Arizona Brain Injury Blog

The results from a recent study at Arizona State University (ASU) on the birth control shot Depo Provera have linked the drug to memory loss. The study used female rats as test subjects and the researchers injected them with regular doses of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), the drug found in Depo Provera, in order to find if the drugs had any effects on the behavior of the rodents. By the end of the study, results had shown that the chemical had long-lasting impairments on the cognitive functions of the test subjects.

Unlike birth control pills (which do not use MPA), Depo Provera requires an injection every 12 weeks, making it an alternative for women who do not want the hassle of taking medication every day.

MPA is frequently used in hormone therapy and other birth control medications besides Depo Provera. The study found that even after MPA injections had stopped, rodents still exhibited memory loss and cognitive impairment. Those in charge of the study believe that the results reflect what could possibly be seen in the coming years as women who have taken the drug begin to age.

Long-term exposure to various chemicals such as MPA can lead to various forms of brain damage and cognitive impairment. Some chemicals are well known for their adverse effects on the brain, while others are not as widespread. In either case, chemical exposure brain injury can damage a person for the rest of his or her life.

If you or someone you know has suffered brain or head trauma in Arizona, the knowledgeable Tucson brain injury attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices can help you win the compensation you deserve. Call our experienced law team today at (520) 308-6762 for a free consultation on your case.

Increasing awareness of concussions in sports has led Mayo Clinic to offer baseline concussion testing to more than 100,000 Arizona high school athletes at no cost. The testing measures how well the brain works before an injury, which can help physicians determine if a change in brain function has occurred after a sports injury.

The baseline assessment is a computerized test that takes approximately eight to 15 minutes to complete. Once a student completes the assessment, he or she may share the results with health care providers. If a student receives a concussion in the course of athletic participation, doctors can repeat the test and compare it to the baseline assessment. This comparison can help health care providers determine when it is safe for a student to return to sports. Returning to sports at the right time can help prevent additional concussions, which can be more difficult to resolve and may cause permanent neurological changes.

This initiative is made possible by Mayo Clinic and benefactor funding and is in response to Arizona Senate Bill 1521, which requires high school athletes with head injuries in Arizona to be barred from any physical activity until cleared by a physician. The law also makes it mandatory for schools to educate student athletes, parents, and coaches about the risks of concussions.

Concussions and other brain injuries can cause permanent neurological damage. Severe brain injuries can require lifelong monitoring and medical care, causing significant financial burden. If your child suffered a brain injury due to someone else’s actions, contact the Scottsdale brain injury attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices P.C. We will work hard to get the compensation you need to pay for medical care, rehabilitation services, and other expenses. Call us at (602) 457-6222 to schedule a free review of your case.

Mike Stobbe of the Associated Press reports that the number of young sports players who go to the hospital with concussions has increased by 60 percent in the past 10 years. Although this sounds like a bad thing, the interim director of the University of North Carolina Injury Prevention and Research Center (UNC IPRC) says it’s a good sign. It doesn’t mean that there are more concussions now, but that sports coaches and parents are more careful about getting kids’ head injuries treated than they were before.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a study on this topic by surveying 66 hospital emergency departments. The CDC looked at the number of traumatic brain injuries in children and teens under the age of 19 and used the data to represent the U.S. The number of kids going to the hospital for traumatic brain injuries was just 153,000 in 2001. This number increased to nearly 250,000 in 2009. The study data also revealed that there was not a notable increase in the rate of children being immediately admitted to the hospital for treatment. This means that many parents and coaches are bringing kids to the ER for mild blows to the head and mild concussions.

Dr. Julie Gilchrist, the lead investigator on this study, attributes this to the fact that more people are now aware of the long-term hazards of concussions, which makes them more likely to take young sports players to the hospital if any kind of head injury occurs.

In some cases, traumatic brain injuries go beyond a mild concussion. In fact, some brain injuries can lead to permanent physical and psychological problems. If your loved one sustained a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s negligence, the Phoenix traumatic brain injury attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices P.C. can help. We will fight for you at every step of the legal process and help you through this difficult time. Call us at (602) 457-6222 to schedule a free consultation regarding your case.

Concussion is the most common injury sustained in car accidents, slip and fall accidents and athletic incidents. When someone sustains a concussion, they need round-the-clock monitoring for at least 24 hours. This helps ensure that the victim does not experience any complications and confirm that a more serious head injury is not present.

However, this 24-hour monitoring may not be enough in all cases. Some concussion victims develop a condition known as post-concussive disorder. Concussion injury victims and their families should learn the signs and symptoms of this disorder and seek immediate medical attention if any of the following occur:

• Headaches;
• Ringing in the ears;
• Sensitivity to noise;
• Hearing loss;
• Loss of taste or smell;
• Blurred vision;
• Double vision;
• Sensitivity to light;
• Vertigo;
• Sleep disturbances;
• Dizziness;
• Cognitive fatigue;
• Loss of judgment; and
• Impaired memory or concentration

Post-concussive disorder can also cause emotional disturbances characterized by irritability, inability to control emotional outbursts, increased impulsivity, personality changes, social isolation, fatigue, low tolerance for frustration, mood swings, eating disorders, increased agitation and excessive talking.

If these symptoms persist, they can interfere with the ability of a concussion victim to go to school or carry on a career. If you suffered a head injury and now have the symptoms of post-concussive disorder, an experienced Phoenix brain injury attorney can act as your advocate. The Phoenix personal injury attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices P.C. have experience fighting on behalf of those whose lives have been changed due to a concussion or traumatic brain injury. If you need help, call us at (602) 457-6222.

The Brain Injury Association of Arizona reports that someone in the United States sustains a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every 23 seconds. Having years of personal injury experience as attorneys with the Arizona Law Team of the Breyer Law Offices, we know the truth of these statistics only too well. Most of these injuries are preventable, however, if you take these precautions:

• Use seatbelts and child restraint systems every time you drive or ride in a car. Choose car seats or booster seats designed for the weight of your child. Make sure children always ride in the back seat of any vehicle.
• Protect your children by putting soft surfaces on hard play areas. If your child uses a playground, protect all surfaces by putting down at least one foot of pea gravel, mulch or wood chips. Rubber mats can also help reduce the risk of TBI.
• Ensure that your children always use helmets and mouth guards when participating in sports and physical activities. Mouth guards play a role in TBI prevention by cushioning the lower jaw and reducing the risk of concussion.
• Teach children to always wear helmets when riding bicycles. Helmets should fit properly without obstructing a child’s vision.
• Prevent falls in the home or office by using safety gates, window guards, handrails and other safety measures.

Even if you take all of these precautions, you cannot prevent every TBI, especially when the injury occurs as the result of negligence on the part of a third party. If your loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s actions, contact the brain injury lawyers in Arizona at The Breyer Law Offices P.C. for a free consultation. Contact us at (602) 457-6222 to discuss your case.

Someone in the U.S. sustains a traumatic brain injury every 21 seconds, according to a report from the Disability Rights Center. Traumatic brain injuries occur when a victim sustains a blow, jolt or bump to the head. These injuries disrupt normal brain function and cause physical, cognitive and emotional changes in victims.

Physical Consequences

Traumatic brain injury victims may experience loss of vision, loss of taste, slow speech, slurred speech, seizures, double vision, muscle spasticity, fatigue, balance problems and migraines.

Cognitive Consequences

Traumatic brain injury victims may have difficulty returning to work or performing normal tasks due to the cognitive changes that sometimes occur. These changes include difficulty concentrating, spatial disorientation, impaired judgment, inability to multitask, long-term memory loss, slowed information processing ability, short-term memory loss, difficulty paying attention, communication problems and difficulty prioritizing tasks.

Emotional Consequences

The physical and cognitive difficulties take a toll on the emotions of traumatic brain injury victims. Those with traumatic brain injury may experience anxiety, agitation, mood swings and depression. They may also exhibit egocentric behaviors and get agitated easily.

The costs of caring for someone with a traumatic brain injury can be insurmountable for some families. The Disability Rights Center estimates that the cost to hospitalize traumatic brain injury patients exceeds $30 billion per year in the United States. Having a loved one with traumatic brain injury also leads to serious emotional costs for families.

Our experienced Mesa brain injury attorneys understand that traumatic brain injury changes lives in many ways. Please call us at 1-480-389-2463 if you need legal information about traumatic brain injury caused by an accident. We will answer your questions so you can make the best decision for your family.

According to Fox News, medical professionals believe that Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords has made enough progress to one day consider returning to Congress. Since the January 8, 2011 shooting, Giffords has made remarkable progress. Despite the real risk of death after the shooting, Giffords began healing quickly and even left the hospital for rehabilitation services 18 days later.

By March, she began walking and talking and her personality was beginning to resurface. In May, she underwent surgery to repair her damaged skull and then on June 15, 2011 she was released from the rehabilitation center. Many medical professionals are surprised by her relatively quick recovery from the devastating brain injury she sustained.

Brain injury victims may suffer a wide range of symptoms including loss of physical and mental abilities. Even after successful surgeries and therapy, it is rare for a victim of a traumatic brain injury to fully return to how they were before the incident.

In cases where someone’s negligence or recklessness is the cause of the injuries suffered, the at-fault party may be held liable through civil litigation. Damages that may be covered through a personal injury claim include medical bills, lost wages, cost of rehabilitation, long-term care, pain and suffering and emotional distress.

The reputed brain injury lawyers in Arizona at The Breyer Law Offices P.C. understand the many financial, emotional and physical burdens that brain injury victims and their families endure. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury in an Arizona auto accident or in an assault, please call our offices right away at 602-457-6222 to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.

The military is currently experimenting with a number of smart phone applications to help soldiers diagnose and treat traumatic brain injuries, according to a news report in The Wall Street Journal. Currently, the application the military uses is a digital reference tool to help health care practitioners recognize symptoms of brain trauma. Eventually, the military hopes that smart phones will help keep all soldiers better informed and perhaps help them receive the care they need following a head injury. There are also several smartphone apps now to help brain injury victims who are dealing with short-term memory loss remember things with the push of a button.

The article calls traumatic brain injuries “a hidden wound of war.” Many soldiers who suffer head trauma are not properly diagnosed and treated. Long after a soldier has returned home, he or she may begin to experience symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, speech issues, difficulties in social situations and even a loss of physical abilities.

Brain trauma is particularly difficult to diagnose because there are so many possible symptoms and those symptoms can change over time. Someone who may only suffer a headache immediately following a blow to the head may later suffer more severe symptoms that can change their physical and mental abilities.

Car accidents are one of the most common causes of brain injuries in Arizona. Anyone who has suffered a head injury in an auto accident or a fall would be well advised to seek immediate medical attention. To receive compensation for medical care, rehabilitation and other losses affiliated with brain injury that was caused by someone else’s negligence, an injured victim should also consider speaking with a skilled personal injury attorney.

The reputed brain injury attorneys in Phoenix at The Breyer Law Offices P.C handle all types of Arizona injury accidents. We understand the long-term damages that can be suffered by a brain injury victim and we work diligently to get our clients the compensation they need and rightfully deserve. The cost of treating a traumatic brain injury can run into millions of dollars during a person’s lifetime. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, please contact our law offices at 602-457-6222 to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.

A person may suffer a concussion after a car accident. But there are times when a concussion may not be diagnosed at an early stage. If left untreated, concussions may give rise to even more problems in the future.

That is why a group of experts at the University of North Carolina have teamed up with other head-trauma researchers to develop an application for mobile devices that can help in diagnosing if someone has suffered a concussion (ABC 15 06/08/2011).

The application aims to determine the likelihood of a concussion after the user answers a series of questions. Information gathered can then be emailed to a doctor for further actions, and with faster diagnosis and treatment, any complications will be prevented. The app’s questions are based from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) materials.

Common symptoms of a concussion, which is the most common type of traumatic brain injury in Arizona, may include headache, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, and motor and sensory problems. Usually, these symptoms occur soon after the injury.

Concussions can also have cognitive and emotional effects including confusion, disorientation, and difficulty focusing attention. Children suffering from a concussion may include restlessness, lethargy, and irritability.

To prevent concussion, seatbelts and airbags are heavily advised for drivers and standard approved helmets should be worn when riding a motorcycle or when engaging in activities which require heavy protection to the head.

If you have suffered a brain injury in an accident in the Arizona area and would like to receive compensation regarding a personal injury, our brain injury lawyers in Phoenix are available at (602) 457-6222 for a free consultation.

The long-term affects of brain trauma are varied and numerous. A recent study by the University of Michigan shows that violent behavior in young people may be linked to head injuries or traumatic brain injuries suffered during their early years. According to a news report in the International Business Times, young people who have recently suffered a concussion or a fractured skull are more likely to be involved in violent behavior.

About 1.7 million people seek medical attention for a traumatic brain injury every year. While 75 percent of head injuries are mild and may not even require medical attention, a traumatic brain injury can have lasting affects. No head trauma should be taken lightly. A failure to seek medical attention can increase the chances of the symptoms getting worse.

Depending upon the severity of the injury and the location of the trauma, the resulting symptoms can be permanent and life changing. Brain-injured victims may suffer from memory issues, personality changes, loss of physical and mental capabilities, speech issues and permanent disabilities.

The cause of the brain trauma will determine if the victim is able to pursue financial compensation. Did someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing cause the accident? Was the head trauma suffered in a slip-and-fall accident or in an Arizona car crash? When someone other than the victim was responsible for the accident, he or she may be held liable for the injuries, damages and losses sustained.

The experienced Tuscon brain injury attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices P.C. have years of experience helping Arizona brain injury victims and their families get fair compensation for the damages they have suffered. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, call our law offices at 602-457-6222 for a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation.