Brain Injury Insider

Today on The Brain Injury Insider, I want to look at a new report that should get the attention of every soccer parent, coach, athletic trainer, and athlete. Hidden Dangers of Heading a Soccer Ball A new study published in JAMA Neurology, entitled “Amateur Soccer Heading and Acute Elevations in Blood Based p-217 add S100b”, that looked at what happens within the brain after soccer players head the...

Today, I want to discuss an important new study out of the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center that raises a difficult, but critical issue in severe traumatic brain injury care: Decisions to Withdraw life-sustaining treatment. The research challenges the assumption that most patients with severe TBI have little chance of meaningful recovery. The study looked at...

Is a prior concussion associated with an increased risk of long-term disability following a motor vehicle crash? That’s a question asked in a Canadian study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association open network published online on January 21 2026. The short answer is Yes. In the study of over 900,000 adult patients, the research found a past concussion was associated with a 15%...

When people hear “concussion,” they often think of teen athletes. But concussions are also common in toddlers and preschoolers — and in young children, they most often happen because of falls. In this episode of The Brain Injury Insider, we discuss new research published in Pediatrics on early childhood concussion. The study, “Frequency and Predictors of Persisting Symptoms 1 Year After Early Chil...

Why should someone retain a brain injury law firm after an accident? Most people assume that any personal injury attorney can handle a brain injury case. But traumatic brain injury (TBI) cases are medically and legally different from typical injury claims. Brain injuries are often called “invisible injuries.” A person may appear normal while experiencing serious cognitive, physical, and emotional...

Today on The Brain Injury Insider, I want to call your attention to an important breakthrough in the management of traumatic brain injury:   The development of outpatient clinical practice guidelines designed to standardize care for the millions of Americans recovering from TBI. Although protocols exist for emergency care and hospital management of people with a brain injury, no protocols exist re...

Today, I’d like to discuss a new study examining treatment options following the development of a traumatic subdural hematoma, a condition when blood collects rapidly on the surface of the brain. This bleeding may cause pressure on the brain and lead to worsening injury, cognitive impairment, and even death. Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury, particularly among older adults and...

Today, we’re tackling an often-overlooked issue in forensic neuropsychology: the assessment of Spanish-speaking adults. As the Hispanic population in the United States continues to grow, lawyers and experts face new challenges when language and culture intersect with brain injury evaluations.  These issues were raised in an interesting article in published in  the journal Brain Injury entitled “Co...

As we observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we pause to honor the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of Dr. King—a visionary leader whose moral courage and unwavering commitment helped move our nation closer to justice, equality, and dignity for all. Dr. King taught us that the pursuit of justice is not confined to history books or holidays. It is an ongoing obligation that demands vigilance, co...

Words matter—especially when it comes to brain injury. In this episode of The Brain Injury Insider, we discuss a new joint statement from leading brain injury organizations that aims to improve how brain injury is defined, discussed, and understood across medicine, law, policy, and public life. The guidance, titled “Communicating About Brain Injury,” was released by the Brain Injury Association of...

The holidays (Christmas and New Year) can bring a mix of emotions—joy, reflection, and sometimes real difficulty, especially after a traumatic or serious injury. In this message, brain injury attorney Michael Kaplen shares gratitude for survivors, caregivers, professionals, and colleagues, and offers encouragement, peace, and hope as we look ahead to 2026. Resources: Michael Kaplen: https://brainl...

As we gather for the Thanksgiving holiday, I'd like to reflect on what this season means for all of us—gratitude, connection, and the small but powerful ways we show up for one another.  Thanksgiving reminds us that gratitude is more than just something we feel; it’s something we practice. It’s found in the care we extend, the compassion we show, and the support we offer, especially during ti...

Today I want to discuss a recent study with potentially wide implications for anyone who plays soccer — even at the amateur level — and even for those who have never been diagnosed with a concussion.  Heading a soccer ball repeatedly might damage your brain, even if you never are knocked out, see stars, or diagnosed with a concussion. In one of the largest studies yet to look at the effects of soc...

Today is National Concussion Awareness Day. A time to remind ourselves that a concussion is not just a bump on the head, it’s a brain injury, a public health crisis, and too often, the beginning of a lifelong struggle. In this episode we cover: Why concussion is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) The hidden impact on children, families, and communities The consequences of underreporting and insurance...

Did you know that falls are not only the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries—they also carry important legal and safety implications?  This September is Fall Prevention Awareness Month.  It’s the perfect time to focus on fall prevention and safety. Falls can happen to anyone, at any time, and they’re more common than you might think. Watch this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.c...

Today I want to share some fascinating—and concerning new research.  The research reports that traumatic brain injuries may speed up the aging process in post-9/11 veterans.  Researchers looked at blood samples from over a thousand veterans, most in their 30s. The study published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation found that veterans with a history of TBI in all degrees of severity showe...

Today, I would like to spotlight an important new legislative proposal being considered by the New York City Council highlighting the link between domestic violence and brain injury and the need for screening of domestic violence survivors for this invisible injury. The legislation would require mandatory screening for brain injury among survivors of domestic violence whose injuries often go unrec...

Today, I would like to discuss the tragic midtown Manhattan shooting on July 28, 2025, in which the shooter—Shane Devon Tamura, a 27‑year‑old former high school football player left a suicide note claiming he suffered from CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and blamed the NFL for concealing the dangers of football. He asked for his brain to be studied post‑mortem. Tamura never played in the...

It’s summertime and today we’re taking a hard look at a fast-growing threat to public safety—electric scooters and e-bikes.   They may be convenient, but they’re causing chaos on our streets—and most people aren’t even aware of the risks.  According to a recent article in USA Today, the statistics are alarming.   Emergency rooms are reporting a spike in injuries, particularly head trauma and traum...

In this special episode of The Brain Injury Insider, brain injury attorney Michael Kaplen highlights groundbreaking research from the University of Georgia that could change how we treat traumatic brain injury (TBI). Researchers have developed an experimental drug—CMX-2043—that may help the brain heal itself after trauma by boosting the brain’s antioxidant defenses. Early findings using a swine mo...

Today, we celebrate the 4th of July—a day of fireworks, festivities, and the founding ideals of freedom and independence. I want to pause, and reflect on what independence really means, especially for survivors of traumatic brain injury. For many of us, July 4th is about barbeques, family gatherings, and patriotic pride.  But for millions of Americans living with a brain injury, independence is no...

Brain Injury Doesn’t Have an End Date, and Neither Should Federal Funding  The proposed federal budget request to Congress eliminates federal funding for critical traumatic brain injury research and education programs.  The proposal includes eliminating funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the umbrella agency responsible for TBI research, including the $8.25 million marked f...

Police officers are more than twice as likely to sustain traumatic brain injuries as compared to the general population according to a new study published in the Journal of Head Trauma.  The study surveyed over 600 police officers in the United Kingdon and found that 38 percent had suffered at least one traumatic brain injury compared to 12 percent of the general population.  This is the largest s...

Visit our new Brain Injury Help hub at https://brainlaw.com/brain-injuries/help/ Watch this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/DvmvJxGP69k How much head trauma is too much? Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center are seeking answers in a groundbreaking new study aimed at identifying the cumulative effects of repetitive head impacts—even those that don’t cause immediate sympto...

The Harris organization polled over 2,000 American adults on behalf of The Brain Injury Association of America to determine their awareness of brain injury symptoms, causes, and key myths and facts as well as their personal experiences with brain injury.  Many of the poll’s findings raise significant concerns about public awareness of brain injury and misconceptions which need to be considered and...