Chicago Injury Blog

Romanucci & Blandin, in Chicago, applauds recommendations made by the American Academy of Pediatrics to rename the diagnostic term “shaken baby syndrome” to “abusive head trauma,” which it calls a more comprehensive diagnosis for brain, skull and other injuries inflicted on infants. The new term, which should be used in medical records, may provide more clarity in the courtroom, they say.

This serious and clearly definable form of child abuse results from extreme rotational cranial acceleration induced by violent shaking or shaking/impact. Greater attention and resources should be devoted to prevention of abusive injuries, according to the Academy, which noted that head injuries are the leading cause of traumatic death and the leading cause of child abuse fatalities.

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Posted In: Traumatic Brain Injury

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Attorneys at Romanucci & Blandin have learned that Tony-award winning actress Natasha Richardson may have suffered a traumatic brain injury while taking skiing lessons outside Montreal. Some reports have indicated that she was seriously hurt.

Her injury is a sad reminder that any head injury can have repercussions. Reports said she fell on the slopes and did not show any visible signs of injury but later reported that she did not feel well. She was treated at a Montreal Hospital and flown to New York City for continued care.

This accident is a sad reminder that prevention is key. As a safety precaution, helmets should always be worn when athletes at any level engage in a sports activity.

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The Chicago Sun-Times story on Sunday about the progress being made by a 16-year-old Gary girl who last year suffered a brutal physical attack, cast a spotlight on what happens when someone suffers a severe brain injury. Attorneys at Romanucci & Blandin are all too familiar with the scenario because so many of our clients have suffered traumatic brain injuries.

In her mind, the victim sought solace in a safer time – back to when she was 6. In the newspaper story, her father likened her situation to a computer rebooting and coming back in a safe mode. Just like any computer that has crashed, once it comes back up, only certain information can be accessed

Continue reading "Brain Trauma Leaves 16-year-old Nearly Helpless" »

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Posted In: News That Affects You , Traumatic Brain Injury

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Each year in The United States approximately 1.5 million Americans sustain Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) ranging from mild to severe; 51,000 people die from TBI; and 230,000 people are hospitalized due to TBI and survive. Romanucci & Blandin has extensive experience representing victims of TBI.

A brain injury, which can happen in a split second, usually causes an injury that lasts a lifetime. One good resource for information is the Brain Injury Association of America (www.biausa.com). Brain injury needs to be understood so that adequate help can be obtained. Getting legal representation from a firm with experience in representing victims of brain injury trauma should be the first line of defense.

The lawyers at Romanucci & Blandin also fully support nonprofit organizations that help victims of TBI: the Midwest Brain Injury Clubhouse (www.braininjuryclubhouse.org) and SALUTE Inc. (www.saluteinc.org), a non-profit advocacy organization, which provides support and assistance to military families of injured U.S. soldiers being treated at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. The firm’s attorneys also speak nationwide about the legal issues related to TBI.

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As you know, Romanucci & Blandin, LLC has been very active and supportive of our troops in Irag. We have also been very sensitive to the issues effecting our troops. One of them being the VA's denial of treating non contact traumatic brain injuries. Currently, the VA's standard to treat TBI's has been only if there has been a contact with the head. Clearly, this logic is flawed since TBI can be caused by blast injuries through the "wave" concussion. The Chicago Tribune recently reported as follows:

Illinois veterans who have brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder now have access to an array of screening and counseling services, state officials announced Tuesday.

The Illinois Warrior Assistance Program, the first of its kind in the United States, was launched Tuesday by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs and several other state and health organizations.

It provides a 24-hour toll-free help line for veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder, free phone screening for traumatic brain injury for all Illinois veterans and mandatory brain-injury screening for members of the Illinois National Guard returning from overseas.

An Army report released Jan. 17 found that as much as 20 percent of soldiers sustain at least a mild traumatic brain injury while deployed.

The new program's confidential help line can be reached at 866-554-IWAP, and more information can be found at http://www.illinoiswarrior.com .

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Concussions are on the rise among high school athletes and girls are especially vulnerable to the injury, which can cause serious damage as reported by the Chicago Sun Times.

Research to be published next month in the Journal of Athletic Training suggests that unlike other sports-related injuries, concussions are on the rise among high school athletes. Girls appear to be especially vulnerable, logging higher concussion rates than boys in sports played by both sexes.

Researchers at Ohio State and Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, analyzed injuries among U.S. high school athletes participating in nine sports: boys' football, soccer, basketball, baseball and wrestling, and girls' soccer, basketball, volleyball and softball. They estimate that in the 2005-06 academic year, high school athletes suffered 135,901 concussions -- or 9 percent of all sports-related injuries

Continue reading "Traumatic Brain Injury and High School Athletes" »

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Romanucci & Blandin continues to fight for the causes of those who have been afflicted with traumatic brain injury. To that effect, Tom Young, my good friend from Florida and the founder of InjuryBoard, has produced videos to further educate the public on issues such as traumatic brain injury, civil rights and the importance of a democratic society. Antonio Romanucci was a featured speaker on the topic of brain injury. Please take a moment to view these productions and learn a little bit more how important it is to support the right candidates for the right causes.

Please click on the link above and also play on the video below to learn more about traumatic brain injury.

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For those who know our firm, you are aware that community safety in the Chicago area is always one of our priorities. When one of my son's friends was seriously injured in a little league baseball game on opening day this spring, I knew that someone had to do something. Fortunately, the boy's mom has been very successful at advocating for wooden bats to replace metal bats. Her article ""Metal Bats Strike out with Barrington Parents" highlights the inherent dangers of metal bats.

What follows is my letter to the editors of all of the major publications in Chicago. The letter was published my over 50 community newspapers. Word has spread and our fight will continue on to the Illinois legislature.

Until a few months ago, I had very little interest in metal baseball bats. Then I learned firsthand about the serious safety threat they pose.

As a personal injury attorney who has witnessed one too many times the devastating impact that sports equipment can have, I am writing to make your readers aware of the imminent danger of metal bats.

On opening day of baseball season, the 14-year-old son of a close friend was seriously injured while pitching during a Pony League game. A line drive hit by a metal bat struck him directly in the face, destroying his orbital lob and nose and requiring plastic surgery to repair. He will never look quite the same.

New York City has banned their use for 13-18 year-olds as of September 2007. North Dakota has banned them, and numerous other leagues and organizations across the U.S. have banned them or are considering doing so. The Illinois High School Association currently has five conferences that use only wood bats because of the growing safety concerns about metal bats. Jack Mackay, a former metal bat engineer for Louisville Slugger, has been an outspoken advocate against the use of metal bats.

I urge all local baseball leagues to ban the use of metal bats for the sake of our children and our communities. It would be a shame if this becomes a legislative issue when local leagues could so easily resolve the problem.

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Posted In: Traumatic Brain Injury

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