Friday, January 25, 2013

Junior Seau’s Family Finally Sues NFL over Brain Injury

Photo gives credit to Getty Images.
Soon after the relatives of the late Junior Seau was informed that the former NFL player’s brain was tested positive for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the family immediately filed a lawsuit against the NFL.

More than a week ago, the experts from the National Institute of Health (NIH) released the complete result of the brain study conducted in Seau’s brain. According to the report, the deceased football player’s suffered brain injury during his lifetime.

In fact, even before the lab result came out, Seau’s family already believes that the disease had prompted the former player to commit suicide.

Subsequently, after Seau’s brain test result confirmed that he likewise sustained head injuries during his career, the family finally stepped forward and filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the football league.

In the said lawsuit, which was filed in San Diego, California, Seau’s family claimed that the NFL willfully concealed the truth about the dangers of repetitive concussion to the head, which are often sustained by every football player. The lawsuit further claim that Seau suffered chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) as a result of repeated concussions and, that his condition drove him to take his own life.

In addition, the NFL helmet manufacturer, Riddell, is also named in the lawsuit for producing helmets that are dangerous. The lawsuit claimed that the manufacturing company has been negligent in its helmet design.

Seau committed suicide last May by shooting himself in the chest. His family and friends speculated that he probably can no longer endure the pain and sufferings, which prompted him to take away his own life. Media sources found out that although Seau was never formally diagnosed with a concussion during his lifetime, he regularly complained of symptoms associated with such condition.

Consequently, after his death, his brain was donated to science for brain injury study just like what the families of the former NFL players who died did.

Experts explained that although patients with CTE show symptoms such as aggressiveness, forgetfulness, depression and sometimes suicidal, the condition can only be diagnosed after death.

So far, more than 30 NFL players who passed away have been diagnosed with CTE while there are some 4,000 retired players who already filed lawsuits against the league over its alleged failure to inform players about the dangers that has been associated with the sport.

Meanwhile, in a statement released by Seau’s family after filing the lawsuit, it claimed that even thought the lawsuit could no longer bring back Junior, at least it will send several important message to the league as well as to the players and future generations.

Apparently, the family’s purpose in filing for a wrongful death claim serves just right, commented by a Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer. Aside from receiving the right compensation for the death of their loved one, they will also set an example to the other victims of brain injury. They should never be afraid to come out and claim what is due for them, he added.

Friday, January 18, 2013

NTSB Eyes on Engine Malfunction as Major Cause of Ferry Accident that Injures Dozens of People

Photo gives credit to NY Daily News.
Following the ferry accident that injures 74 morning commuters in Manhattan, New York more than a week ago, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted a series of investigation to determine that main cause of the accident and definitely to assess who will be held liable for all the damages and injuries that the incident incurred.

As recently reported, the current investigation focuses on the ferry’s engines and why they may have failed according to the federal officials.

Previous reports claimed that the high speed ferry carrying hundreds of morning commuters from Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey  crashed into a dock in lower Manhattan, New York last January 9. As a result of the strong impact of the crash, passengers were tossed into the air and sent others tumbling down stairs. 74 people were reportedly injured, 2 of them were critical condition and some 11 were in serious condition including the one who suffered severe brain injury after falling down a staircase.

According to a statement released by the board’s spokesperson, Robert Sumwalt, the investigation has a possible breakthrough since the investigators learned that the ferry’s engine have a data recording system feature which they can further examine.

During an investigation with the ferry’s captain, Jason Reimer, the latter claimed that there was a mechanical failure onboard. He affirmed that he was unable to put the ferry in reverse mode as he tried to dock the same and then the engines died shortly.

On the contrary, experts claimed that at the time of the accident, the ferry was going about 13 mph, which is fast for a usual crawl into the slip but not necessarily for turning into the area.  Following the impact, experts further said that it would be possible for the ferry to dock normally.

Moreover, the board official recently learned that the ferry had just undergone a major overhaul that gave it new engines and propulsion system. Therefore, they were looking into it whether the same was a factor to the incident.

Incidentally, the ferry’s engines were made by a Michigan-based company, whose representatives were also sent at the scene to help the investigators to extract data from the engines. Also, video cameras installed on boards are now being reviewed to determine whether it would do any help with the ongoing investigation.

In addition, investigators interviewed the crews, first responders and several witnesses for possible additional information. The board even welcomes amateur videos taken during the actual incident from anyone.

In such cases of personal injury and / or brain injury claim, investigation plays a significant role in providing strong and convincing evidences to stress out that a person or a party’s negligence really caused the accident or injuries, noted by a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Surprising Facts about Dog Bites

Dogs can be a tamed pet of the family. However, they can also be a cause of severe injuries and fatality to the family members. As evidence, several personal injury lawyers compiled few surprising facts about dog bites for your ready reference:

•    Millions of Americans Suffer from Dog Bites Each Year

Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention records an average of approximately 4.7 million cases of dog bite involving Americans. The U.S. has a total of 72 million pet-owning households. Apparently, the figures only show that no injured citizen is a statistical outlier.

•    Hundreds of Thousands of Dog Bite Injuries Require Emergency Treatment

Although there are millions of recorded dog bite incidences in the U.S., only few of them receive proper and immediate medical attention. Consequently, those who did not receive medication typically die from rabies/tetanus infection.

•    Number of Dog Bite Injuries Almost Doubled in the Last Decade

According to a report released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the total number of dog bite injuries in the past decade has increased dramatically. Nearly half of all victims of dog bite injuries have sought medical treatment for a skin infection.

•    Approximately 16,000 People Filed Dog Bite Claims Last Year

Following a dog bite injury, a victim has a legal right to file for a claim against the owner of the dog or the owner’s insurance agency. Based on data released by the Insurance Information Institute, there are approximately 16,000 victims who filed dog bite claims last year. On an average, the standard amount per claim is nearly $30,000.00.

As it is, even a supposedly gentle dog can attack anybody and cause an injury that can be fatal. In addition, animal attacks may be less prevalent than vehicle accidents or slip-and-fall injuries; however, they can nevertheless result in serious injuries.