice and went off the road and hit a telephone pole and broke it off. He had some broken bones, as if that was not bad enough we find after he was in a coma for about 10 days, we find out he had Brain Trauma. He could not feed himself

What is a traumatic brain injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as a blow or jolt to the head that disrupts the function of the brain. The severity of such an injury may range from “mild,” i.e., a brief change in mental status or consciousness to “severe,” i.e., an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury.

My son had mild brain traumatic that result in short. For some they have long-term problems with independent function.

How many people have TBI?

My wife and myself did not know any thing about traumatic brain injury. So we begin to talk to doctors and did our own research.

What We Find Out About TBI

Of the 1.4 million who sustain a TBI each year in the United States:

50,000 die;
235,000 are hospitalized; and
1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department.1

This is what we find out what occur with Brain Trauma.

With trauma, changes occur in the brain which require monitoring to prevent further damage. My son had 24 hour care he was never was left along, he would tried  to do harm to his self.

The reason is the brain’s size frequently increases after a severe head injury. This is called brain swelling and occurs when there is an increase in the amount of blood to the brain.

Very strong medications was administered to him. Some medications which help to draw fluid back out of his brain and into blood vessels that may be useful. Some medications help by decreasing the metabolic requirements of the brain. Other medications increase blood flow into the brain which can help diminish the spiral effect caused by brain swelling.

What are the long-term consequences of TBI?

According to one study I came across, about 40% of those hospitalized with a TBI had at least one unmet need for services one year after their injury. The most frequent unmet needs were:

Improving memory and problem solving;
Managing stress and emotional upsets;
Controlling one’s temper; and
Improving one’s job skills.6

We believe our son will be back to 90% hisself.

Dementia Warning Signs – 3 Significant Signs That Must Not Be Ignored

February 28th, 2011 admin
4930832521 b15532ae7d m Dementia Warning Signs 3 Significant Signs That Must Not Be Ignored

Dementia means “deprived of mind”. It basically is a serious loss of the ability to be cognitive and to process thoughts in a sequential manner. This can be a result of global brain injury or a progressive one, which might in turn result in a long term decline due to diseases in a body. Dementia is primarily found in people who are elderly but it can occur to a person in any stage of adulthood as well. It is also an illness that is non-specific. In this syndrome, the areas that could be affected in the cognition category are memory, language, problem solving and attention. Here are some of the most typical warning signs.

Sign #1: What Time of Day is it Anyway?

In the later stages of this syndrome, a person can get disoriented in time; for example he may not know what the time is or what day of the week it is. It can also mean disorientation with regards to location; for example a person might forget where they currently are. Lastly, dementia may mean those affected forget people, even friends and family that they may have known for years. Dementia can often be treated to a particular degree, unfortunately most effects of it are generally is due to causes that cannot be cured.

Sign #2: What Was I Saying?

Some of the symptoms are easy to identify. One of which is where the affected cannot find the right word in a conversation which results in halted speeches. This also happens due to incomplete thoughts. Of course, those not suffering from dementia may also have this problem from time to time, but when multiple symptoms are found together, that is when one should check for dementia.

Sign #3: Where Am I?

Another common symptom can also be the tendency of getting confused or getting lost in familiar places. This can be a key indicator that the person is suffering from dementia. This symptom can be very dangerous, especially if the person has not yet discovered that they have dementia and still does common activities like driving. It would be best for the person who is suffering from dementia, not to drive as he is putting to risk not only his life but also lives of people who are on the roads.

Dementia can often be confused with delirium, which has the same symptoms but over a shorter period of time. Thus, even if someone shows some of the above symptoms, one must get them checked by a doctor to make sure that they are not misdiagnosed. Should someone display some of the dementia warning signs spoken about in this article: slowness of thinking, disorientation or loss of cognitive ability, make sure you take them to a doctor and get them checked out.

Sports Injuries Prevention and Back Pain

February 28th, 2011 admin

Learning proper stretch exercises:

In sports people learn techniques, and will train to enjoy the sports. The problem is most trainers fail to train the peers correctly. Injuries occur when inappropriate training and techniques are used. In addition, many people engage in sports failing to wear proper clothing, helmets, etc, and sometimes people will participate in sports when weather or visibility is poor.

When weather is cold, it is important that you wear warm attire. Wearing proper attire can help you avoid respiratory conditions, which affect the liver, lungs, etc, and can lead to back pain. In addition, those joining in exercises or sports should wear proper shoes to avoid slips and falls. Helmets are essential to prevent brain injuries. Brain injuries will affect the spinal columns, which leads to back pain.

When weather conditions interrupt visibility, it poses risks. In fact, various people have sustained back injuries while jogging at night, since these people failed to wear proper attire, such as reflective tabs, etc. Motorized accidents can occur when the driver cannot see the runner, jogger, etc. This means the vehicle hits you and if you are not lucky enough to die, you should pray that you are lucky enough to miss back pain. Back pain is one of the worst types of pain you will ever endure. Since many people are misinformed as to how to stretch the muscles before exercising, we can consider a few helpful steps.

As mentioned earlier it is important to perform proper exercises before joining in sports. Proper exercises start with warm ups. Warm ups include neck, shoulder, arm, and leg stretches. How to perform neck stretch exercises:

To start neck stretch exercises you want to stand erect. Lift the head so that it extends upward. Now, move your head so that it bends slightly forward. Continue to change directions, bending until your chin rests slightly on your torso. Balance the head, turning it to the left or right and hold your position. After a few seconds turn your head so that it rolls to the other side of your body. Hold the jaw down, hold, and continue stretching the neck up to five counts.

How to perform shoulder stretches:

Again, stand erect. Lift your arms so that it extends above the head. Clasp the hands, joining them and pulling the hands downward and behind your head. Hold and repeat the steps five counts. Next, with your arms behind your back, reach down and hold your hands at a pointing position. That is, bring your fingers together at the points while one arm is over the shoulder and the other arm is behind the back. Pull in opposing directions once in position. If the arms are bent, extend the right arm, bending it back and over the right shoulder and the head. With your free hand, grab your elbow and hold. Pull the elbow gently toward the free shoulder, and repeat the steps on the left side.

You can practice the windmill, shoulder shrug, triceps stretches, arm circles and more to warm up before breaking into a full-speed workout.

How to perform the windmill:

The windmill is one of the oldest stretches in the history of workouts, yet the stretch is often missing in action, since many people do the windmill incorrectly. To start, stand erect. Your arms should be down at your side. Once in position, swing upward, the right arm and bring it to the front, up, and around behind your back so that it forms a circle. Repeat your steps up to five counts and continue to the other side.

Brain Damage Attorneys

February 28th, 2011 admin
3975748711 9337b4aacc m Brain Damage Attorneys

Any type of brain injury can result in serious consequences. Make sure you know your rights when it comes to compensation for your injuries and losses.

Statistics show that more than 1,000,000 individuals suffer from brain injury or brain damage in the United States every year. Thousands of these injuries are due to accidents, with many victims becoming totally disabled for life. Traumatic brain injury or brain damage is often characterized by hemorrhage, loss of consciousness, coma, and loss of memory, brain swelling or edema. Car accidents that affect the brain are common and can have a huge influence on the victims involved, resulting in death or a lifetime of disability.

As the main regulator of the central nervous system, the brain controls virtually all human activity. The brain gives us the ability to engage in rational human behavior, continuously sending and receiving signals to ensure the functioning of a cognitive, conscious mind. The moment the brain stops functioning properly, behavior will likely be impaired which can lead to the interruption or even elimination of one’s livelihood.

Following an accident resulting in a head injury, it is imperative that you receive proper and immediate treatment. Victims and their families need to be assertive when it comes to receiving prompt and comprehensive health care.

If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, due to an accident you believe was caused by someone’s carelessness or failure to act reasonably, we urge you to contact a brain injury attorney immediately. These are complex cases that can rarely be handled effectively without the help of an experienced attorney. By seeking the assistance of an experienced and knowledgeable Brain Damage Attorney, you will be better prepared to present your claim so as to increase the chance that you will obtain fair and just compensation for your injuries.

GEKLAW is one of the leading Personal Injury law firms in California. Many of our experienced lawyers have successfully handled brain damage claims during the over 30 year history of our firm. We have earned our clients’ confidence and respect by successfully prosecuting even the most complicated brain damage cases. If you are in need of a lawyer, do not hesitate to contact us at www.geklaw.com.

Benefits Of Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer For Automobile Accident Claims

February 28th, 2011 admin
4930691321 e4167b21fd m Benefits Of Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer For Automobile Accident Claims

Minnesota’s no-fault insurance law states that you should receive fair compensation for the losses you have suffered, even if the accident was partly due to your negligence. This should cover your medical bills, loss of wages or income, and payment to others for tasks you can no longer perform, such as landscaping. If the collision was mainly or totally someone else’s fault, you may also be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering.

Accidents happen quickly, but they can cause serious injuries, including broken bones, spinal chord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries that require lengthy and expensive treatment. At such a time, you will want to contact an experienced Minneapolis MN law firm that will be concerned about your welfare and work to see that you are fully compensated for your losses by going to trial or going head-to-head with major insurance companies and corporations.

How you can receive compensation

You will be entitled to damages if you satisfy Minnesota’s no-fault insurance thresholds. Among other factors, they include:

- a permanent injury,
- medical expenses that exceed ,000 with the exclusion of diagnostic testing,
- a residual deformity or scar, and
- 60 days of disability or death. In certain cases, the injured party’s heirs can maintain a claim, the spouse of the deceased can recover damages, and those caring for an injured minor can be compensated for medical expenses.

What to do if you are injured

Act quickly to report a car accident or collision to your insurance company, and seek medical assistant immediately, remembering that serious internal injuries may not be apparent at first. At the scene, you should obtain the other driver’s license plate number, driver’s license number, and insurance information, but do not dispute the causes of the accident with the other driver, and refuse to sign any written statement that this individual may attempt to provide as a summary of what took place. (You will also need a copy of the police report for future reference.)

Why you will need a personal injury lawyer

You should not discuss the details of the case if a representative from the other driver’s insurance company or that person’s attorney contacts you. Never accept a claim until you contact a personal injury attorney who will interview witnesses, gather evidence, speak on your behalf, and take care of other important details related to your case.

Large insurance companies have established policies requiring their claims adjusters to offer quick settlements to those seeking damages, and you will want to avoid acting on impulse. Also, while it is likely that your case can be resolved without going to trial, you will want to be represented by a skilled attorney in case you fail to reach a settlement.

In regard to your ongoing expenses, the Minnesota No-Fault Act states that you will be entitled to 85% of your weekly wages (with a cap of 0.00) when you are unable to work because of injuries sustained in an automobile accident, and this will become part of your general claim against the other driver for compensation.

The information you obtain from this article is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.

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