Saturday, May 31, 2014

How to tell if a Head Injury is Serious?

HEAD INJURIES IN ACCIDENTS CAN HIDE SYMPTOMS

As an injury lawyer who handles serious injuries from motorcycle, car and truck accidents, and on the job injuries, I see traumatic brain injuries as being the most difficult for doctors to notice or to properly diagnose.

The problem is that the symptoms may appear anywhere from immediately after the impact to days, or even weeks, later!

Initially, we often see “LOC +” listed in the emergency room medical records. That stands for “loss of consciousness – positive.” To the rest of us, it means you were knocked out. 
Sometimes, however, it might be negative. You and I refer to that as “getting your bell rung.” It is important to know that getting knocked out momentarily is difficult to diagnose after the shock of an accident.

But, is NOT required to be struck unconscious, to be truly brain-injured. If you are caring for someone after such an injury, do not ignore that gut instinct the Lord gave us all. 

Any of these important signs can be symptoms of traumatic brain injury:

Headaches; blurred vision; ringing in the ears, taste or smell changes.
Nausea or vomiting.
Fatigue or drowsiness.
Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much.
Feeling dazed, confused or disoriented with or without dizziness or loss of balance.
Sensitivity to light or sound.
Memory or concentration problems.
Mood changes or mood swings – “He’s just different since the accident.”
Feeling depressed or anxious.


If you, a child or a friend has received a blow to the head, and has ANY (not all, but any) signs or symptoms, see a neurologist right away.
And, do not settle an injury case if there are symptoms like these, until you are fully checked out by a competent specialist and some time has passed.  In Tennessee, there is one year to sue under the Tennessee Statute of Limitations, so take your time, seek experienced legal counsel, and seek quality medical advice.

See www.PeelLawFirm.com for more information  



How Long Do I Have to Sue in Tennessee for Injuries?

One year.

No matter what an insurance company may tell you, you have only one year to File Suit (not just make a claim.)

It is called the Statute of Limitations.

Monday, May 19, 2014

TEEN INJURIES

READY. FIRE. AIM?

Rarely has aiming first been so important as it was recently in South Carolina, where the most bizarre thing happened.

It started like a lot of stories do that have tragic endings. There were a bunch of friends hanging out in the garage. Apparently, they had time on their hands and energy to spare.

When they ran out of fun things to try, someone donned a bulletproof vest and great joy was found in shooting the wearer. Turns were taken. Raucous laughter, no doubt, ensued.

But, one friend was not quite as accurate as the others. The .22 long rifle bullet, missed the Kevlar protection of the vest, and buried into the young man’s chest. Despite CPR, the victim, in his mid-20s, bled to death.

Now the friend, is looking at five years in prison, charged with involuntary manslaughter for the errant shooting.

Recently, a young honors student tried her own unauthorized science experiment at school.  She combined common chemicals in a water bottle to see what would happen. The ensuing smoking chemical reaction got her expelled and charged with a crime as an adult. Seems a bit harsh for teen actions.

But, we all did stupid things when we were young, right?

Many jumped off the roof with an umbrella, only to find one does not, in fact, float down gently.

Some farm boys urinated on the electric fence, you know, just to “see what happens.”  Few did that twice.

Many young men built elaborate bike ramps and tried to jump like Evel Kenievel, with similar results to his.

Teens seem attracted to stealing traffic signs. Of course, a missing stop sign can have fatal consequences.

Kids and fireworks often combine to destroy mailboxes, fingers and set fields afire.

“Mailbox baseball,” where country kids hit mailboxes with baseball bats from a moving vehicle, is still all too common.

There are many paralyzed adults who would warn teens not to dive into a dark lake or river without knowing its depth.

But, I would say shooting each other--on purpose--takes the cake.




Friday, May 2, 2014

Vanity Plate Furor

LICENCE PLATE FUROR

We have seen the vanity plates. Sometimes, they are hard to decipher, but some are pretty clever:

On a Huge Hummer:  “1  M P G”  (bad gas mileage indeed).

On an old beater: “BC MY D4S”  (because the divorce was costly he has an old car).

On a red convertible: “BLONDE”  (it was mounted upside down).

On a white Bronco: “NOT O J” 

But, a Federal Lawsuit has been filed in New Jersey seeking the issuance of the proposed vanity plate: "8THEIST."

The state had deemed it ineligible as it “may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency.” 
This is usually used to stop really offensive plates from slipping through.
But, she was a determined atheist. With religious fervor, she completed an application using the phrase “BAPTIST.”  Yes, the department accepted it.

So she sued, claiming violation of her First Amendment right to free speech and pointing out the both belief and, lack of belief, are protected free speech.

Previously, the president of American Atheists, complained when his application for "ATHE1ST" was denied, and it was granted. This will likely go the same way.

One fellow sued because of the suspension of his vanity plate that said “0INK.” Like many people, I would assume he was just a Razorback fan. But, the plate was one of those with a logo on it, too. Guess what the logo was?   The Fraternal Order of Police! Thus, calling the police pigs was understandably controversial.

Vanity plates do cause some controversy. But they can be worth a lot of money, too.

How about $9.3 million? That is what one guy turned down to keep his unique “F1” plate in England. He paid over $600,000 to get it. Seems like a good investment so far.  

I forgot one: “I SUE 4U”