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11 March
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New Promise for Spinal Cord Injury Victims

Posted by lmurphy
in Injuries

A company out of California, StemCells, Inc., recently released the results of its 12-month study regarding the use of stem cells to return some function to victims of complete spinal cord injuries. A “complete” spinal cord injury refers to a total loss of motor and sensory function below the injury site.  An “incomplete” injury describes damage to the spinal cord that results in the loss of some, but not all, function. The study was fairly small; only three patients were studied, each suffering from a complete spinal cord injury.  Twenty million stem cells (more specifically, “purified human neural stem cells”) were introduced to...

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15 February
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Brain-Computer Interface Technology for Spinal Cord Injuries

Posted by lmurphy
in Injuries

A remarkable study conducted by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh further demonstrates the ability of individuals with various degrees of paralysis to “control assistive devices and reanimate paralyzed limbs” with nothing more than their mind.  This feat is possible thanks to brain-computer interface (BCI) technology – a type of system that allows for direct communication between one’s mind and a computer. The study, which was published in PLOS ONE and titled “An Electrocorticographic Brain Interface in an Individual with Tetraplegia,” centered on a 30-year-old male who had suffered a C4-level spinal cord injury seven years prior to the experiment.  As...

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13 February
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Football Helmets May Protect Against Wrong Force

Posted by lmurphy
in Brain Injury, Injuries
Football Helmets - Sports Injuries to the Brain

More and more evidence supports the belief that traumatic brain injuries in football tend to be caused by “rotational,” as opposed to “linear,” forces on the brain.  Writer Tom Foster explores this important distinction in his article for Popular Science entitled, “The Helmet That Can Save Football.” Linear forces are straight forward, literally; they hit the impact surface (in this case, the helmet) straight on inflicting a direct line of force.  Rotational forces, on the other hand, are forces that strike the skull at an angle.  In the barely controlled chaos of football, linear collisions are much less likely than collisions...

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04 February
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Environmental Enrichment: Recovering from a Traumatic Brain Injury

Posted by lmurphy
in Brain Injury, Injuries

The amount and quality of stimulation one receives after suffering a traumatic brain injury can impact the rate and level of a victim’s recovery.  This is the finding of a study recently published in the medical journal, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.  “Environmental enrichment” refers to the cognitive, physical, and social stimulation an individual derives from his or her environment.  The concept also considers how the structure of a victim’s environment can promote maximum participation by him or her. In the weeks and months following a traumatic brain injury, victims can experience brain deterioration, which is correlated with changes in behavior, including depression. This study...

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01 February
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Quick(er) Detection of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Posted by lmurphy
in Brain Injury, Injuries

The Infrascanner Model 2000 is a handheld device capable of detecting intracranial bleeding associated with traumatic brain injuries.  The device’s portability allows medical providers to screen patients at the scene of the injury, e.g., an automobile accident, to assess the urgency of the patient’s need for medical care.  This is significant given that, as a general rule, doctors recommend head injuries be treated within the so-called “golden hour” after they occur....

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24 January
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Ottman v Great Lakes Gaming: Court of Appeals Denies Plaintiff Jury Trial

Posted by lmurphy
in Injuries

As a result of a recent unpublished decision by the Michigan Court of Appeals, Ottman v Great Lakes Gaming of Michigan (unpublished opinion issued December 11, 2012), plaintiff Leetta Ottman will not have an opportunity to present her case to a jury of her peers. In Ottman, the court rejected the plaintiff’s claim, which stemmed from a slip and fall accident in a parking lot of a casino.  The plaintiff slipped and fell on a sidewalk covered with “black ice.”  Black ice, sometimes called clear ice, refers to a coating of ice that is virtually invisible to the eye.  In other...

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20 December
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Hamade v Garza: Court of Appeals Upholds Dog Bite Victim’s Case Against Landlord

Posted by lmurphy
in Injuries

The Michigan Court of Appeals’ recent decision in Hamade v Garzarepresents a positive development for Michigan plaintiffs who are victims of dog attacks. In fact, the case could benefit plaintiffs outside the context of dog bites. Hamade deals with a landlord’s liability when a tenant’s dog attacks and injures an individual. In Michigan, both statute and common law govern the liability of an owner of a dog. However, any action against a landlord who is not the owner of the dog is governed by the common law standard of reasonable care, which requires an individual to act in a way so...

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20 August
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Supreme Court Ruling Further Limits “Special Aspects” Exception

Posted by lmurphy
in Injuries
Supreme Court Columns

A recent decision by the Michigan Supreme Court may have a negative impact on the ability of Michigan’s citizens to recover for injuries sustained in slip and fall accidents. In the case of Hoffner v Lanctoe, the Michigan Supreme Court held that ice leading up to the only entrance of a fitness center was avoidable because the plaintiff was not “absolutely compelled” to confront it, and therefore Michigan’s open and obvious doctrine prevented the plaintiff from recovering for her injuries. The Hoffner decision could have a significant impact on the rights of individuals in Michigan and may mean increased danger to...

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