Concussion Injury And Traumatic Brain Injury

Concussion Injuries Can Greatly Reduce a Victim’s Ability to Drive a Car

Youth Sports Coaches Are Required by Law to Have Concussion Training- Law Enforcement Officers Are Not So Required

38 states have required concussion education and the use of concussion screening in youth sports. Sadly, law enforcement officials who are required to attend the scene of motor vehicle collisions typically have no such training.  The victims of overlooked concussions who are allowed to leave the scene and drive home-and continue to drive after the collision, are a significant public health risk because it is well documented in reliable research that concussion victims often have significantly diminished ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.

Drivers With a Concussion Injury Can Be As Impaired As Drunk Drivers

Driving a motor vehicle is a very complex task that requires precise coordination of cognitive, motor, and visual abilities, all the while requiring adaptation to a constantly changing, moving surrounding environment. All of these functions must work together, simultaneously. In order to ensure the safety of everyone on the road, drivers need to be alert with full use of their cognitive functions and physical coordination.  It has been observed that many of the brain functions are altered in a similar fashion to that of an alcohol-intoxicated person.  See Concussion Institute, Driving After Concussion, published online at https://institutcommotions.com/en/driving-after-concussion/

A research program, including experts at the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University Medical School, along with a number of other respected experts, studied the effect of a concussion injury on the victim’s ability to safely drive an automobile. The result was that 93% of the subjects reported difficulty affecting driving a motor vehicle.  The most frequent specific causes were fatigue and reduced concentration. Bottari et. al., Driving Difficulties and Adaptive Strategies: The Perception of Individuals Having Sustained a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Rehab. Res. Pract. 2012; 837301 published online at www.ncbi.nom.nih.gov/pmc/acticles/PMC3289835/

Research has established that individuals recovering from a recent mild traumatic brain injury are significantly slower to respond to traffic hazards. Preece, et.al., Driving After Concussion: The Acute Effect of Mild Traumatic  Brain Injury on Drivers’ Hazard Perception.  Neuropsychology, 24(4), 493.

A Person’s Driving Ability Can Remain Impaired Even After Apparent Recovery From the Concussion Injury

Other research conducted by researchers at the University of Georgia has established that, even after apparent recovery from a concussion injury, concussion victims continue to have significant disabilities in the operation of a motor vehicle.  Schmidt et. al., Driving After Concussion: Is It Safe to Drive After Symptoms Resolve?, J. Neurotrauma (2017).

The Schmidt Salita Law Team Handles a Wide Variety of Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Claims

The Schmidt & Salita Law Team handles cases involving car accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian car accidents, and bicycle accidents.  It has many years’ experience in workers compensation , products liability cases.

The Schmidt Salita Law Team has extensive experience with concussion injuries, traumatic brain injuries, neck and back injuries, whiplash injuries, broken bones, injured joint injuries (knee, hip, shoulder, wrist, ankle, spinal), amputation injuries, and vision and eye injuries.

The Schmidt & Salita Law Team has offices throughout the State of Minnesota.  Its primary location is at Ridgedale Office Center in Minnetonka, near the intersection of I-394 and I-494.  The offices are ground level, handicap accessible, with ample parking.

The Schmidt & Salita Team Offers Contingent Fee Arrangements

The firm offers contingent fee agreements (You don’t pay lawyers’ fees until you collect and then only as a percentage of the settlement).  It also offers home and hospital visits to clients whose injuries present difficulty in coming to the office.

“PERSONAL INJURY WITH PERSONAL ATTENTION TO EACH CASE”

The Schmidt & Salita Law Team has locations throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Plymouth, Osseo, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Brooklyn Center, Fridley, Blaine, Shoreview, Woodbury, Falcon Heights, Columbia Park, Stillwater, Hastings, Inver Grove, Cottage Grove, South St. Paul, Apple Valley, Eagan, Burnsville, Savage, Shakopee, Richfield, Bloomington, Chaska, Chanhassen, Edina, Eden Prairie, and Hopkins.