February - Illinois Injury Attorney Legal Blog

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FEB 25, 2010 -- This is a huge victory for us regarding suing a governmental entity!! In December 1992, a Chicago Youth Centers employee WAS supervising the trampoline class. The trampoline belonged to the Chicago Public Schools. An 8th grader became a paraplegic after striking his head while jumping off a mini-trampol See More

$14.7 million settlement in trampoline suit against CPS - Chicago Breaking News

www.chicagobreakingnews.com

A Chicago man injured on a mini-trampoline while he was an 8th grade student at a South Side elementary school 17 years ago has settled a lawsuit with the Chicago Board of Education and a private youth center for almost $14.7 million, his attorneys said today.

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FEB 2010 | INSURANCE COMPANY WILL THINK TWICE BEFORE THEY DROP ANY ONE AGAIN -- Why??????? This month, a Co woman won -- $37M Jury Verdict!!!! against her health insurance company - Assurant Health - for cutting off her benefits after she was in a serious car crash. Assurant refused to pay her bills... See More

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Reposted by: CULLOTTA LAW OFFICES 847-562-5801, located in Glenview, IL and concentrating on cases and settlement claims involving Brain & Spinal Cord Injuries throughout Illinois.SUMMARY: At the age ...

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FEB 25, 2020 ***IL Traumatic brain injury After Peoria IL Crash (Unable to speak) *** At the age of 19, Engelbrecht testified on Wednesday in a Putman County Courthouse, by typing answers that were then projected onto a wall of the Putnam County courtroom. The severe traumatic brain injury she suffered on Nov. 30, 200... See More

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FEB 21, 2010 | Posted by CULLOTTA LAW OFFICES PC - 847-562-5801, Glenview, IL.| NEW FINDINGS ABOUT MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES (MTBI) by a Pennsylvania professor of neurosurgery suggest that mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) can cause changes in white brain matter and contribute to persistent neurological and cogn... See More

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WHAT IS INTELLIGENCE & CAN WE MEASURE IT_ A study to be released this week.The research team included Jan Gläscher and Ralph Adolphs. _They mapped the location of 241 patients' brain-lesions and correlated that with each patient's IQ score to produce a map of the brain regions that influence inte... See More

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LONDON, Feb. 19, 2010 | CBSnews.com | Summary posted by: Cullotta Law Offices

A Belgian man, was injured in a car crash in 1983 when he was 20, and was said to be in a vegetative state. After nearly two decades, doctors thought he was able to communicate using a technique known as "facilitated communication" thoughts be... See More

Paralyzed Patient Can't Talk After All - CBS News

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Doctors Who Thought Belgian Man Was Communicating after 2 Decades in Vegetative State Now Say They Were Wrong

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Cullotta Josephine FEB 21, 2010 | Posted by: Cullotta Law Offices 847-562-5801 -- SOME FACTS ABOUT SPINAL INJURIES: (1) Motor vehicle accidents and falls are the leading causes of spinal cord injuries. (2) Almost 10,000 individuals sustain a new spinal cord injury (SCI) every year in the US. (3) Almost 5,000 suffered... See More

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FEB 2010 | ***Read here -- BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUPS

Greater Chicago Illinois Brain Injury Attorneys - Illinois Brain injury support groups, websites, li

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If you would like to discuss a potential claim involving a brain injury, please CONTACT our Chicago Illinois Brain Injury Attorneys today at 847-562-5801. All consultations are confidential and free. MEDICAL ...

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Feb 19, 2010 -- Woman says she was hit by hockey puck at Chuck E. Cheese Chicago Breaking News - Tribune A Niles woman says she suffered a head injury and memory loss after she was hit by a hockey puck at a north suburban Chuck E. Cheese' (Tribune)

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FEB 17, 2010 | Justice News | Reposted by: Cullotta Law Offices - 847-562-5801

Scaffolding collapse results in potential traumatic brain injury and broken bones outside a Houston TX shopping center on Tuesday afternoon. Neither worker was reportedly wearing any safety equipment, incl. a harness or hard hats when scaffolding gave way.

Greater Chicago Illinois Brain Injury Attorneys, Attorney | IL Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer, Lawyers |.

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Contact Cullotta Law 847-562-5801, for Greater Chicago brain injury attorneys, attorney, IL Spinal Cord injury lawyers, lawyer, broken back, neck injuries, brain damage, head/brain injury, coma, concussion, ...

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FEB 15, 2010 - A 17 year old honor student who had his head sticking out of a car window died Friday night when the 16-year-old driver crashed into a parked vehicle in Porter Ranch. The deceased, Adir Vered, was ejected from the car when his head struck the parked car (KLTV News | posted by: CULLOTTA LAW OFFICES 847-562-5801) February 15 at 9:36pm

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VICTIM age 22, shot, waited FIVE HOURS before being flown to another hospital for surgery. The bleeding and pressure on her brain caused her permanent brain damage and left her in a vegetative state with need for 24-hour care. And the HOSPITAL stated - it will appeal, ..."ER staff provided ...timely and clinically appropriate care...."

Jury finds El Monte hospital negligent, family awarded $12 million - SGVTribune.com

www.sgvtribune.com

POMONA - A jury Thursday awarded $12 million to a woman whose attorney claimed she waited hours at Greater El Monte Community Hospital before being sent to another hospital for surgery to remove an air-rifle pellet from her brain in 2007.

February 14 at 8:50pm

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CLICK HERE to add CULLOTTA LAW OFFICES to your Linkedin profile!

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FEB 12, 201-|Posted by:Cullotta Law 847-562-5801

What is a Spinal Cord Injury ? A Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is typically defined as... View post

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FEB 14, 2010 | IL Injury Attorneys Blog 2010 | Posted by: Cullotta Law Offices - 847-562-5801

Jury awarded $12 million to 22-year-old Calif. woman left in vegetative state after hospital delayed brain...

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Submitted by: Chicago, Illinois Brain Injury Attorneys | Illinois personal injury attorneys | IL Neck Injuries Lawyers

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Illinois Injury Attorneys Blog 2010

FEB 10, 2010 | NEWS WISE | Posted by: Cullotta Law Offices 847-562-5801

Among older adults, traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes nearly 50 percent of fall-related... View post

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Illinois Injury Attorneys Blog 2010
FEB 10, 2010 | KMOX.com | Reposted by: Cullotta Law Offices - 847-562-5801

The driver of a motor vehicle collision on US Rte-67 Green County, killed an

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Scientists 'Talk' to Patient in Vegetative State

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Scientists say they have been able to 'talk' to a man with a vegetative brain injury - via a brain scanner. The study suggests some vegetative patients may have a degree of consciousness. (4 Feb 2010)

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1 minute 30 seconds for a cute educational cartoon VIDEO on parts of the brain! Enjoy!

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New Directions in Cognitive Science - Philosophy Series - Series - Academic, Professional, & General

ukcatalogue.oup.com

Oxford University Press UK - dictionaries, educational, academic, and scholarly books, journals, and online products

February 6 at 4:57pm

Cullotta Josephine

WOULD U BELIEVE? Boyfriend drove his car with his 21 yr old sweetheart sitting on the hood -- after the two had argued. She fell off of course, suffered a closed head injury, concussion, permanent loss of the sense of smell, decreased sense of taste. Medical bills $12,941. She accepted a settlement for $212,500 (Lake county) accd'g to Illinois JVR.

February 6 at 1:39am

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FEB 4, 2010 - Illinois Injury Attorney Legal Blog

http://cullottalaw.fs2-pv.findlaw.com/Blog_2010.shtml

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FEB 4, 2010 | DailyMail
Patient in a vegetative state ‘talks’ to scientists
British scientists are hailing a...

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Illinois Brain and Spinal Injuries - An Overview

http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=ddhvx79h_20hgjjvkd3
Interesting and informative!

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Feb 2 - Illinois Legal Blog - 'Boston Legal' actor killed in WI when his SUV...

Illinois Legal Blog - 'Boston Legal' actor killed in WI when his SUV... FEB 2, 2010 | ASSOCIATED ... See More

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February 2, 2010 - Spinal Injury News

FEB 2, 2010 | GOLD COAST MALL
Quadriplegic man teaches children how to avoid spinal injuries
Martin Hume suffered a spinal injury when he broke his neck...

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FEB 1, 2010 - Illinois Injury Attorneys Blog 2010

http://www.braininjuryatty.com

FEB 1, 2010 | CHICAGO TRIBUNE | ASSOCIATED PRESS
ILLINOIS CANDIDATE’S BUS STRUCK BY BMW
GLENVIEW, Ill. - Officials say one person is critically injured after an accident...

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January 31 - Illinois Injury Attorneys Blog 2010

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JAN 31, 2010 - U.S. Bans Truckers and Bus Drivers from Texting while Driving Truck

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- Illinois Injury Attorneys Blog 2010 FEB 1, 2010 | INJURY NEWS - paralyzed man to carry torch
A man sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident at the age of...

February 1 at 1:59pm via Tumblr · View post

What is a Spinal Cord Injury? A Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is typically defined as damage or trauma to the spinal cord that in turn results in a loss or impaired function resulting in reduced mobility or feeling. Typical common causes of damage to the spinal cord from trauma like a car crash or fall.The resulting damage to the spinal cord is known as a lesion. The Paralysis is known as Quadriplegia also known as a Quadriplegia / Tetraplegia IF the spinal injury is in the neck or Cervical region and known as Paraplegia IF spinal cord injury is in the Thoracic , Lumbar or Sacral region. It is possible for someone to suffer a Broken Neck or a Broken Back without becoming paralyzed. This occurs when there is a fracture or dislocation of the vertebrae, but the spinal cord has not been damaged If you have suffered a recent spinal cord injury due to someone else's negligence, contact leading lawyers at Cullotta Law Offices - 847-562-5801 for an experienced IL Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer immediately. Consultations are free and without obligation.

FEB 5, 2010 | American Academy of Neurology Guidelines | Reposted by: Cullotta Law Offices

The American Academy of Neurology Guidelines ranks the severity of a concussion into 3 grades: Grade I - Confusion, symptoms last < 15 minutes, no loss of consciousness, Grade II - Symptoms last > 15 minutes, no loss of consciousness, and Grade III - Loss of consciousness

Common Concussion Symptoms:

Headaches
Dizziness | Vertigo
Vomiting | Nausea
Lack of motor coordination | Difficulty balancing
Light sensitivity | Seeing bright lights | Blurred vision | Double vision
Confusion | Disorientation
Difficulty focusing attention
Loss of consciousness
Post-traumatic amnesia
Slurred or incoherent speech | Word finding loss
Changes in sleep patterns
Difficulty with reasoning, concentrating, and performing everyday activities
Loss of interest in favorite activities
Tearfulness | Displays of emotion that are inappropriate to the situation

FEB 4, 2010 | By Daily Mail | Reposted by: Cullotta Law Offices - 847-562-5801

Patient in a vegetative state 'talks' to scientists

British scientists are hailing a world-first ' conversation' with a man diagnosed as being in a permanent vegetative state . They say the breakthrough has enormous implications for the care and treatment of vegetative patients. With the ability to communicate, patients could request pain relief, or even indicate if they wanted to end their life.

Brain scans
questions

The answers that proved a road accident victim was not in a 'vegetative state'

Dr Adrian Owen, who led the Medical Research Council team in Cambridge, said: 'They can now have some involvement in their destiny.'

To the outside world, the 29-year-old patient - who suffered a severe head injury in a road accident in 2003 - appeared unconscious and incapable of communicating.

But Dr Owen's team used a brain scanner to tap into his thoughts and monitor how he reacted to questions.

The man answered 'yes' or 'no' by conjuring up imaginary scenes that signalled a response.

Experts say the breakthrough 'changes everything' about classifying consciousness disorders.

The man was among 23 patients a control group of healthy volunteers recruited for a three-year study by Medical Research Council scientists and colleagues from the University of Liege in Belgium.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure activity in two different brain regions registering motor and spatial responses while the patients imagined specific scenes.

The patient was in a permanent vegetative state (posed by model)

Closed world: The patient was in a permanent vegetative state (posed by model)

Magnetic fields and radio waves detected blood-flow surges in each area which 'lit up' the scans.

For the 'motor' task, patients were asked to imagine standing on a tennis court and swinging an arm to return balls from an instructor.

To activate the 'spatial' region, they had to imagine walking from room to room in their home.

In four patients, the scans detected activity in the appropriate brain region as they carried out the scientists' verbal instructions.

But the 29-year-old man, who had produced reliable responses, was singled out for an even more remarkable test, says the New England Journal of Medicine.

Told to use 'motor' or 'spatial' imagery as 'yes' and 'no' answers, he correctly answered the first five of six autobiographical questions.

He was asked 'is your father's name Alexander?' and correctly answered 'yes' by imagining the tennis scene. When he was asked 'is your father's name Thomas?' he answered 'no' by thinking about walking around the house.

When the sixth question was asked, virtually no activity was seen. Scientists believe the patient had fallen asleep or simply failed to hear the question.

Dr Owen said: 'We were astonished when we saw the results of the patient's scan.

'Not only did these scans tell us that the patient was not in a vegetative state , but, more importantly, for the first time in years it provided the patient with a way of communicating his thoughts to the outside world.'

He said fMRI scanning was an expensive tool but in future, computer devices might help patients to communicate whether they needed pain relief or would like to try new drugs.

He said: 'Just for patients to exercise some autonomy is a massive step forward.'

There are normally fewer than 100 patients in the UK in a permanent vegetative state (PVS) at any time. PVS is diagnosed in patients who have been in a coma for three years without being able to communicate or have any understanding of what is being said.

If you have suffered a recent traumatic brain injury as a result of someone else's wrong doing, please call Cullotta Law Offices at 847-562-5801 to speak with an experienced Illinois Spinal Injury Lawyer to day or click below to learn more.

FEB 4, 2010 | US NEWS

Brain Scans Suggest Some Vegetative Patients May Be Aware -- but researchers caution against giving families false hope

Some patients thought to be in a vegetative state actually show signs of consciousness when assessed with a brain scan . A team of British and Belgian neuroscientists conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on 54 patients who were diagnosed as being in a vegetative or a minimally conscious state because of traumatic brain injury, brain stem stroke, meningitis or other brain injury.

When the patients were asked to think about hitting a tennis ball or walking around their home or neighborhood, brain scans for five of them showed they could "willfully modulate their brain activity," or show evidence of conscious thought, said lead study author Martin Monti, a neuroscientist at the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge, England.

Researchers could tell the brain activity was conscious thought because the patients' brain activity was similar to that of healthy controls performing the same mental tasks, according to the study in the Feb. 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Additional tests found three patients could follow commands or make small movements that further showed some level of awareness. Two had been considered vegetative and one minimally conscious. In the other two, however, researchers could not find any discernible evidence that they could respond.

As a result of the testing, four patients originally diagnosed as being in a vegetative state were reclassified as being minimally conscious. “There is no 'consciousness meter' we can put next to the brain and say if someone is conscious. We can only look at how people behave and infer if they are conscious or not," Monti said. "The problem is behavior is not always a good measure of consciousness. fMRI seems to be one way of determining if a patient who is not responsive behaviorally is, in fact, conscious.”

Patients in a vegetative state appear to awaken after a coma but show no signs of awareness of self or their environment. Though their eyes are open, they have no purposeful actions, explained Dr. Allan Ropper, a neurologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, who wrote an accompanying editorial. Their behavior is limited to reflexive behaviors, such as roving eye movements, swallowing or yawning.

The minimally conscious state is a newer term that describes patients with very limited and erratic verbal or motor responses to a spoken voice or other external stimuli.

The research raises provocative questions about the nature of consciousness and self-awareness, Ropper said. Even if brain scans show hints of residual consciousness, "the question is, what does it mean? That is what people are going to have to grapple with," Ropper said. "It has to do with what you think life is and what is a meaningful life. Those are social, cultural and theological questions." Ropper also cautioned against families gleaning a false sense of hope.

Evidence of consciousness was found in only a small percentage of patients. And all of those were patients who had suffered traumatic brain injury, not "anoxic" brain injury caused by a lack of oxygen from, say, cardiac arrest.

The ultimate hope is that brain scans could one day enable some level of communication, said Dr. Joseph Fins, a professor of medicine and public health and chief of the division of medical ethics at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. "

Restoring communication is the holy grail," Fins said. "The thing that families overwhelmingly want is for their loved one to be able to express their wishes, and to know that their loved one is not in pain. These are things that could profoundly impact the decisions of families found in the difficult situation of caring for someone who is vegetative or minimally consciousness."

In the study, the patient who came closest to that was a man in his 20s who had suffered traumatic brain injury at least five years earlier in a traffic accident, Monti said.

His brain scan showed he was able to correctly answer questions such as, "Is your father's name Alexander?" though he could not verbalize or show through any movement that he could respond. "We tried very hard to communicate at the bedside, but that remained impossible," Monti said. "But it is still the case that we managed to give him, to a little extent, a voice. In a sense there was a very positive outcome. We managed to interact. This is an extremely exciting thing." In some ways, the research raises many more questions than it answers, Monti added. "

The human brain , even though we are learning more and more about it, is extremely mysterious to us in many ways," Monti said. "We are still struggling to understand the meaning of what it means to be conscious or to have streams of thought or self- awareness."

If you have suffered a recent traumatic brain injury as a result of someone else's wrong doing, contact CULLOTTA LAW OFFICES at 847-562-5801 to speak with an experienced Illinois Brain Injury Attorney today or click below to learn more. CULLOTTA LAW - 'vegetative patients', 'life-sustaining'

FEB 4, 2010 | GAZETTE - Do we want brain scanners to read our minds?

As 'vegetative' patients 'talk' to scientists, Professor Colin Blakemore assesses the profound implications it will have. Some patients in vegetative state show brain activity. In a study certain to rekindle debate over life-sustaining care for those with grievous brain injuries , researchers report that five patients thought to be in a persistent vegetative state showed brain activity indicating awareness, intent and, in at least one case, a wish to communicate.

If you have suffered a recent spinal injury as a result of someone else's wrong doing, please call Cullotta Law Offices at 847-562-5801 to speak with an experienced Illinois Spinal Injury Lawyer to day or click below to learn more. CULLOTTA LAW - 'vegetative patients', 'life-sustaining'

FEB 4, 2010 | Business Week - The Illinois Supreme Court struck down the state’s $500,000 cap on awards for pain and suffering in medical malpractice lawsuits against doctors, finding that the limits set by the Legislature violate the state constitution’s separation of powers principle.

FEB 4, 2010 | Illinois Supreme Court Summaries Opinion Filed February 4, 2010

Lebron v. Gottlieb Memorial Hospital - Nos. 105741, 105745 cons.

Direct appeal from the circuit court of Cook County.

CHIEF JUSTICE FITZGERALD delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion. Justices Freeman, Kilbride and Burke concurred in the judgment and opinion. Justice Karmeier concurred in part and dissented in part, with opinion, joined by Justice Garman. Justice Thomas took no part in the decision.

In 2005, a statutory provision, part of Public Act 94–677, took effect in Illinois that places limits on awards for noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering, in medical malpractice cases. The total limit is $1 million for hospitals and their personnel and $500,000 for doctors.

Shortly after the effective date of this enactment, a baby who was born by Caesarean section was found to have numerous permanent injuries . Suit was filed against Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, the doctor, and an assisting nurse.

This litigation is the lead case in a number of lawsuits which raise the same issue and which the circuit court of Cook County consolidated.

As part of their complaint, the plaintiffs sought a declaratory judgment that the damage limitation was invalid on constitutional grounds and later moved for partial judgment on the pleadings on this question. The circuit court granted the relief requested by the plaintiffs, and, because of inseverability wording in the enactment in which the provision is contained, declared the entire enactment invalid. This direct appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court followed.

In this decision, the supreme court reversed as unnecessary the circuit court’s judgment holding the statute unconstitutional as applied, but affirmed the finding that, under the Illinois Constitution, the statute is facially invalid on separation of powers grounds.

The supreme court said that the damage limitation violates the constitutional principle of separation of powers by interfering with the authority of the judicial branch to reduce verdicts. What the statute allows for amounts to a “legislative remittitur.” The supreme court agreed with the circuit court that, because the challenged provision is not severable, the entire statute is invalid. However, the legislature is free to reenact the other provisions.

The cause was remanded to the circuit court for further proceedings.

FEB 2, 2010 | GOLD COAST MALL

Quadriplegic man teaches children how to avoid spinal injuries

Martin Hume suffered a spinal injury when he broke his neck during a wakeboarding accident inAustralia, the Gold Coast Mail reported. The quadriplegic man is now teaching a university course using on how to avoid spinal injuries. After 11-months of inpatient rehabilitation, the quadriplegic man is now using the Spinal Injury Association's Spinal Education Awareness Team (SEAT) program to teach children about the risky behavior that can lead to spinal injuries. Mr. Hume is also starting a university course in 2010 and focus on a business he has created called Ensure Access

Spinal Cord Injury Information

Location of Spinal Cord Injuries

Functional Levels of Spinal Cord Injuries

FEB 2, 2010 | RIC.org

Reposted by : CULLOTTA LAW | 847-562-5801 | Illinois Brain And Spinal Injury Attorneys

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago - Brain Injury Support Group

Heads Up
Reviewed January 2010
Sponsor: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
This group provides a supportive setting in which people who have head injuries can discuss everyday issues. Offered to brain injury survivors only.
Event Title: Heads Up - Brain Injury Support Group
Description: Parking is available at the garage, 321 E. Erie, or valet parking is $11 ($2 for persons with disabilities). Bring parking ticket to the lobby desk for validation.
Date: --> THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH
Time: 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Cost: Free
Where: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Heads Up - Brain Injury Support Group
Room: 2nd floor Heyworth Room
Address: 345 E. Superior, Chicago, IL 60611
Contact: Kathleen Madayag
Direct: 312.238.5381

CULLOTTA LAW OFFICES | 847-562-5801 | Illinois Brain And Spinal Injury Attorneys

FEB 1, 2010 | CHICAGO TRIBUNE | ASSOCIATED PRESS

IL candidate's bus struck by BMW

GLENVIEW, Ill. - Officials say one person is critically injured after an accident involving an Illinois congressional candidate’s campaign bus in suburban Chicago. The candidate wasn’t aboard the bus when it crashed in Glenview late Friday night. Glenview police say the bus was headed east when a westbound BMW turned into its path of bus . Police say the driver of the BMW was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. Authorities didn’t say if anyone was ticketed. Police are investigating the cause

CULLOTTA LAW OFFICES | 847-562-5801 | Illinois Brain And Spinal Injury Attorneys

FEB 1, 2010 | NEWS
paralyzed man to carry torch

A man sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident at the age of 15 and has been paralyzed from the waist down is to be the community torchbearer in the Olympic Torch Relay. Mr Hansen has won 19 international wheelchair marathons and six medals as a Paralympian since the accident. Mr. Hansen raised $26 million dollars for spinal cord injury research and programmes aimed at improving the quality of life of people with such injuries.

CULLOTTA LAW OFFICES | 847-562-5801 | Illinois Brain And Spinal Injury Attorneys

FEB 1, 2010 | AZ REPORTER
student returns to school after spinal injury

A girl student sustained a spinal injury while playing football on December 19 sport has returned to school after just five weeks of recovery. The football accident resulted in paralysis of her lower body, the Arizona Republic reports. Doctors believe that the youngster will learn to walk again and will eventually be able to run and, potentially, play football. Last week, biotherapeutics company Neuralstem Incorporated completed the first spinal cord stem cell treatment in the US, which, if proved to be effective, could potentially help in treating spinal cord injuries .

January 2010

Illinois Injury Attorney Legal Blog

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JAN 1, 2010 KPLR11.COM

Crash involving Illinois State Trooper on Interstate 64 near the Mascoutah exit. Police say a driver, believed to be intoxicated, crossed the center median .

JAN 3, 2010 TRIBUNE REPORTERS

$200,000 bail for drunk driver charged in reckless homicide and drunken driving in a fatal crash

A Cook County judge set bail at $200,000 Saturday for an Orland Park restaurant manager charged with reckless homicide and drunken driving in a crash killed his 20-year-old girlfriend. The 22-year old male driver had a cast on one arm and had little to say in court.

JAN 3, 2010 TRIBUNE

High alcohol level cited in fatal crash

Cook County sheriff’s officials said Friday, business partner of a Blackhawks legend was charged with reckless homicide after a fatal car crash killed a young woman. The drunk driver’s had a blood-alcohol level was 0.236, three times the legal limit.

JAN 4, 2010

Keeping fit is the best way to reduce the possibility of injury to the spine or muscles in the back, according to a medical expert.

JAN 4, 2010 FOX2NOW.COM<

28-Year Old Guardsman Killed In Weekend Car Crash

A man was killed in a weekend car wreck has been identified as an Illinois Army National Guardsman home for the holidays. Investigators in Madison County say the 28-year-old male of Edwardsville died in the accident early Saturday.

JAN 5, 2010 KPLR11.COM

Car Crashes Into Home

A car crashes into house and lands on a man as he sat on his couch Tuesday afternoon, in Fosterburg, Illinois, Madison County. Authorities said the 52 year-old Bunker Hill driver lost control of his car .

JAN 6, 2010

A crash in Ohio, during a broad snowstorm early Friday, killed four people in a van carrying disabled adult...

Spinal injury patient overcomes paralysis through surgery.

A man paralyzed in car accident has overcome his spinal injury with surgery the UK.

A helmet that could prevent spinal injury is being developed by engineers in Canada.Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver.

JAN 8, 2010 ASSOCIATED PRESS

Four Killed in Crash as Snow pushed through Midwest

A crash in Ohio, during a broad snowstorm early Friday, killed four people in a van carrying disabled adult...

JAN 12, 2010 FOX2NOW.COM

Crackdown On Texting Amid News Of Illinois Deaths

A new, nationwide crackdown on distracted driving is announced, just as Metro East police reveal they are investigating four deadly accidents over the last six to eight weeks, in which texting while driving could be the cause.

JAN 16, 2010 ALLENTOWN

Advocates say state crashes, burns on safety

According to a new study says, Pennsylvania does a lousy job passing laws to prevent deaths , car and tractor-trailer crashes and the 1,500 annual deaths and countless injuries that result.

JAN 17, 2010 TRIBUNE REPORTERS

Texting behind the wheel not only worry for Des Plaines driver

Early January 2, 2010 Police say a Des Plaines man took distracted driving to a new level — by texting behind the wheel while he was driving drunk — and in the process received what might be the state’s first ticket for texting while driving...

JAN 17, 2010

A urologist has been indefinitely barred from inpatient surgery for removing the wrong kidney in March 2008 of one patient and taking a biopsy from another’s patient’s pancreas instead of a kidney. This urologist agreed that his actions justify the board’s discipline.

Contact Illinois surgical error attorneys for a free case review. Do not delay. The average initial case review by phone takes 10-mins. No fee. No obligation. Completely confidential. Call us 847-562-5801.

JAN 24, 2010 |STORY| WGNTV-LTV

2 dead after Chicago-area van hit by truck in Indiana

Two people in an extended family returning to the Chicago area from a Georgia kite-flying convention died when a tractor-trailer hit their full size passenger van on an Indiana interstate, police said.

JAN 25, 2010

Spinal Injury patient breathing aid to help neurological disease patients

A device that helps spinal cord injury patients to breathe could soon be available to patients with a fatal neurological disease. Synapse Biomedical Incorporated.

Singing helps brain injury recovery

JAN 29, 1010

Coping with Personality Changes After a Traumatic Brain Injury from Newsome Law on Vimeo .

JAN 29, 1010

A singer has explained in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning how performing helped her forget about the pain of her debilitating brain injury .

JAN 31, 2010

U.S. Bans Truckers and Bus Drivers from Texting while Driving

Truck accident attorneys in Illinois and around the nation should be aware that the federal government formally barred truckers and bus drivers from sending text messages while operating a commercial motor vehicle, effective January 27, 2010.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provided regulatory guidance. The FMCSA recently completed its “Driver Distraction in Commercial Vehicle Operations” study and released the final report on October 1, 2009. In this study the FMCSA found that: The most risky behavior identified by the research was “text message on cell phone,” with an odds ratio of 23.2. This means that the odds of being involved in a safety-critical event is 23.2 times greater for drivers who are texting while driving than for those who do not. FMCSA has now provided regulatory guidance regarding 49 CFR 390.17 in an answer to the following question: Do the Federal Motor Carrier Regulations prohibit “texting” while driving a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce? FMCSA answered the question as follows: Yes, research has shown that during 6-second intervals immediately preceding safety-critical events (e.g., crashes, near crashes, lane departure), texting drivers took their eyes off the forward roadway an average of 4.6 seconds. Therefore the use of electronic devices for texting by CMV operators while driving on public roads in interstate commerce decreases safety and is prohibited by 49 CFR 390.17.

Truck accident lawyers should now issue discovery and subpoenas in lawsuits to secure the operators cell phone records to determine if the driver was texting at or near the time of a collision. If appropriate the complaint should be amended to include a violation of 49 CFR 390.17. Illinois and about 19 other states also ban texting while driving. On January 1, 2010, Illinois’ law became effective and provides: A person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic communication device to compose, send, or read an electronic message, 625 ILCS 5/12-610.2. These state laws and 49 CFR 390.17 should be used in pursuing truck drivers and trucking companies for injuries in truck related crashes where driver attentiveness is the issue. Trucking accident discovery commonly involves obtaining toll receipts, log books, fuel receipts, GPS tracking devices, and other ways to determine if trucker’s lack of sleep and fatigue was a cause in the catastrophic injuries or fatalities. Truck accident lawsuits are complex and require prompt investigation by an experienced truck accident attorney to ensure the most favorable outcome possible. Federal regulations only require trucking companies to maintain their log books for six months , and they are frequently a critical piece of evidence in holding the trucking companies and their drivers responsible for serious injuries and deaths. Since Truck accident cases frequently wind up in federal court because of diversity jurisdiction, this new interpretation of 49 CFR 390.17 will allow federal courts the authority to fashion a just and fair result for the victims involving truck accidents .

If you have been involved in a recent catastrophic trucking accident , contact a Illinois Truck Accident Lawyerat 847-562-5801 . Do not delay.

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Northern Illinois Injury Attorneys

Cullotta Law Offices, PC is ranked lead counsel by other personal injury attorneys in Illinois.

Northern Chicago, Illinois Injury Attorneys ’ legal experience includes multi-million dollar cases involving brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other serious personal injuries - due to someone else’s negligence.

Our Chicago, Illinois Injury Attorneys’ law firm handle catastrophic personal injury settlements and cases on behalf of people - throughout Illinois.

PRACTICE AREA -

I. Motor Vehicle Accidents (Car Accident, Motorcycle crash, Bus Accidents, Bicycle Accident or Pedestrian crosswalk Accidents)

II. Head or Brain Injury

III. Neck Injuries / Spinal Cord Injury

PRACTICE AREA - IN MORE DETAIL:
I. Motor Vehicle Accidents

A. Truck Accidents
B. Motorcycle Accidents
C. Uninsured Motorists (UM) and Underinsured Motorists (UIM)

Our firm is dedicated to obtaining compensation for our injured clients for their financial losses, such as medical bills and lost wages, and for their pain, suffering, disability and loss of a normal life. The following is general information about motor vehicle accidents.

- Actions, on the part of either driver, that may have contributed to the accident include:
Failure to stop at a red light or stop sign
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Failure to compensate for dangerous weather conditions
Driving above or below the posted speed limits
Driver distraction caused by a cell phone, passenger, radio or another source
Failure to obey traffic laws regarding turn signals, right-of-way and other rules

A. Truck Accidents

The trucking industry is regulated by state and federal law. That means, Trucking companies are required to provide adequate driver training, maintain vehicles, and ensure drivers are accurately reporting the number of hours they drive in a given day. However, due to rising costs and increased pressure to deliver on time across Illinois State, corners may be cut and regulations may not be followed.
- Causes of truck accidents may be due to one or more of the following:
Excessive speeding
Driver fatigue / falling asleep at the wheel
Wide angled turns
Lane drift
Lack of a rear guard, resulting in under riding
Lack of proper safety reflectors
Tire blowout
Load shift
- Injuries often sustained in a truck accident may include:
Whiplash / neck injuries
Brain damage or injury
Paraplegia / quadriplegia
Amputations
Spinal cord injury
Serious burns

B. Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents can include brain injury, spinal cord injuries, loss of limbs, bone fractures and other serious injuries. Cullotta Law Offices’ Illinois motorcycle accident attorneys will examine the cause of the motorcycle crash, such as motorcycle maintenance (brake failure, tire blow outs), driver negligence (speeding, failure to yield, tailgating, improper lane usage, reckless aggressive driving, or unsafe driving) and other causes.

C. Uninsured Motorists (UM) and Underinsured Motorists (UIM)

When a driver refuses or is unable to carry proper motor vehicle insurance, that driver puts more than just him or herself at risk. If the driver injures another person, the insurance will be inadequate to cover the damages.
- Injured parties, however, may be covered by their own insurance policies; uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage protects accident victims in these cases. If you have been involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, it is important to contact an attorney to create a plan of action.

II. Head / Brain Injury
Our Illinois brain injury lawyers will fight to win you the maximum compensation for your present and future medical bills, loss of income and benefits, and pain and suffering. Our Illinois brain injury lawyers understand that no amount of money will ever make up for the losses experienced by TBI and spinal injury victims, but we can help you and your family afford the peace of mind you deserve.

- The following conditions can result from a Traumatic Brain Injury:

Concussion
Skull fracture
Brain contusion
Epidural hematoma
Subdural hematoma
Brain herniation
Coma
Anterograde amnesia
Retrograde amnesia

III. Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries, like brain injuries, are often caused by serious auto accidents and slip/fall accidents, and they typically result in paralysis . Living with a spinal cord or traumatic brain injury is devastating enough, but the astronomical financial costs can push victims and families into serious economic crisis.

If a negligent driver caused you or a loved one to suffer a spinal cord injury, it is important to discuss your case with an experienced Illinois spinal cord injury lawyer. Our Illinois spinal injury attorneys are rated lead counsel by other personal injury attorneys.

Cullotta Law Offices’ Illinois injury lawyers work closely with medical experts, accountants, economists, actuaries and other professionals to accurately gauge the full extent of your losses. Because personal injury settlements or compensation awards in these cases can be substantial, this kind of preparation is essential to achieving a result that is fair.

Call Cullotta Law Offices at 847-562-5801 for a free consultation. Confidential. No obligation.

Additional Office: 1613 Techny Rd, Northbrook, IL 60062.