Serious Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

There are certain behaviors that can assist in recovering from a brain injury. They include the following:

1. Getting plenty of sleep at night

2. Making sure you rest and not stress your brain during the day

3. Return to normal activity gradually

4. Avoid activities that could result in a second impact to your head causing additional injury to your brain such as contact sports

5. Do not drive a car, ride a bike or operate heavy equipment until your doctor advises you that it is appropriate for you to do so

6. Do not undertake complex work or school assignments until your physician approves it. Additionally, ensure that your employer or teacher understands the reasons why you must reduce the stress level on your brain

7. Do not take alcoholic beverages until approved to do so by your physician

8. Develop compensatory methodologies to make up for difficulties the brain injury is causing you. This will reduce stress significantly. For example, assure that you make lists of things you need to do so that you will not have to rely on your memory to remember the list of groceries or other items on your “to do list”. The feeling of having forgotten something and the annoyance with yourself is stress that you should avoid.

In the event that you have sustained a brain injury as a result of an automobile accident, slip and fall or other traumatic event which you believe was as a result of the carelessness of others, contact the Brain Injury Lawyers at Chaikin & Sherman, P.C. for a free consultation. You may be entitled to significant compensation in the event that a third party’s carelessness was the cause of your severe brain injury.

by Ira Sherman, Esq.

A concussion produces symptoms that are usually temporary but can last for days, weeks or even longer. If you feel that something is not quite right or feeling foggy, it is important for you to consult with your doctor. Symptoms of a concussion include:

1. Low-grade headaches that will not go away

2. Having more trouble than usual:
a) Remembering things
b) Paying attention or concentrating
c) Organizing daily tasks
d) Making decisions and solving problems

3. Slowness in thinking, acting, speaking, or reading

4. Getting lost or easily confused

5. Neck pain

6. Feeling tired all the time, lack of energy

7. Change in sleeping pattern:
a) Sleeping for much longer periods of time than before
b) Trouble sleeping or insomnia

8. Loss of balance, feeling light-headed or dizzy

9. Increased sensitivity to:
a) Sounds
b) Lights
c) Distractions

10. Blurred vision or eyes that tire easily

11. Loss of sense of taste or smell

12. Ringing in the ears

13. Change in sexual drive

14. Mood changes:
a) Feeling sad, anxious, or listless
b) Becoming easily irritated or angry for little or no reason
c) Lack of motivation

In the event that you have sustained a brain injury as a result of an automobile accident, slip and fall or other traumatic event which you believe was as a result of the carelessness of others, contact the Brain Injury Lawyers at Chaikin & Sherman, P.C. for a free consultation. You may be entitled to significant compensation in the event that a third party’s carelessness was the cause of your severe brain injury.

by Ira Sherman, Esq.

The most dangerous complication of a brain injury, along with a concussion, is the formation of a blood clot on the brain. This blood clot can crowd the brain against the scull causing significant brain injury. Accordingly, it is extremely important for you to call your doctor or go to the emergency room after you have sustained a blow or jolt to the head to obtain the proper diagnostic testing to determine whether a blood clot has in fact formed. Additionally, the following findings would be noteworthy for you to act upon and tell your healthcare provider:

1. Headaches that are getting worse
2. Weakness
3. Numbness
4. Decreased coordination
5. Repeated vomiting

While these symptoms are danger signs and warnings of your need to be taken to a physician or an emergency room for evaluation, the following symptoms require immediate action by anyone checking on you:

1. If you cannot be awakened
2. If one pupil is larger than the other
3. If you are having convulsions or seizures
4. If you are having slurred speech
5. If you are getting more and more confused, restless or agitated

Children may have some or all of the signs stated above but also may demonstrate the following:

1. An inability to stop crying
2. An inability to be consoled
3. Lack of a desire to nurse or eat

In the event that you have sustained a brain injury as a result of an automobile accident, slip and fall or other traumatic event which you believe was as a result of the carelessness of others, contact the Brain Injury Lawyers at Chaikin & Sherman, P.C. for a free consultation. You may be entitled to significant compensation in the event that a third party’s carelessness was the cause of your severe brain injury.

by Ira Sherman

The trailer portion of the tractor trailer is practically invisible at night. Illumination of the trailer portion on the tractor trailer is frequently limited to a few reflectors and some reflecting tape. When a tractor trailer operator finds the need to turn the trailer perpendicular to the roadway or, in the event that the tractor trailer becomes disabled and the trailer is perpendicular to the roadway, an emergency immediately arises. Operators of oncoming traffic are unable to see the trailer blocking the pathway until it is too late. The collision that occurs when a passenger vehicle crashes underneath the trailer is called a “trailer underride” collision. It occurs because the tractor trailer operator failed to exit his vehicle and place sufficient warning signs, flares or flashers far enough in advance of his trailer to assure that oncoming traffic would be aware of the danger and stop in sufficient time without going under the trailer. Needless to say, tractor trailer underride collisions are incredibly tragic. They can result in the decapitation of passengers in the vehicle striking the tractor trailer, often at high rates of speed. In the event that there is a last minute recognition that the roadway is blocked by the trailer, even an attempt by an operator or a passenger to seek refuge under the dashboard could result is catastrophic and permanent injuries. Tractor trailer underride collisions could be avoided. They are collisions that need not take place if the tractor trailer operator had taken more care in either assuring that the trailer did not traverse the roadway perpendicular to oncoming traffic or had placed sufficient warning signs, flares, etc. far enough in advance of his trailer. The tractor trailer lawyers at Chaikin & Sherman, P.C. have had a long history of representing individuals injured through the carelessness of tractor trailer or large truck drivers or operators. Contact us for a free initial consultation.

by Ira Sherman, Esq.

Traffic fatalities and injuries resulting from collisions involving large trucks or tractor trailers exceed 100,000 annually. Indeed, approximately 5,000 people a year die in accidents involving large trucks and tractor trailers while over a 100,000 additional people are injured, many catastrophically. Although regulations purport to assure that only properly licensed, carefully trained and adequately rested drivers operate the tractor trailers and trucks that traverse our roadways, we all know from stories that are reported, on what seems like is a daily basis, that tractor trailer or truck accidents cause catastrophic injuries because inadequately trained, overly-tired, or unlicensed drivers were behind the wheel of a truck or tractor trailer. Additionally, preventative maintenance and record keeping requirements for tractor trailers imposed by either manufacturers or the Federal Government are frequently overlooked or carelessly maintained. This results in the instantaneous and tragic erosion in the landscape of what was once a normal individual or “average American family”. Collisions with large trucks or tractor trailers frequently result in traumatic brain injury or death. Often the victims are children. The tractor trailer lawyers at Chaikin & Sherman, P.C. have had a long history of representing individuals injured through the carelessness of tractor trailer or large truck drivers or operators. Contact us for a free initial consultation.

by Ira Sherman, Esq.