DuPage, Kane and Will County Personal Injury Law Blog

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can have numerous effects on a person. Along with physical complications, TBI is also associated with mental and emotions issues, some of which can persist indefinitely. If you or a loved one is suffering from a TBI, knowing the facts is crucial for getting the right treatment, as well as offering assistance if you wish to file an injury claim.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 30 percent of all deaths resulting from injury can be attributed to TBI. TBI is also linked to 2.5 million emergency room visits and over 282,000 hospitalizations. Out of all the age groups, the very young and very old tend to experience loss of life from TBI most frequently. For people aged 65 and older, falls were the most common cause of serious brain injury.

Head trauma can be one of the most devastating injuries to happen to Illinois residents. Whether one suffered a severe concussion or a minor head injury, the effects of brain trauma can be ongoing and life-changing. People who have experienced numerous head injuries may be at risk of an even more serious condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

This disease, more commonly known as CTE, is often seen by middle age or later in patients who received multiple head injuries over the course of their life. The injuries do not necessarily need to be serious concussions, as explained by the Mayo Clinic; in fact, multiple non-concussive blows to the head that do not seem severe at the time can be enough to result in the patient developing CTE later in life. The symptoms can include memory problems, difficulty concentrating, depression, mood changes, aggressive behavior, speech difficulties and suicidal ideation. The disease cannot be diagnosed while the patient is living; instead, it is confirmed after autopsy.

As an Illinois expectant mom, you probably spend a good deal of time thinking about your developing baby’s health, welfare and safety. To ensure this, you likely also take really good care of yourself so your baby, in turn, can benefit from your own good health. Unfortunately, however, not everything concerning your baby is under your control. (S)he could suffer a birth injury that could affect him or her for the rest of his or her life.

Erb’s palsy is one such potential injury. Although rare, occurring in only 0.5 to 2.6 percent of live U.S. births, it can have catastrophic consequences if it happens during your baby’s birthing process.

When Illinois residents go to the hospital for surgery, they trust that the procedure will go well. Sometimes, though, people might realize that their surgeon has operated on the wrong body part. In this this situation, people usually want to understand why this error occurred.

A wrong-site surgery might occur for several reasons. According to Becker's Healthcare, important documents, such as the surgical schedule and patient's history, might sometimes get lost, or the anesthesia provider and surgeon might not have enough verification about a patient's identity. Once a patient gets to the operating room, a member of the surgical team may not confirm the surgical site. Additionally, sometimes surgical staff may not read the documents with the patient's name and procedure. Sometimes mistakes can happen when the surgery is first booked. Some of the information about the patient and the procedure may have been illegible or incorrect or people may have filled out the wrong form.