Brain Injury

A husband and wife were injured in a Lancaster car accident after their bicycles was hit by a minivan. According to an Associated Press news report, the major injury collision occurred the evening of August 27, 2011 at a street intersection. Police say the couple was attempting to cross an intersection as was a minivan. At the time, the minivan was pushed into the cyclists' path when it was hit by another vehicle. The man sustained severe head injuries and is said to be in critical condition. The wife is said to be in stable condition. Both were wearing helmets. The man and his wife were riding with a group of about 20 riders. No one else was injured. An investigation is ongoing.

My heart goes out to these injured victims. The male bicyclist here may have suffered severe head trauma or a brain injury. I wish both the very best for a speedy and full recovery. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

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A 3-year-old boy was seriously injured in a Ventura swimming pool accident the morning of March 1, 2011. According to a news report in The Ventura County Star, the near-drowning incident occurred on Solano Verde Drive in an unincorporated area of Ventura County. A family member rescued the boy after he was found in the pool. The boy was not breathing at the time, but was said to be awake when emergency personnel arrived. The extent of the toddler's injuries is not known at this time. It is also unclear how the boy fell into the pool.

My thoughts and prayers are with the 3-year-old boy and his family following this Ventura County swimming pool accident. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery from his injuries.

Swimming Pool Accident Statistics

According to a 2007 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 3,443 fatal unintentional drowning incidents in the United States. The report also states that fatal drowning is the "second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years." Near-drowning incidents are extremely serious because they can result in catastrophic injuries, including brain injuries, when the oxygen supply to the brain is cut off. Read the rest »

Head trauma can happen at any time; we just hope that we will be able to handle it when it does. Unfortunately, many don't and they do not tend to the wound, and the situation, in the manner that would have benefited the victim the most. Whether it is a minor bump, or a catastrophic injury, knowing the proper steps to take in case of an emergency could save a life.

Minor head injuries may be cared for at home, but if is not always possible for an unlicensed professional to differentiate between minor and major. If you witness a serious head injury, make sure to contact a medical care provider immediately. Read the rest »

Suffering from a serious brain injury is no laughing matter; millions of people suffer from debilitating brain damage and, more often than not, the incident that caused their horrific condition was easily preventable. For many, keeping in mind the top causes of brain injuries seems pointless, considering the countless ways that you could become a victim. For others, this article could prove to be invaluable and you could walk away relatively unharmed from a situation that would have caused you a lifetime of regrets.

Head injury is the leading cause of death and disability in persons under 45-years-old, occurring more frequently than breast cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury combined, according to the Brain Injury Association of America. With these types of numbers, it comes as no surprise that an estimated 5 million Americans have some form of disabling condition due to a traumatic brain injury. So what can one do to avoid suffering a life-changing head injury? Take necessary precautions while engaging in its leading causes. Read the rest »

It is a well-established fact that understaffing is a problem that is at the root nursing home neglect and abuse. We constantly see examples of cases where a catastrophic injury or fatality could have been prevented if only the nursing home had adequate qualified personnel to take care of its patients. An Orange County jury has ordered St. Edna skilled nursing home in Santa Ana to pay $3.1 million to a woman who became brain-injured because she was given a morphine overdose at the facility. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, 57-year-old Barbara Lefforge was only at the nursing facility for less than six hours when the overdose occurred. Read the rest »

A 3-year-old boy was hospitalized after suffering a near drowning in an Orange County swimming pool accident in an Irvine, California, community pool the night of July 25, 2009, The Orange County Register reports. On July 26, 2009, another 3-year-old boy in Fullerton suffered a near-drowning in a backyard swimming pool accident, the newspaper reports. Both boys are said to be recovering. Read the rest »

A 6-year-old child is in the hospital after nearly drowning in a swimming pool accident the afternoon of July 18, 2009 in Chino. Chino police and firefighters responded after receiving calls about a possible drowning. While on the way to the call, they heard that someone on scene had pulled the child out of the community pool where he was swimming and had performed CPR. Paramedics administered first aid to the child, who was then airlifted to an area hospital. The child has been listed in critical condition. Police say other people were in the community pool when the near drowning happened. Family members of the child were also apparently in the area at the time. There is no further information about the cause of the near drowning incident.

My heart goes out to the family of this child. I wish the critically injured youngster the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep this child in your prayers. Read the rest »

An 11-year-old boy is in the hospital after a Porter Ranch swimming pool accident the afternoon of May 24, 2009, according to a CBS News report. The boy was pulled from a pool in Porter Ranch and was resuscitated by bystanders who performed CPR on him. The near drowning occurred at a community pool in the 19300 block of Crystal Springs Circle. The 11-year-old boy, who was wearing a life vest to swim, was apparently found floating face-down and not breathing after brief inattention by those watching him. The boy was airlifted to Children's Hospital in Los Angeles in serious condition.

I'm extremely relieved that this child did not drown in the pool. I hope and pray that he did not suffer catastrophic injuries and wish him the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep this boy in your prayers. Read the rest »