Brain Injury Insider

March is again designated as Brain Injury Awareness Month.  Led by the Brain Injury Association of America, this year’s campaign is focused on the individual.     Dated research reports every year, at least 2.8 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury, and over 5.3 million Americans are living with brain injury-related disabilities.   The CDC reports that every 9 seconds, someone in the Uni...

Brain Injury for Profit is not new, but now there is a new profit-making endeavor to generate brain damage. What am I talking about?   It’s called Slap Fighting.  It’s billed as a “sport”.  It’s a money-making way to cause concussion and brain damage. Watch this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/baubMeFnQxs Find out more about concussion in sports at https://brainlaw.com/brain-injuries/sports...

New research from Tuft’s University suggests that concussions and repetitive head trauma may reactive dormant viruses in the brain triggering neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease.  The study examined the Herpes Simplex Virus found in the brains of a high proportion of elderly individuals.  The research found the dormant virus can be reactivated by repetiti...

Our armed service members will get some more protection under the National Defense Reauthorization Act passed by Congress in the closing days of 2024. Weapons must be changed to reduce blast exposure to troops operating these weapons and those in close proximity.  Development of future weapon systems must consider brain safety. Brain injury caused by the sound waves produced during a blast continu...

In this, the last edition of The Brain Injury Insider for 2024, I would like to discuss one of the most difficult issues faced by brain injury survivors and their families.  That issue is medical insurance benefits and the ability to obtain care. In 2025, we need to ensure adequate insurance coverage following a brain injury is available to brain injury survivors.   Together we can create a moveme...

The increased risk of stroke following any type of traumatic brain injury is well known. A new comprehensive review of the medical literature in an article entitled Risk of Stroke After a Traumatic Brain Injury, a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the ACTA Neurological Journal this November, confirms this link. Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of death and disability in the...

Screening of patients in hospital emergency departments for concussions and other types of traumatic brain injury is challenging due to the many ways symptoms may manifest. Repeated studies have shown that emergency departments often fail to properly diagnose concussions leading to the inability of individuals to receive timely or proper treatment. And even when a concussion is diagnosed, there is...

Evidence continues to accumulate regarding repetitive head trauma as a cause of brain damage. A survey of boat team veterans conducted by a retired chief revealed that nearly all of the 300 respondents had experienced concussion symptoms from riding on high-speed boats, with many still suffering years later. Find out more about traumatic brain injury in Veterans and the US Military at https://brai...

Last week, Shana De Caro and I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural Luminary of the Year tribute sponsored by the Brain Injury Association of America, honoring its founder, Marilyn Price Spivak. Marilyn’s vision in 1981 of establishing what was then known as the National Head Injury Foundation has been the guiding light for the mission of the Brain Injury Association in providing help, hope...

In a victory for the brain injury community, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has recognized traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a chronic health condition. CMS has added TBI to its list of chronic conditions for chronic special needs through its Medicare Advantage program effective for the January 2025 plan year  This significant addition was made though the advocacy efforts of Th...

Despite what long term disability insurance carriers may respond to claims made by brain injury survivors for long term disability benefits, not everyone gets better after sustaining a traumatic brain injury. Recent long term medical studies have concluded that the cognitive, physical, and emotional consequences of a traumatic brain injury, including a concussion can result in long term impairment...

Today, I have some good news to share with all those who are interested in improving the lives of brain injury survivors, educating the public about brain injury, and preventing future brain injuries from occurring. The Brain Injury Association of America and the United States Brain Injury Alliance have agreed to merge into a single organization, under the auspices of The Brain Injury Association...

A new study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine found that 25 % of patients thought to be unresponsive and diagnosed as being in the vegetative or minimally conscious state had some degree of conscious awareness. Watch this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/2WenSM2iacg Find more brain injury study and research news visit https://brainlaw.com/brain-injuries/studies/ Brain Injury In...

Over 50% of law enforcement officers reported a prior head injury involving loss of consciousness or being dazed or confused, or a gap in memory, all signs of a traumatic brain injury following on the job encounters or sports related injury when surveyed about past head injuries.  Watch this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/lfzvePsPCc4 Find out more about brain injury at https://brainlaw.com...

Brain injury continues to be a significant cause of disability and death for children of all ages.  Pediatric brain injury leads to over 500,000 visits to hospital emergency departments each year and about 60,000 hospitalizations in the United States. Watch this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/vHlE0DOZln4 If your child has suffered a brain injury through the negligence or nefarious actions...

You have been told, you made a full recovery from your concussion. So, can that concussion impact your cognitive abilities as you age? A new study published in the journal Neurology shows it can. The study found that suffering a concussion early in life increased the incidence of cognitive decline in those over the age of 65.  If you or a loved one has suffered a concussion in New York through the...

According to the National Aphasia Association about 2 million Americans have aphasia, but most Americans have never heard of this term or this condition. During Aphasia Awareness Month let’s raise awareness of this debilitating condition and its impact on the person and those around them. Watch this video on YouTube at https://youtu.be/pMj0d8NX7iU Find out more at https://brainlaw.com/brain-injuri...

Serious adverse events continue to plague heath care organizations causing preventable injury and needless death to patients. The Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation, each year publishes data on a “sentinel event”, a patient safety event that results in death, permanent harm, or severe temporary harm which is preventable.  The Joint Commission Sentinel Event Data 2023 Annual Review again re...

In this episode of Brain Injury Insider, host Michael Kaplen discusses whether you should speak to the other side's insurance company if you were involved in an accident. The simple answer: no, no, and no! Watch this video on YouTube at https://youtu.be/kyCRh2VypWQ If you were injured in an accident in New York that wasn't your fault, find out how the personal injury attorneys at De Caro...

The ongoing war in Ukraine highlights the significant link between combat and brain trauma, with The New York Times reporting that 90% of soldiers treated in hospitals have suffered from blast-related or other types of brain injuries.  Find out more at https://brainlaw.com/brain-injuries/veterans/ Watch this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/8ox_WLnmZK8 Brain Injury Insider is a weekly podcas...

Brain injury of any kind is a leading cause of disability in the United States and throughout the world. It’s time the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (“CDC”) designate brain injury as a chronic condition. Find out more about brain injury at https://brainlaw.com/tbi-facts/ Brain Injury Insider is a weekly podcast by The Brain Injury Law Firm ®, De Caro & Kaplen, LLP. Host Michael K...

In this episode of Brain Injury Insider, host Michael Kaplen discusses alarming statistics, which reveal a 49-fold increase in the number of eBike riders who seek care in an emergency department for a head injury. Find out more about bicycle accidents at https://brainlaw.com/vehicle-accident-lawyers/bicycle-accidents/ Brain Injury Insider is a weekly podcast by The Brain Injury Law Firm ®, De Caro...

This year, Brain Injury Awareness Day takes on special significance for the millions of Americans who sustain an acquired or traumatic brain injury each year.    Today, we will advocate for the reauthorization of The Traumatic Brain Injury Act which provides needed funding for research and support to improve outcomes for persons with brain injury.    Brain Injury can affect anyone, anytime, and an...

In this episode of Brain Injury Insider, host Michael Kaplen discusses Brain Injury Awareness Month 2024, and why spreading awareness, and advocating for survivors of this invisible injury is more important than ever. Find out more at https://brainlaw.com/brain-injuries/brain-injury-awareness-month/ Brain Injury Insider is a weekly podcast by The Brain Injury Law Firm ®, De Caro & Kaplen, LLP....

From the outside looking in, a brain injury is difficult to understand.  From the inside looking out, a brain injury is difficult to describe. In this episode of Brain Injury Insider, host Michael Kaplen discusses some important information brain injury survivors may need to say to you, to help you understand their experience of living with this "invisible" injury. Watch on YouTube at ht...