Newsletter Issue No. 01

Children, Head Injuries & Amusement Rides

Amusement parks have a duty to make sure their rides cause needless injury while children are on the rides.

It seems to be that every week an amusement park is the scene of a grisly accident. Whether it is a roller coaster ride or a Ferris Wheel type of ride, an unnecessary injury occurs to a child. While it is true that sometimes accidents are unavoidable, in many of these instances it was faulty safety equipment that led to a calamity. Because of the speed that these rides travel any impact can causing major injuries. Many times, it is traumatic brain injuries that are the most difficult to avoid.

Imagine a young child riding on a roller coaster and is traveling in a very fast rate of speed and then for some reason slows down dramatically.

This can make a jerking motion and if the safety barriers of the roller coaster are not in their proper place, a rider can slam into the adjoining seat head first. Needless to say, this can cause a serious traumatic brain injury such as a major concussion or even a fatality.

This is why it is critical that the amusement park properly inspect the safety guards on the rides. If it doesn't, then there is the possibility for a serious injury. The amusement park has a reasonable expectation to avoid injury to participants on its rides. Once it is discovered that the amusement park was not serious about its inspections or was negligent then there is a strong basis for a lawsuit. After all, the amusement park can not allow its patrons to be at such risk.

Traumatic brain injuries are extremely debilitating and can greatly reduce motor skills. That requires extensive care and rehabilitation in order to reduce the various side effects of such injuries. This is why when an amusement park is something to seek a legal remedy for the pain inflicted upon its patrons.

Recreational Sports & Traumatic Brain Injuries

Horseback riding is the number one cause of traumatic brain injuries for recreational sports

According to the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, horseback riding is the number one cause of traumatic brain injuries for recreational sports, and young people are the most affected. An estimated 1.1 million people of all ages are treated per year for various reasons (recreational sports and other causes) for traumatic brain injury in the hospital. Traumatic brain injuries can result in long-term, negative health concerns such as memory loss and behavioral changes.

The CDC turned to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP) to discern the number of recreation and sports brain injuries from 2001 through 2005. The report showed that an estimated 207,830 patients with non-fatal sports/recreational brain injury emergency visits occurred for boys and girls ages 10 to 14, then the second highest 15 to 19 year olds. Boys accounted for approximately 70.5 percent of the sports and recreation-related traumatic brain injury ER visits.

Activities associated with the greatest number of TBI-related ER visits included bicycling, football, playground, basketball, and riding ATVs. Activities for which traumatic brain injuries accounted for greater than 7.5 percent of ER visits for included horseback riding, ice skating, riding ATVs, sledding, and bicycling.

TBIs can occur during any recreational and sports activity, at any age, and with either gender. Previous research has demonstrated that the majority of TBIs are categorized initially as mild on the basis of signs and symptoms; however, even mild TBI can affect a person's ability to return to school or work and can result in long-term cognitive or other problems.

Sports and recreational activities should make its top goal about safety and injury prevention. Of utmost importance is using protective equipment appropriate for the sport or activity starting with a helmet that fits properly and is worn consistently and correctly. Being aware of and following all safety policies is the second goal as well as following the rules of the sport. All players, parents, and coaches should be aware of the signs and symptoms of TBIs, and take immediate action when an injury is suspected. Error on the side of caution.

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Electricity & Brain Injuries

Exposure to high voltages of electricity can cause severe brain damage.

When we think of brain injuries we often assume that the injury was the result of impact trauma. In other words, most people believe that hitting your head on something is the only way to cause a traumatic brain injury. This is decidedly not the case. Piercing injuries, for example, can also cause severe traumatic brain injuries. There is, however, one means where a traumatic brain injury can be induced that most people are completely unaware of: exposure to a significant amount of electricity. Yes, significant shock can lead to brain damage if the voltage is strong enough. Again, most people are unaware of this fact despite the frequent instances of electric shock related accidents that occur each year.

Sadly, many instances of electric shock are the result of accidents that should never happen. That is, when your office overloads electric sockets it is creating a hazard. When an employee pulls one plug out of the socket the employee could suffer an electroshock. When this happens a vast amounts of voltage will travel from the socket into the employee's nerves and meridians. This can greatly impacts the brain in a negative manner.

That is why the workplace environment has a duty not to create such a hazard. Of course, electrical accidents can happen in a variety of manners. The city could have been irresponsible in not repairing damaged telephone poles and wires within a reasonable amount time. Or, perhaps, the manufacturer of your DVD player attached faulty wiring covers on the product line. Of course, it is possible to go on forever with various examples. The common denominator among all these examples would be that negligence was the reason for the shock. Regardless of how the electric shock occurred, if negligence was involved then there is the basis for legal action.