San Antonio Personal Injury Attorney at The Herrera Law Firm Weighs in on Brain Injury Study
San Antonio, TX (PRWEB) November 17, 2014 -- San Antonio personal injury lawyer Jorge Herrera today said a new study about brain injuries in older people illustrates the extremely serious and complex nature of accidents involving blows to the head.
Herrera’s comments came in response to a HealthDay News story (“Brain Injuries in Older Age and Dementia Risk,” Oct. 27, 2014). The article describes a study revealing how vulnerable the older brain may be to traumatic brain injury.
According to the study’s findings, people 55 and older have an increased risk of dementia if they sustain a moderate to severe brain injury. For those 65 and older, even a mild brain injury is linked to an increased risk of dementia.
“At The Herrera Law Firm, we have handled many cases involving brain injuries, and this study supports our position that there’s really no such thing as a minor head injury, regardless of what the insurance companies might want injury victims to believe,” said Herrera, an experienced San Antonio brain injury attorney. “Someone who is 65 or older who falls or is in a car accident through no fault of their own and sustains a concussion might recover in the short term. An insurance company might want to settle the case by covering the immediate medical costs and nothing more. But that injury could have serious consequences down the road. The person might develop dementia as a result of the accident and may require long-term care. This is a factor that must be considered if you are pursuing a personal injury claim.”
Other studies have shown that traumatic brain injuries in early life increase the chance of getting dementia, according to HealthDay News. The new study involved the tracking of more than 50,000 emergency room patients over the age of 55 in California between 2005 and 2011. According to the study, fewer than 6 percent of the patients with injuries outside the brain went on to develop dementia, while more than 8 percent of those with moderate to mild traumatic brain injuries did so.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Raquel Gardner, a clinical research fellow with San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, told HealthDay News that someone who gets a traumatic brain injury may be 26 percent more likely to develop dementia than if that person broke an arm or a leg.
“Accidents involving traumatic brain injury are some of the most complex cases we handle at The Herrera Law Firm,” Herrera said. “We typically work with experts, and we might cite this new study and other studies that show the impact of such injuries. Because we have seen the consequences of brain injuries first-hand, we advocate strongly for safety. We urge property owners to keep their premises safe to prevent slip and fall accidents. We call on trucking companies to make sure they hire trained drivers, and we advise all drivers to avoid distractions to reduce the risk of crashes.”
Herrera said anyone who suffers a brain injury in an accident caused by the negligence of another individual or company should seek the advice of legal counsel. He said an experienced attorney can help hold the at-fault party accountable and send a message that careless or reckless behavior will not be tolerated.
About The Herrera Law Firm
Founded in 1983, The Herrera Law Firm has successfully represented thousands of individuals and families who have been dealt catastrophic blows due to personal injuries from nursing home abuse and neglect, oil field accidents, car accidents, tractor-trailer truck accidents, construction accidents, workplace injuries, dangerous drugs and defective medical device injuries. The law firm’s mission is to rectify the wrongs committed against its clients so that they can regain their dignity, rebuild their lives, and reclaim financial stability. The Herrera Law Firm, Inc. is located at 111 Soledad St., Suite 1900, San Antonio, TX 78205. If you or a loved one was injured, or you lost a loved one in an accident and need legal help, call (210) 224-1054 or visit http://www.herreralaw.com.
Jacob M Del Hagen, Big Voodoo Interactive, http://www.bigvoodoo.com, +1 (413) 650-0593, [email protected]
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