On behalf of Paul Peterson
Portable device may be able to prevent mild injuries from becoming severe
One of the most dangerous and difficult to recognize injuries are those that involve the brain. According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, for example, the recent case of an 11-year-old boy who was struck by a vehicle while crossing the street shows just how dangerous severe brain injuries can be. Now, however, a new technology is in development that may be able to identify mild brain injuries sooner and prevent them from developing into more serious injuries later on.
Danger of brain injuries
The case involving the 11-year-old boy happened late last year in St. Paul. As the boy was walking to school, a car pulled out to pass another car that had stopped to allow the boy to cross the street. The passing car struck the child, who subsequently had to undergo surgery to treat a serious brain injury.
While the boy in this case was treated promptly and fortunately survived, one of the unique aspects of many brain injuries is that they can be difficult to diagnose. Closed-head injuries, for example, such as sports-related concussions, may appear mild at first, especially since sufferers may initially report only slight headaches. Such injuries, however, if they go unchecked, can develop into much more serious and sometimes fatal conditions.
Portable technology
A company in Maryland, BrainScope, is now developing a portable technology that it hopes will help identify mild brain injuries before they become serious. The technology can be worn on the head and it analyzes the brain’s natural electrical activity to identify whether an injury that is not visible to the naked eye has taken place. Because the technology can be used at the scene of the event, such as at a soccer field or immediately after a car crash, the technology could potentially save lives by helping guide doctors about whether further tests and treatment of a patient may be necessary.
The company developing the device first plans to use it in the military, where mild brain injuries are particularly common and where the device could prove useful on the battlefield. It is easy to see, however, how such technology could be used in a variety of situations. Recent headlines in the media, for example, have highlighted the dangerous prevalence of concussions not only in professional sports, but among high school athletes as well. According to one study cited by BrainScope, over 40 percent of high school athletes who have a concussion are allowed to return to practice too soon after the injury, often because the nature of the injury has not been identified early enough.
Personal injury
When an injury happens, especially in a motor vehicle crash, it is very rarely because of an ‘accident’. In many cases, somebody made a decision, such as driving drunk or while texting, that endangered the lives of others.
Anybody who has suffered an injury due to somebody’s alleged negligence or recklessness should get in touch with a personal injury attorney. An attorney experienced in the unique nature of personal injuries, including brain injuries, will be in the best position to help victims with whatever claims they may want to pursue following an accident.