Traumatic Brain Injury

A federally funded study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows an old flu drug is the first treatment shown to speed up recovery from severe brain injuries, according to a USA Today report. Amantadine, an inexpensive flu medicine, was given to severely injured patients during the study, and these patients recovered faster than the ones who were only given a placebo. After four weeks of the drug being administered, the group taking the flu medicine was able to follow commands, give yes or no answers, and use a spoon and hairbrush, showing signs of recovery as they were unable to do these things at the start of the study. Far fewer patients who took amantadine remained in a vegetative state.

Though the use of this flu drug to treat brain injuries is not new, this is the first big study to prove that it works. An estimated 1.7 million Americans suffer from a traumatic brain injury each year, with an alarming 52,000 dying each year and 275,000 hospitalized as a result of these injuries. With no proven remedies for the treatment of brain injuries, healthcare professionals have relied on drugs used to treat other illnesses in hopes they would be effective for brain injury patients. This new study, conducted in the U.S., Denmark, and Germany, which involved 184 severely disabled patients, brings welcome news for those suffering from a brain injury and may be an important step toward developing new therapies.

Suffering from a traumatic brain injury can permanently impact the life of the victim, and recovery can be costly. The Annapolis traumatic brain injury lawyers of Alpert Schreyer are committed to helping those who have suffered a brain injury as a result of another’s negligence obtain compensation to aid in recovery. To see how our experienced law team can help you, call (866) 444-6363 for a free consultation.

Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is a type of injury that occurs when an external force traumatically injures the brain. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1.5 million people suffer from a traumatic brain injury each year in the U.S., with 50,000 people dying and 85,000 suffering long term disabilities as a result of TBI. Young adults and the elderly are the highest risk groups for suffering from a TBI. There are a number of diverse causes for traumatic brain injury, but the top three are: falls, firearms, and car accidents in Maryland and throughout the United States.

In addition, there are common mechanisms that are recognized as the highest causes of TBI. The following are the mechanisms which are frequent causes of a traumatic brain injury:

• Open head injury: This involves penetration of the skull, such as from a bullet wound.
• Closed head injury: This injury can occur as a result from incidents such as an auto accident or slip and fall.
• Toxic/Chemical: This occurs when harmful chemicals, such as carbon monoxide or lead poisoning, damage a person’s neurons.
• Deceleration injuries: Occurs when the brain is slammed back and forth inside the skull during a collision with a stationary object.
• Hypoxia (lack of oxygen): This can result in severe cognitive and memory deficits and is caused by a variety of different things, such as a heart attack or respiratory failure.
• Stroke: Loss of blood flow and injury to brain tissue can cause brain damage.
• Tumors: Tumors, or pressure from an enlarged tumor, can cause direct brain damage.
• Infections: Bacteria and viruses can cause serious, life-threatening diseases of the brain, such as meningitis.

The consequences of a traumatic brain injury are severe and can affect all aspects of a person’s life. When the injury occurs as a result of another’s negligence, an experienced Waldorf traumatic brain injury attorney can help a TBI victim obtain compensation to aid in his or her recovery and help with costly medical expenses. For a free consultation regarding your case, please call the law firm of Alpert Schreyer at (800) 489-1577.