Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

In most of our cases where a victim has sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the attorney for the defendant and their insurance companies always try to negate the injury or in severe cases greatly minimize the consequences. Unfortunately, the issue of traumatic brain injury goes beyond each individual case, the victim, and the betrayer.

In the early 1990’s, the United States government began to publish studies of traumatic brain injury and traumatic stress. The studies sought to clarify the impact of traumatic brain injuries on a victims everyday life. The National Institute of Health, the world’s largest government sponsored research institute spends approximately $80 million dollars on (TBI) traumatic brain injury research which has concluded that most people who sustain a traumatic brain injury will suffer lasting damage to their short term memory and problem solving abilities. The prognosis and diagnosis of traumatic brain injury is generally confirmed by objective and subjective testing administered by a neuropsychiatrist over a period of a few hours or days. Traumatic brain injury occurs at various levels and involves an injury to the brain due to a sudden trauma. Many times unfortunately, TBI often goes undiagnosed.

The major causes of TBI (traumatic brain injury) are a motorcycle accident, car accident, truck accident, bicycle crash, or an explosion blast very close to the head. Millions of people in the United States sustain some form of TBI each year. However, most people with mild TBI do not go to the emergency room or ever report these injuries to their doctor. Common symptoms caused by a TBI (traumatic brain injury); are headaches, ringing in the ears, mood changes, trouble remembering or inability to concentrate for long periods of time, depression, affectation of sleeping habits, anxiety, lethargy, and the inability to enjoy routine events daily. Many of our clients have reported feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or thoughts of suicide. In almost all cases involving TBI, the insurance company or lawyer for the defendant will hire what we refer to as a “paid painted lady” expert to vigorously refute all claims of TBI as they attempt to vigorously defend mostly all of these claims and boldly pronounce the findings as “nonsense”. Traumatic brain injury is the “real deal” as recognized by the United States government and other prominent medical scholars.

If you or a loved one has sustained an injury to your head, or has been a victim of any of the accidents stated above, it pays to contact an experienced traumatic brain injury lawyer for a free, no obligation consultation. The experienced Philadelphia car accident and defective auto product liability lawyers of Reiff and Bily have over 30 years of experience successfully representing traumatic brain injury victims and making sure that their claims are heard and understood. If the federal government and scholars think that TBI is a big deal, we will not let the insurance company or their representatives minimize it and tell you that it’s not. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Lack of child restraint systems or improper use of child restraint systems greatly increases the chance of traumatic brain injury, injury to the internal organs, fractures, and unfortunately even death. Although there is no uniformity of laws governing infant seats in all 50 states, there is uniformity and universality in the thought that all responsible parents want to protect their children from harm or death. The safest place for any child in a motor vehicle is in the back seat of the vehicle. All children between ages 4 and 8 who weigh under 80 lbs. should sit in a booster seat. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the law requires that all children under age 4 ride in a federally approved car seat appropriate for the child’s age, height, and weight. While airbags are designed to prevent injuries, it is important that one never puts a rear facing infant restraint in the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger airbag. A rear facing infant restraint places the infant’s head too close to the airbag module which can cause severe injuries, brain trauma, or death if the airbag deploys.

As an experienced vehicle and airbag defect lawyer who has handled tens of thousands of motor vehicle accidents, I have all too often witnessed the tragedy of airbag fatalities involving children as well as shorter individuals below the median height and weight. No doubt, the safest place for an infant to be seated is in the center of the backseat which also allows the driver to keep an eye on the baby in the rearview mirror. Studies indicate children under age 3 seated in the center of the back seat had nearly half the risk of injury in motor vehicle crashes than children seated in other positions. It seems that the center rear seating position is used less often by children and parents than safety indicates.

The Philadelphia car accident and airbag defect lawyers of Reiff & Bily are committed to consumer safety. If you or a loved one has been involved in a motor vehicle accident resulting from a defective airbag or safety restraint system, we always offer a free, no obligation consultation. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Imagine this scene, in a split second you are in a car accident. Without warning, your head and neck are violently thrust about in an acceleration/deceleration type movement also known as whiplash injury. Even without a direct hit to the head, the brain is composed of several pounds of a soft like substance violently thrown about the inside of the skull. The inner surface of the skull is not smooth and contains several ribbed or bony structures, and if the brain is violently thrust in one of these structures, a serious brain injury can occur. Many people will visit the emergency room with a headache or nausea or vomiting and be sent home. They will continue to experience memory loss, irritability, depression, a feeling of malaise, inability to concentrate, and not be able to visualize any objective symptoms. What they may not know is that their brain has been injured. There may be an internal brain bleed , tearing of tissue, or a swelling of the brain against the cranium which could lead to an intracranial hematoma. If the impact with the skull is severe enough, blood vessels inside the brain may break leading to a hemorrhage. Unfortunately many times this situation goes undiagnosed as people proudly claim that there is nothing wrong with them.

As an experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer since 1979, I have unfortunately seen the sobering effects resulting in long term disabilities caused by traumatic brain injury resulting from a motor vehicle accident. Each year in America, more people will sustain a traumatic brain injury then will be struck by heart attacks. Experts claim it is “the silent epidemic” as a traumatic brain injury or closed head injury caused by whiplash or an impact to the head often does not have visible signs yet can cause significant damage. Many people are tempted to just discuss it as a small bump on the head.

If you were involved in a car accident and sustained a violent whiplash injury or strike your head, it is necessary to receive a complete evaluation so that you do not become one of the walking wounded walking around with an undiagnosed traumatic brain injury. The experienced closed head trauma and traumatic brain injury and motor vehicle accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily are well versed in this arena and always offer a free, no obligation consultation to anyone who has been involved in a significant motor vehicle or car accident. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

I recently had the opportunity to meet with a client who struck her head in a violent car accident. At the emergency room, she was diagnosed with a mild concussion and despite the fact that she continued to exhibit symptoms a week after the accident including but not limited to vomiting, nausea, loss of memory, and anxiety, she could not get an appointment with a proper neurologist for a month.

The experienced traumatic brain injury and car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily, who have had extensive experience dealing with traumatic brain injury expeditiously scheduled an immediate consult with a neurologist who diagnosed an intracranial hemorrhage just in the nick of time. I find that many emergency rooms discharge patients without the proper care or follow up and in such a situation, the unknowing patient or victim is left in precarious situation. If a diagnosis such as intracranial hemorrhage occurs within the skull, pressure is placed on the brain. Intracranial bleeding normally occurs when a blood vessel within the skull is ruptured due to an impact or trauma. This is a medical condition which is not to be taken lightly because if blood continues to build up within the skull, delicate tissue of the brain can be greatly impacted and lead to a more serious condition or even death.

Typically symptoms include but are not limited to headaches, vomiting, lower level of concentration, spotty vision, ringing in the ears, appearance of lucidity, and seizures. If symptoms persist and you cannot get an appointment immediately with a neurologist, it is important to present to a hospital emergency room as soon as possible. Between 4 and 5 million concussions and more significant brain injuries are caused by motor vehicle crashes every year.

For over three decades, the experienced car accident and traumatic brain injury lawyers of Reiff & Bily have been researching, investigating, and litigating closed head trauma, traumatic brain injury and car accident cases. We have represented thousands of clients recovering hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of injured victims and their families. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

The violent forces that occur as a result of a car accident often leave innocent victims with a traumatic brain injury that will greatly affect their daily abilities to fully function after a car accident. Many times a traumatic brain injury will result in a lifetime of rehabilitative training, extensive medical bills, and loss of a job which can take the wind out of the sails of a victim and their family emotionally and financially.

A traumatic brain injury can range from a mild occurrences such as a concussion which will normally resolve with no long term health consequences to a severe trauma to the brain which often occurs in a sudden acceleration/deceleration injury or the result of a penetrating injury to the head.

As an experienced traumatic brain injury and car accident lawyer for over three decades who has handled tens of thousands of car accident cases, I have observed that many cases are worked up by attorneys or physicians unfamiliar with traumatic brain injury symptoms, and unfortunately it is only after a case is resolved that a proper diagnosis has been made. Too many inexperienced car accident attorneys look for the “Easy A” and quickly settle a case without proper due diligence for health concerns that will impact the victim and their family for a lifetime. TBI is often difficult to recognize and the damage is not readily apparent and requires a thorough evaluation and investigation by trained physicians, neurologists, and attorneys with experience in the field.

Many symptoms of traumatic brain injuries include but are not limited to memory issues, behavioral changes and irritability, speak and language difficulty, nausea, vomiting, headaches, seizures, pupil dilation, ringing in the ears, fractures of the skull, loss of consciousness, depression, loss of life’s enjoyment pleasures and libido, and inability to function in an emotional and mental level as the victim did prior to the accident. TBI is also referred to as a silent, hidden epidemic and often goes undiagnosed.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident or truck accident or has suffered a blow to the head as the result of negligence of another or a product defect, it pays to have a free, no obligation consultation with an experienced car accident and traumatic brain injury lawyer.

The Philadelphia car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily are all too familiar with closed head injuries caused by car accidents that the average person may not recognize. Recently the family of one of our injured clients was noting that their 48-year-old mother was manifesting what they described as strange behavioral patterns. She was becoming extremely anxious, agitated and exhibiting bouts of unrecognizable anger. She was also complaining of memory loss and taking the wrong medication. When I met with this woman she was exhibiting confusion. Not so surprisingly, she struck her head on a pillar inside the vehicle at the time of the accident. She was referred for a neurological and psychological evaluation and it was diagnosed that she sustained a mild brain injury as the result of a closed head trauma.

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