Researchers are buffled by illnesses sustained from contact sports such as football. Football stars Steve Gleason and Kevin “The Collision Expert” Turner, are reported to have developed amyotrophic lateral scleros (ALS), or commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. A controversial research from Boston University, however, suggests that they may not actually have ALS, but instead another motor neuron disorder. The clear cause? Repeated blows to the head.

The debate on whether ALS may develop from brain injuries is still a grey area among researchers. But they are one in saying that concussions, one type of traumatic brain injury, sustained during football games can cause depression, mood and behaviour changes, memory loss, and even early stage of dementia. In medical terms,  this is called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), characterized by the buildup of two proteins, tau and TDP-43, which leak out when brain cells are injured and can buildup where they aren’t supposed to be.

Second-impact syndrome is the one to look out for. While CTE syndrome can be cured with proper medical attention, second-impact syndrome, on the other hand, can lead to a lasting brain damage, or even death. Second-impact syndrome may occur to those who stay on the game after suffering concussions to the brain.

Contact sports are called that because they are exactly contact sports. Football is not the only sport that has this risk. Boxing, rugby, and hockey are also considered high risk when it comes to concussions and traumatic brain injury because of repeated blows to the head.

LegalView is sad to hear of the passing of Sarah Burke, Canadian freeskier, who died from a traumatic brain injury that occurred after she crashed during training. She was 29.

It was the famous football coach Vince Lombardi who said: “I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.”

Sarah Burke has inspired athletes and sports lovers alike. Not only because she has proven herself a formidable competitor in her field, but also because she has proven to be an effective ambassador in promoting superpipe skiing. Sarah is loved not only because of her skills, but also because of her legacy. Even in her death, Sarah has still proven that what she lived for is worth dying for, too. In the words of Lombardi, she has worked her heart out in a good cause and lies in the field of battle, victorious.

This fateful accident opened debates over freestyle skiing. Extreme sports are highly susceptible to accidents leading to traumatic brain injury. This comes as no surprise. This incident has opened for more talks on how to make innovations for the sport and make it safer and better.

Sarah Burke’s death is a reminder to us. A reminder not of fear but of purpose. Sarah lived her life according to her purpose, and died still embracing her purpose. The achievements of Sarah Burke, both personal and for the love of the sport, is her victory. Her finest hour is when she laid there knowing that she has left a legacy; not just a legacy of sportsmanship, but a legacy of courage. Traumatic brain injuries not only occur from sporting events, but from car accidents, abuse, and every day slips and falls. They can be life-changing and expensive. For more information about brain injuries, visit LegalView.com.

What Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords went through, is going through, and will be going through, may be described in two words: life changing.

A lauded public servant, she nonetheless found the wisdom to resign from her office to fully recover from the traumatic brain injury she is now recuperating from. That unfortunate incident which claimed innocent lives and injured many more, including Rep. Giffords, indeed can be said to be life changing. Looking at it, one could say that it wasn’t only Rep. Giffords’ life that was affected by her injury, but also the lives of those whom trusted her to be their voice in the government.

Rep. Giffords must still have many things to do in her lifetime. One who survives such ordeal could only say that luck was on her side and that she still has a mission to complete. Nevertheless, the feisty representative needs to retreat for the time being and recover from the many consequences of a traumatic brain injury.

Rep. Giffords is not alone. Many who suffer the pains from a brain injury – the loss of good health and bodily functions, piling medical expenses, endless treatments, emotional trauma, and foregone opportunities – can testify to the hardship of suffering from such an injury.

But from all this, Rep. Giffords, through her example, is showing us that life goes on. Hope springs anew for those who embrace life-changing circumstances; for those who look at these injuries not as thorns but tools in life. Her resignation is not a sign of defeat. To paraphrase her, giving time to concentrate in recovering from a brain injury is not a sign of defeat, but a sign of victory over an ordeal.

Visit LegalView for ongoing updates about brain injury survivors, treatment options and legal resources at http://braininjury.legalview.com.

Sarah Burke, a Canadian freestyle skier who was injured on during a practice run had successful surgery to repair a vertebral artery tear, which had caused bleeding in her skull. The tear in Burke’s neck artery which supplies blood to the brain, caused an intracranial hemorrhage, a statement released by her publicists on Thursday said.

Dr. William T. Couldwell, who performed Wednesday’s surgery and is neurosurgery chair at University of Utah, said that he and his team need to monitor her brain functions before making any definitive prognosis can be made. Dr. Couldwell says that they frequently see this type of traumatic brain injury with car accident victims.

Burke reportedly fell during a practice run and was treated on the scene before being flown via helicopter to the University of Utah located in Salt Lake City.

Burke is considered a pioneer in freestyle skiing and was a major force in getting the ski halfpipe event added to the 2014 Winter Olympics.

A new study has found that suffering a head injury can drastically increase the chances that someone will commit a violent crime.

This study looked at 22,914 people who had experienced a traumatic brain injury. Almost 9 percent of them went on to commit acts of violence after diagnosis. Compared to the general population, people with brain injuries are three times more likely to commit a violent crime.

The researchers from Sweden and Britain defined violent criminals as those who were convicted of homicide, assault, robbery, arson, sexual offense, or illegal threats or intimidation.

The findings were published in the online journal, Public Library of Science Medicine.

When someone suffers a traumatic brain injury (TBI), a quick and accurate diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death. Researchers at the United States National Institute of Health have created a hand-held device to quickly detect brain injuries, including hematomas which occur when blood vessels become damaged and blood seeps into surrounding tissues. This leakage can cause significant and dangerous swelling.

The device uses motion to detect changed in blood volume in the tough, outmost membrane that envelopes the brain and spinal cord. One of the uses of this device will be to detect TBI in patients before using more expensive techniques such as CT scans and MRI imaging. The researchers believe that this device will be most beneficial in places that do not have CT scans or MRIs available, including battlefields or on the scene of an accident.

Traumatic brain injuries are costly and can be damaging mentally for the families’ of the victim. It is estimated that over 1.4 million Americans suffer a TBI every year.

While law libraries provide useful and crucial information for lawyers, they can also be helpful to non-attorneys involved in litigation. Some states, like New York, require that each county have a court law library with access to the general public. These libraries have case law, statutes and secondary source material with regards to state law, and several have additional materials. Information resources are provided in print and electronic formats, and all libraries have friendly and knowledgeable librarians to help you find information related to your specific case.

LegalView also provides a wealth of information, including a legal dictionary, encyclopedia, and current newsfeeds on a wide variety of legal topics. LegalView also has many websites with information about various legal issues like vaginal mesh, mesothelioma, and car accident litigation. LegalView also offers free consultations to those who feel that they have been injured through someone else’s negligence or intent.

You may have a paralegal working on your vaginal mesh lawsuit, but do you know what a paralegal really is?

A paralegal is a non-lawyer who performs routine tasks requiring some knowledge of the law. Paralegals take prescribed courses in law and legal process, but are much less rigorous than those taken in order to be licensed as a lawyer. These professionals usually work for a law firm or perform free-lance, or contract, work for various lawyers.

They are becoming increasingly popular as they handle much of the paperwork associated with probates of estates, divorce actions, bankruptcies, investigations, analyzing depositions, preparing and answering interrogatories and procedural motions, and other specific tasks.

When looking to hire an attorney, you should make sure that the hourly rates for paralegals are less than that of the attorney.

Do you know the legal definition of pain and suffering?

Pain and suffering is the physical or mental distress experienced from an injury, including broken bones and internal injuries. It also includes the aches, pain, temporary and permanent limitations of activity, or potential shortening of life. Additional considerations that are taken into the “general damages” recovery by someone’s negligence or intent are any depression or embarrassment caused by physical scarring.

The dollar amount of these damages are subjective, as opposed to the costs of medical bills, future medical costs, or lost wages which can be calculated, called “special damages”.

If you are experiencing any pain and suffering due to a mesh repair, contact LegalView today for a free legal consultation!

A consultation is a short meeting, or discussion where a decision is reached. It can also be a discussion in which one of the parties seeks advice. Consultations are usually done with physicians or attorneys.

LegalView offers free consultations to anyone who feels that they have been injured due to negligence, such as with a vaginal mesh transplant.

Duringg your consultation, you will speak with one of our experienced lawyers. At this consultation, the lawyer will ask questions about your case and determine whether or not to pursue litigation. Contact LegalView for your free consultation today!