Improving Memory Problems With Coconuts?

It is possible that the MCTs are processed in the brain due to issues with the metabolism. Long term use may not bring the same result. The oil’s medium chain fatty acids, or MCFAs also offer a potential benefit, also being found in breast milk.

Brain injury, Stroke : ( CT scan of brain and base of skull ) ( Bone window )
Brain injury, Stroke : ( CT scan of brain and base of skull ) ( Bone window )

Many people are looking at creative ways to improve their memory. Between age, stress, and potential genetic factors, people’s memories often fade over time. With it making up a vital part of life, anything that could be used to reinforce it could be extremely useful. This is especially the case in the aftermath of serious brain injuries, where any help is sorely needed.

There are many products on the market that claim to assist with cognitive issues. Some have been cleared by the FDA and others are just breaking into the market now. Some have no clearance whatsoever and may offer a risk to the user. With so many products entering into the market and giving the consumer choice, it’s vital that all options and potential benefits are considered.

One such product that is being offered as a help for patients with fibromyalgia. Many patients suffer from the so called “fibro fog,” leaving trouble concentrating and even communicating. Other patients that have suffered from Alzheimer’s have also seemed to benefit from coconut oil. The medical journal Neurobiology of Aging has even conducted a study to determine whether the medium chain triglycerides, or MCTs in the oil is able to assist Alzheimer’s victims. The link between the MCTs and the disease showed that subjects’ memories improved with the use of the use of coconut oil.

So the science is settled, right? The study cited was only tested in the short term. There’s still tests going on to determine if there are long term benefits from such a treatment. It is possible that the MCTs are processed in the brain due to issues with the metabolism. Long term use may not bring the same result. The oil’s medium chain fatty acids, or MCFAs also offer a potential benefit, also being found in breast milk.

Is it time to go out and invest in coconuts? Maybe or maybe not. The initial tests appear to be promising, which could be a great comfort for issues with mental and cognitive issues due to brain injury. However, until further studies are conducted it may be just one part of a much bigger puzzle.

The Elements of a Brain Injury Wrongful Death Suit

 

Every year, thousands die from wrongful deaths of various brain injuries. As a result, many survivors are put in a position where their lives and security suffer, financially and otherwise in addition to the already high emotional price paid. It is reasonable to expect that if the death is due to another, that the other party should be held responsible. While a wrongful death suit cannot replace those priceless aspects of the person lost, it can help to restore some sense of financial security after the many monetary losses associated with a wrongful death. When the survivors are considering filing a wrongful death suit after losing their loved one, otherwise known as the decedent, there are some elements of a wrongful death suit with which they should be familiar.

Wrongful Death Suit: The Definitions

In order to be considered a wrongful death, the decedent’s passing must have been caused by willful wrongdoing, gross negligence, or inaction of another party or the agents of an entity. This means that the death specifically must have resulted from those actions, not due to disease or even the action of the deceased. In other words, if a patient dies from a disease that results in death but the physicians and hospital all acted responsibly, the death is not considered wrongful. If a patient dies from a disease due to acts that were willfully wrong, negligent, or even the inaction of a hospital or its agents, then this can be considered a wrongful death.

Wrongful Death Suits: The Defendant(s)

In order to qualify as a wrongful death, the death must be proven to have been caused by another party or multiple parties, the defendant(s).

Wrongful Death Suits: The Survivors

In order for a wrongful death suit to proceed, it must be proven that the decedent has survivors that are suffering financially as a result of the loss. Survivors can include the spouse, immediate family, children, dependents, dependent parents, dependent siblings, and other beneficiaries. This can also include people who were expecting an inheritance through the defendant.

Wrongful Death Suits: The Losses

A wrongful death suit claim must prove that financial losses are being suffered by the survivors that wouldn’t be suffered if the decedent hadn’t died. Some examples include loss of an income that would have supported the family in the future, child support payments, bill paying, and so forth. There will also be medical, funeral, and burial fees. Additionally, if parents or siblings were supported by the decedent, this can be considered a loss as they no longer have that support. There are also losses that, while not originally financial in nature, can be given a monetary value such as parental guidance that is now lost to the children of the decedent, or protection or security, as well as comfort and companionship loss. There may be other emotional losses that can be given a monetary value as determined by the wrongful death lawyer and verified in court.

Elements of a Wrongful Death Suit: How are they determined?

A wrongful death lawyer is your best source for helping to determine that all the elements of a wrongful death suit are met as required before a claim can be considered successful. Some of the elements, such as monetary value, can be difficult to determine without experienced and qualified help. Particularly, the elements of a wrongful death suit can be difficult to prove as the defendant’s agents will be determined to disprove any and all of the elements. It is most important that all of the elements are strong and inarguable. Again, a wrongful death lawyer is vital to not only strengthening these aspects of the case, but making sure that their strength is evident and undeniable to the court.

Pursuing a Wrongful Death Suit

If you suspect that your loved one was the victim of a wrongful death, it is important that you contact a wrongful death lawyer for the increased success of your potential wrongful death suit claim. Michael Ehline of Ehline Law Firm is not only experienced but successful in the arena of wrongful death cases. His years of experience, wealth of knowledge, and pool of experts and resources all benefit families who, in their time of need, are attempting to put their lives back together. Ehline Law Firm is convenient to many areas of California, including Sacramento, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Please call Ehline Law Firm today at 1-888-400-9721.

 

Brain Injury Wrongful Deaths: Helping the Survivors Regain their Lost Security

Yes, it is true, a neurological brain injury can easily lead to a wrongful death.  Christopher Reeves comes to mind.  Here was a man who became quadriplegic after falling from a horse.  although his brain itself was not damaged, his brain was unable to send and receive signals to his extremities and he eventually passed away.  A brain injury can also lead to a coma and death.  The death would be wrongful if it was caused by the fault of an evil doer or wrong doer.

There are huge emotional losses to be experienced by the family and other survivors after someone dear to them dies.  Additionally, the survivors can find themselves suddenly left without a caretaker, a parent, or financial support.  When the death is a wrongful death, those who remain have the right to file a claim of wrongful death against the other party if they are suffering financially.  A wrongful death should not mean the sudden dissolution of the security of the remaining family and loved ones who were dependent on the deceased loved one (aka the “decedent”).

Often, the executor/executrix of the decedent’s estate will hire a wrongful death lawyer to file a claim against the negligent party in an attempt to help the survivors get back to a state of security and well-being.  To best help the survivors, it is important to know some of the factors surrounding a wrongful death.
What defines a “wrongful death”? The decedent must have died specifically because of negligence or a willful wrongful act of another.

Who is responsible for a wrongful death?

A wrongful death can be caused by either an individual, or an entity such as a business or a hospital via their agents, thereafter called the “defendant”.  Wrongful death lawyers are instrumental in determining who exactly is at fault.  Who can expect recovery if there is a wrongful death? While generally it is the executor or executrix of the decedent’s account who files the claim for wrongful death, they do so for the survivors who are suffering financial losses due to the death of the decedent.  Those who can benefit from the recovery are the immediate family, the children or dependents including surviving, dependent parents or siblings, as well as beneficiaries.  All of those who expect part of the settlement must be shown to actually be suffering in a way that can be measured monetarily.

What all can be considered a loss in a wrongful death?

In a wrongful death claim, most of the losses can already be qualified as financial ones.  For example, the losses might include:

  •     Work wages that, in the future, were counted upon to support the family
  • Financial support of children or other underage dependents
  • Surviving parents of the decedent that require assistance from the decedent to remain secure
  • Surviving siblings or other adults who were dependent upon the decedent
  • The loss of an expected inheritance, the receipt of which was dependent on the decedent being alive.

There are other factors that are losses that, while not initially financial, can be translated into monetary value.  They include:

  • Loss of parenting
  •  Loss of protection
  • Loss of a companion or comfort
  • Emotional suffering due to the wrongful death

When a brain injury wrongful death occurs, what next?
The family and estate-handlers of the decedent should immediately call a qualified and locally convenient wrongful death lawyer to discuss their potential case.  Time is of the essence as there are sometimes time limits placed on when a claim can be filed.  The wrongful death lawyer can discuss with the survivors the strength of their case and help them take the necessary steps towards filing the claim.

Why should a wrongful death lawyer be hired?

A wrongful death lawyer can not only provide expertise to a surviving family, but also some peace of mind.  A wrongful death lawyer will have resources and experts that will help to convince the court of the validity of the case’s claim.  They are also well versed with the requirements of the court for a successful case.  Most importantly, the time of a loss is a horrible and exhausting time for the survivors.  They should be given the opportunity to heal without being made to jump through the legal hoops required to, on their own, file and support a wrongful death claim.

Who can help us?

If you suspect that your loved one was the victim of a wrongful death, Michael Ehline of Ehline Law Firm can help.  Mr. Ehline is not only experienced but successful in helping families and other loved ones piece their lives back together and get back on the road to financial and thus emotional security after a wrongful death.  Ehline Law Firm PC is convenient to Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and many other California cities for the ease of the family.  Please feel free to call today at 1-888-400-9721.

 

 

TBI is Linked to Higher Risk for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

As a Clearwater traumatic brain injury attorney, I am often retained to represent individuals who have sustained a mild traumatic brain injury or closed head trauma.  A traumatic brain injury is defined by medical practitioners as an injury to the brain as a result of trauma to the head.  An estimated 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury annually. Of the 1.7 million individuals: there are 52,000 fatalities, 275,000 are hospitalized, and 1.365 million, nearly 80% are treated and released from an emergency room. TBI is a contributing factor to a third of all injury-related deaths in the United States. Approximately 75% of TBI’s that occur each year are concussions or other forms of mild traumatic brain injury.

The first evidence of a causal link between traumatic brain injury and an increased risk for post-traumatic stress disorder has been illustrated by scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles. The study suggests that individuals who experience even as little as a mild traumatic brain injury face a higher risk for developing an anxiety disorder and should try to avoid stressful stimulus for awhile. Many individuals who experience head trauma following a car accident, may exhibit signs of PTSD. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that 40% of people who suffer serious injury in a car accident display clinical signs of PTSD within a year of the crash. This is due largely to the fact that an accident is a major event that can result in catastrophic injuries or the loss of life.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a real illness. You can get PTSD after living through or witnessing a traumatic event, such as war, a hurricane, physical abuse, and of course a car accident. PTSD causes the individual to feel stress and manifest anxiety long after the danger has been removed. It affects both your quality of life and the people around you.

PTSD can result in difficulties like:

•    Flashbacks, or feeling like the event is happening again
•    Trouble sleeping or nightmares
•    Angry outbursts
•    Feeling worried, guilty or sad

Victims often present with symptom weeks, months or even several years after the incident. When left untreated, it can have devastating consequences on the sufferer and keep them from being able to function normally in life. It can also have dire effects on their relationships with their families, friends and co-workers. Treatments for PTSD and TBI should be symptom-focused and evidence based in concurrence with current practice guidelines. Early data suggests that treatments have worked well in Veterans with PTSD alone, such as cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure or SSRI’s.  Such treatments have also worked well for those who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury as well as emotional trauma. Memory aids can also be useful in this population. Patients can also benefit from occupational rehabilitation and case management, depending on the severity of their injuries. Patients should be referred to specialists, such as neurologists, neuropsychologists, and substance abuse or other specialized treatment as needed.

A traumatic brain injury can have a pronounced effect on your quality of life including the ability to interact with loved ones and friends as well as the ability to work. Please contact a Florida traumatic brain injury lawyer for a free, no obligation, and confidential evaluation of your case. As a Clearwater personal injury attorney, I consistently deal with insurance adjusters, Florida insurance defense lawyers and even physicians who are unfamiliar with the mechanisms behind a TBI and the relationship between a closed head injury and whiplash. Many practitioners are mistakenly under the assumption that the head must strike an object with force in order to sustain a closed head injury. It is essential to retain an attorney who is not only familiar with TBI’s but also the latest science in this rapidly evolving area of medicine.

Pinellas County Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney

Dolman Law Group is a Pinellas County personal injury law firm that routinely handles claims and litigates cases involving closed head injuries as a result of an automobile accident. We actively litigate auto accident and motorcycle accident related cases in Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Sarasota County, Manatee County and Pasco County. Located in central Pinellas County (Clearwater), Dolman Law Group is easily accessible to injury victims in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, New Port Richey, Pinellas Park, Largo and Kenneth City. Our satellite office in Bradenton is easily accessible to all consumers located in both Manatee and Sarasota County.

For more information on the relationship between a brain injury and an automobile accident or motorcycle accident, please contact: matt@dolmanlaw.com or call Dolman Law Group at: (727) 451-6900. Matthew A. Dolman, Esq., Christian Myer, Esq., and Bryan C. Hannan, Esq., are experienced and aggressive Florida traumatic brain injury attorneys who are often called upon by their colleagues to co-counsel head injury cases throughout the State of Florida.

Tips From A Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer To Help Elvaluate A Cerebral Palsy Case

Learning that your child has cerebral palsy can invoke a range of emotions that include fear, anger and an uncertain outlook for the child’s future. Even if you suspect that your child’s condition is the result of medical malpractice, it can be very difficult to prove malpractice due to the limited knowledge we have about what causes Write Down Your Recollection of Events

It is important to jot down your memories of anything that seemed abnormal about the birth of your child or the care your child received leading up to the delivery. Typically, recollection of events deteriorates over time and it is more advantageous to write down your memories earlier rather than later when it can become more difficult to piece things together. Some experts believe that inadequate oxygen during delivery can be attributed to cerebral palsy, so try to recall what the conditions were in the hospital during labor, delivery and post-delivery.

Rule Out Genetics or Natural Causes

Cerebral palsy can be attributed to genetics, a thyroid condition or an infection in the mother, low birth weight and premature birth. Before you decide to seek damages on the basis of medical malpractice, make sure that you rule out conditions that your doctor had no control over, keeping in mind that the defense will bring up this information if it is brought to court. Even if you believe that the doctor may not be at fault at this point,it is still advisable to seek a second opinion while keeping in mind that any unforeseen complications can be treated as evidence in support of the defense later on.

Collect Important Medical Information

Requesting your child’s medical chart and all medical records related to the pregnancy will be instrumental in determining whether or not your physician could be responsible for your child’s cerebral palsy. A cerebral palsy lawyer will review the medical records and compare them with an assessment of what standard medical procedure would have been in order to determine if there are any inconsistencies between the care your child received and how medical professionals would be expected to act under the same circumstances.

Create a Timeline Of Events

By using your own memories of events and collecting medical history, you can create an order of events that will prove extremely useful when evaluating the legitimacy of a medical malpractice case. As you look through the medical records you have collected, try to determine points in the timeline where improper care was given or complications were present in the pregnancy or birth that were not properly addressed.

Get a Second Medical Opinion

The exact cause of cerebral palsy is never discovered in many cases and this makes it extremely difficult to attach blame for the condition on improper medical care. Both the defense and plaintiff will seek the testimony of an expert to back each side of the case, so it is important to establish early on whether another medical professional agrees with the claim that improper treatment was given or improper action was taken. If after you have presented another physician with all of the information you have collected, including medical records, the physician believes that the attending doctor operated outside of standard medical procedure, then you might have reason to take the case to a medical malpractice attorney for further evaluation.

Present Your Case to a Qualified Attorney

After you have written down your own recollection of events, ruled out the possibility of causes that your doctor had no control over, collected all the pertinent medical records, created a timeline and received a second opinion, if you believe that you have a case, you should consult a cerebral palsy lawyer (http://www.rosenfeldinjurylawyers.com/practice/medical-malpractice/cerebral-palsy/). Jonathan Rosenfeld of Chicago’s Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers (http://www.rosenfeldinjurylawyers.com) is a highly qualified lawyer who can review all of the information you’ve collected and help you determine whether you have a chance at collecting damages for medical malpractice involving your child’s cerebral palsy.

Sources:

http://www.childinjurylaws.com/medical-malpractice/cerebral-palsy/understanding-causes-of-cerebral-palsy-is-crucial-to-determining-if-medical-malpractice-is-involved/

http://www.childinjurylaws.com/medical-malpractice/jury-finds-doesnt-fault-hospital-for-childs-injuries-sustained-during-birthing-process/

http://www.cerebralpalsylawyersfaq.com/questions/what-is-the-first-step-towards-pursuing-a-cerebral-palsy-lawsuit/

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/cerebral_palsy/page2_em.htm

Can Chiari 1 Malformations be Causally Related to Trauma

Imagine suffering from daily headaches, painful tension in neck, dizziness, fatigue, vision problems, balance issues, pressure and pain in neck, ringing in ears and many other symptoms.  In individuals that have tonsillar descent, pressure can be put on the brainstem and result in many of the above referenced symptoms and much more serious ones that could result in the need for immediate surgical intervention.  As a brain injury attorney, I understand the significance of this injury that is often ignored by many practitioners.

Chiari 1 Malformation is also known as a herniation of the cerebellar tonsils.  In a normal brain and neck there is enough room around the base of the brain to allow Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSP) to flow in and out of the area without problem.  In a problematic neck that does not allow enough room for this fluid to flow effectively the cerebellar tonsils are forced downward down past the foramen magnum.  This becomes very dangerous and sprouts many of the symptoms discussed.

CSP surrounds not only the brain but the spinal cord as well.  The body is designed to allow CSP to flow freely throughout the brain and spinal cord to protect arguably the two most important segments of the body.  Unfortunately, when the flow is interrupted it could build up and form Syringomyelia, or a Syrinx.  A syrinx (forced buildup of spinal fluid inside the spinal cord) is extremely dangerous and will likely result in surgery to alleviate this condition.

The question becomes when and how did this malformation start or occur.  Assuming that the tonsilar herniation was present throughout an individual’s life then the question is, “If an otherwise symptom free individual goes their entire life without having manifested a known symptom of Chiari 1, and then is involved in a motor vehicle accident that caused an onslaught of symptoms, isn’t it likely that the onset of symptoms was caused by trauma? New reports and studies point in the affirmative.

As a Florida brain injury attorney, I have seen a number of Chiari 1 malformation cases and have become accustomed to the typical arguments propounded by the defense. Insurance adjusters and defense lawyers alike will point to the abundance of medical literature that suggests a Chiari 1 malformation is congenitive in nature.  However, several recent studies indicate that Chiari 1 malformations can be exacerbated and aggravated by trauma.  Further, there are many well documents instances of injury victims who were symptom free until a traumatic incident resulted in Chiari 1 related issues.  This lends credence to the belief that Chiari 1 can lie dormant for years until a traumatic incident such as a car wreck results in an asymptomatic condition becoming symptomatic.

To contact a Clearwater car accident attorney, or discuss your case with a Florida brain injury attorney (Click here), contact us (727) 451-6900 or email me at: Matt@dolmanlaw.com.

Addressing Fitness Injuries

By tort attorney, Michael P. Ehline, Esq. – One of the worst issues for an athlete or person that works out is to suffer an injury. Anyone who is injured generally has similar feelings, since the body has suffered damage. Depending on the amount of damage the body or nervous system has suffered, and the degree of stress, can promote negative feelings, which can be in the form of depression, anger and other emotions.

Taking the Right Steps

After sustaining an injury, it is important to take the right type of actions, which ensure that the recovery period from the damage will be as short as possible and healing will be successful. There are some approaches to deal with a fitness injury that can help anyone that does not know what they should do when they have suffered harm.

Get Medical Care Immediately

The person that suffers an athletic fitness wound will find the most important positive action they can take is to seek medical attention. This is a crucial step, in order to heal as quickly and the to the best possible degree. It is important to obtain help from every avenue possible, especially if this is a first time athletic injury. Discuss your course of treatment and how to heal properly, including a possible referral to a sports psychologist.

This type of bodily harm is serious and should be treated as such by the individual that sustained the damage. The sports psychologist can use techniques and other treatments, with the goal of promoting recovery, which other medical professionals do not have the ability to use these methods of treatment. Caution should be used, when there are changes in your emotional state and your perspective, if you are severely restricted in activity, as this can decease healing time.

There are various types of wounds that can occur and some may cause the individual to remain immobilized or bedridden. In this kind of situation, it is important to be educated about the feelings that accompany this kind of damage. The reason it is essential to be knowledgeable about the feelings associated with these types of injuries, is being forced to remain in this kind of stillness can cause the loss of control in the persons’ life. This can be devastating and feeling that there is some degree of control is crucial for the individual’s welfare. Suspecting that you have lost most or all control in your life can lead to feelings of despair and other physiological conditions.

Therapy

If it is possible to begin some level of activity, as soon as you are able, no matter what type of activity you are capable of doing, it is beneficial physiologically. Regular activity, at any level is not only imperative for your mental state of mind, it is also important for your physical condition. Movement will help to promote healing of the damage, and when the body begins to show signs of healing, the psychological issues often begin to diminish. The signs of improvement, even when small will have tremendous feelings of accomplishment.

When injured it is easy to have a downward spiral mentally, if attention is not paid to the emotional needs, as well as the physical treatment. How the individual that suffers an athletic injury will vary, since we each have different physiological outlooks and ways of handling issues. This is why education and knowledge will be helpful when dealing with damage to the body.

Resources:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000028.htm

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/head-injuries-causes-and-treatments