I recently read a sad story about a soldier who was not diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury until three years after his injury happened.  The story raises two important issues: first, that doctors need more training to recognize and deal with traumatic brain injuries, and second, that the effects of a traumatic brain injury are not always immediately apparent, which means accident victims should promptly seek medical treatment.

His injury occurred when a roadside bomb went off in Iraq near his vehicle.  He lost consciousness for a brief amount of time, but was otherwise unhurt.  In fact, he reported walking away from the accident with little more than a stinging headache.  He thought he was fine and he appeared uninjured.

According to the story, by the time he was diagnosed, almost three years later, he had lost his job, was in deep financial trouble, and put a huge amount of strain on his marriage.  He reported hallucinating and panic attacks.

One of the leading causes of brain injuries in civilian life is being involved in a car accident.  Like the soldier, people injured in car accidents may not immediately begin exhibiting symptoms of brain injury, but unfortunately these symptoms may develop slowly and persist for years at a time.

Because No Fault insurance will pay for all reasonable and necessary medical expenses, it is always advisable to seek medical treatment immediately after a car accident.  Inform the paramedics and doctors immediately if you or another accident victim lost consciousness for any period of time following a car accident.

If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan car accident, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Car Accident Handbook” by clicking on the book link.  We will send it out immediately along with other important information. 

For more information about Michigan car accident cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com.  If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan car accident attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.

A pediatric brain injury occurs when a child suffers a head injury that causes damage to the brain.  Such an injury can be caused by car accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, bus accidents, slip and fall accidents, and other accidents.  Brain injuries can also occur at birth if an infant’s oxygen supply is cut off.  Each of these situations can severely affect a child’s future and may give rise to a lawsuit for damages to compensate parents for the extra expense of caring for a child with a pediatric brain injury and to compensate the child for a lifetime of decreased earnings.  Depending on the severity of the injury, the amount of damages can be significant. 

Pediatric brain injuries are often associated with the following symptoms:

• Motor skill deficiencies and disabilities
• Short attention span or difficulty concentrating
• Memory loss or impairment
• Difficultly learning new information
• Limited ability to follow patterns and sequences
• Impulsive behavior and lack of self-control

If a child is involved in any accident that could result in a brain injury, it is important to seek medical attention at once.  Because there are often no external signs that a brain injury has occurred, failure to get immediate medical attention often delays diagnosis until well after the injury has occurred.  In such circumstances, the diagnosis is typically made only after the child has already failed to reach developmental milestones.  This usually increases the costs and hardships of treating the brain injury but can be avoided with prompt medical attention.

Parents of children who have or may have sustained a traumatic brain injury should contact Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. immediately to determine their legal rights.  Our office will start working on your case immediately and begin gathering the evidence to prove and win your case.

I recently read about a woman paralyzed from spinal cord injuries she received in a car accident.  Although she has spent the last seven years since the accident unable to walk, she recently underwent experimental surgery in Portugal and has begun a new rehabilitation regiment featuring increased weight bearing exercises.  After a lot of training and failures, the Detroit Free Press reports she has begun feeling sensation in her lower limbs for the first time since the accident.  Although it is clear that these results are not typical, the story provides hope and an example for the thousands of people who suffer from spinal cord injuries each year. 

The article also discusses some aspects of how the Michigan No Fault Act provides support for rehab efforts by covering the cost of all medical expenses, even those far removed from the initial treatment or hospital stay.  From the article:

“Another obstacle is health insurance.  Most plans typically don’t cover intense therapy programs. But a person injured in an auto accident, such as Nader, in a no-fault state like Michigan, can get coverage funded through a state system. Even then, a person’s coverage may be dropped if an insurer decides progress hasn’t been made and documented.” 

Selecting an experienced Michigan car accident attorney to handle your No Fault claims and your auto negligence claims can help you get full coverage for rehab programs so you can resume your normal life. 

Individuals who sustained spinal cord and their families should contact Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. immediately to determine their legal rights.  Our office will start working on your case immediately and begin gathering the evidence to prove and win your case.

Traumatic brain injuries are associated with delinquent behavior.  According to a new study by the University of

The study defined traumatic brain injury as a head injury causing 20 minutes or more of unconsciousness.  The study did not assess post-injury treatment or severity of the initial injury.  However, it is well known that lack of treatment can only make the problems normally associated with a traumatic head injury worse.  The Michigan brain injury lawyers at Buckfire & Buckfire understand that these types of injuries have a tremendous effect on an individual’s ability to lead his or her normal life.  Changes in personality affect marriages, families, and friendships.  Head injury patients are often unable to return to work and suffer a significant impairment of earnings and earning potential.  Further, head injury patients often need expensive attendant care services due to their condition. If the injury arose from a car accident, motorcycle accident, truck accident, bicycle accident,  or pedestrian accident, there is often a Michigan No-Fault Insurance claim for benefits.  Individuals who sustained brain injuries and their families should contact Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. immediately to determine their legal rights.  Our office will start working on your case immediately and begin gathering the evidence to prove and win your case.

Brain injuries and concussions are some of the least understood medical problems.  Now a dozen professional athletes, including six from the NFL have announced plans to donate their brains for scientific research after they die.  It is hoped that the study will allow doctors to improve understanding of the long-term effects of concussions and other brain injuries.  Hopefully, this study can eventually be used to education juries about long-term damages from brain injuries.  Read the full brain injury story.