Gretna Personal Injury Law Blog

Children and traumatic brain injuries

On behalf of Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC posted in brain injury on Monday, September 17, 2018.

Traumatic brain injuries can have serious consequences, regardless if the injury is labeled mild, moderate or severe. For children who suffer brain injuries, however, the results may be even more devastating. Kids who play sports, ride bikes, ski or engage in a number of activities, run the risk of becoming injured. In fact, more than 800,000 children throughout the United States seek medical care for brain injuries every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Due to this high risk of injury, the CDC has released new pediatric guidelines that govern minor traumatic brain injury and how to respond to these types of events. The guidelines include using the right age scale for diagnosing brain injuries. Physicians are urged to assess risk factors, such as family history, to help determine the child’s recovery time. Doctors are also prompted to know when to order a CT scan based off certain symptoms, as giving children these scans unnecessarily increases their risk of cancer. Pediatric patients should know when they are able to return to sports activities or even normal activities after an injury has occurred.

Construction workers at high risk for elevator accidents

On behalf of Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC posted in workers' compensation on Friday, September 7, 2018.

Here at the Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC, in Louisiana, we know the many dangers that construction work can pose to workers such as you. Most people know about the constant risk you face of falling from roofs, scaffolds and tall ladders, but many, perhaps even including you, do not realize the dangers you face when you work in or around elevators.

Per the Center for Construction Research and Training, over 17,000 elevator accidents occur each year in which 31 people die. Construction workers account for approximately half of these fatalities, including those who work as installers, maintenance workers and repairmen. In fact, these workers represent one-third of all elevator fatalities that occur in the workplace. Any job that requires you to work near an elevator shaft puts you at risk for injury or death.

Increased risk of car accidents in the elderly

On behalf of Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC posted in car accidents on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.

As people grow older, they often lose their ability to respond to sudden situations they encounter while driving. In fact, people over the age of 65, otherwise referred to as mature drivers, may have difficulties when it comes to driving alongside other motorists. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40 million drivers over the age of 65 were licensed in the United States in 2015. That same year more than 260,000 mature drivers were injured and 6,800 were killed in motor vehicle accidents.

One of the main reasons why the risk of being involved in a car accident increases as people age is the decline in vision, cognitive functioning and motor skills. Older drivers may develop eye conditions, such as macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma. They also have decreased peripheral vision and may have difficulty judging the speed and distance of oncoming vehicles. Mature motorists may suffer from a decreased ability to focus and remember critical rules of the road. Finally, their motor skills, including turning the wheel quickly and buckling up, may be affected as well. When these risks are combined with drowsiness, distraction or impairment, mature drivers are at higher risk of becoming involved in an accident.

Did road gators and tar snakes ruin your motorcycle ride?

On behalf of Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC on Monday, September 3, 2018.

September weather in Gretna, Louisiana, is typically ideal for taking to the open roads on a motorcycle, slightly cooler than previous months and less rain with which to contend. However, as a biker, you will always be more vulnerable than those traveling on four wheels. Not only do you have to deal with the disregard most vehicle operators have for motorcycles but also a host of road hazards that could cause deadly accidents.

Regardless of whether you are a novice or experienced rider, alertness and awareness of your surroundings at all times might keep you alive and well. You might have the same rights to the road as motorist do, but you must also follow the same rules.

Understanding construction site electrocutions

On behalf of Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC posted in workers' compensation on Thursday, August 23, 2018.

Louisiana construction workers face grave electrocution dangers on an almost daily basis. Their risk of receiving life-threatening injuries or even suffering death by electrocution stems from the fact that their job sites contain many power tools, heavy machinery and large electrically powered construction vehicles. They likewise often must work on or near unfinished electrical systems.

As reported by ConstructConnect.com, electrocution ranks second on OSHA’s “Fatal Four” list of causes of construction worker deaths as follows:

Falls
Electrocutions
Struck-by-object events
Caught-in-between-object events

What happens when drivers take selfies?

On behalf of Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC posted in car accidents on Monday, August 20, 2018.

Needless to say, driving along Louisiana roadways requires your full attention. It is crucial that you and other motorists drive defensively in order to avoid hitting pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles and other vehicles on the road. Social media, however, acts as a major distraction to people throughout the country, and the growing number of people who snap selfies while behind the wheel is a concern.

Although it may sound surprising, major social media sites show pictures of people who are taking selfies while driving. Instagram alone shows 9,700 entries under #drivingtowork and 3,727 posts for #drivingselfie. Still more people are snapping selfies while operating boats, airplanes and motorcycles. People of all ages are engaging in these extremely distractive activities; however, there are more teenagers involved. In fact, distracted driving was involved in more than 12 percent of accidents with teenage drivers.

Can mild brain injuries cause serious damage?

On behalf of Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC posted in brain injury on Monday, August 13, 2018.

Brain injuries can be extremely debilitating. Whether you obtained brain trauma from a slip-and-fall accident or you were involved in a car collision, you may suffer from the serious side effects of the injury. While more attention has been focused on the implications of moderate to severe brain injuries, a study looked at the effects of mild brain injuries` and their potential for causing long-term damage.

Researchers in the study, published in the journal Neurology, used diffusion tensor imaging to determine where the brain injury is located, as well as the severity of the damage. DTI scans show damage through differences in brightness and contrast. The white tissue in the brain houses the interconnections between different areas of the brain. In a healthy brain, the white tissue is orderly and organized with a strong structure. In an injured brain, the white matter shows cellular damage as a change in the brightness on the DTI image.

Returning to work with a brain injury

On behalf of Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC posted in workers' compensation on Monday, August 6, 2018.

There is no question that brain injuries cause a myriad of side effects and symptoms that can make it difficult for some people in Louisiana and across the U.S. to return to work. Depending on the circumstances involved in the situation, people may not be able to perform the same tasks that they did before they experienced brain trauma. Employees who suffer from cognitive deficits, impaired vision, trouble concentrating, memory problems, muscle weakness and have trouble communicating may need special attention when going back to work. In some cases, employers may be able to facilitate an employee’s ability to return to work by giving them certain tools that will help them perform their job.

After deciding to return to work, people may want to make a plan with their employer on how to ease back into the workplace. Employees may want to start by working shorter shifts or just a few days a week. The worker may be given a different job at first until they are able to return to their original position. Some employers may decide to give workers with brain trauma breaks more often so they do not get burned out right away.

New job? You can insist on adequate safety training

On behalf of Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC on Wednesday, August 1, 2018.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration governs the safety of workplaces in Louisiana. Employers must comply with the agency's safety regulations and also ensure their employees follow safety rules and guidelines. However, some employers in and around Gretna fail to provide adequate safety training to new hires.

If you are a qualified worker, or a teenager taking on a summer job, it would be a smart move to insist on adequate training before potentially putting your life on the line. After all, how can your boss expect you to comply with OSHA regulations if you do not learn about them first? According to OSHA, a significant number of employees suffer workplace injuries within their first year of employment, and one in eight workers are injured on their first day at a new job.

5 major types of injuries suffered in car accidents

On behalf of Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC posted in car accidents on Tuesday, July 31, 2018.

If you were in a vehicle that was involved in a car accident, a medical assessment is essential, even if you seem to be uninjured. Not all injuries are immediately evident, and those that develop over the days or weeks after an accident could cause long-term health problems. Having records of medical examinations, treatments and associated costs might form significant evidence if you should decide to pursue financial relief through the Louisiana civil justice system.

Each crash is unique, and your position inside the car, whether you wore your seat belt, the position of the impact, the speed of the vehicles and many other aspects can cause different types of internal injuries. If you become aware of any aches or pains in the weeks following a crash, you must report it to a physician.