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Published on Friday, 17 May 2013 11:57

Specialist brain injury solicitors, and member of the Brain Injury Group, Leigh Day has launched a new infographic to highlight the different causes and types of brain injury.  It is hoped that by increasing understanding of its causes and symptoms, it will help people feel better equipped to talk to their GP about it. This is primary call to action for this year’s Action for Brain Injury Week as poor understanding of the signs and symptoms mean that there may be many cases going undiagnosed and untreated.

Amongst the findings, the graphic includes a map that illustrates the number of road traffic accidents by region, a leading cause of head injury.  This shows that Great Manchester, West Yorkshire and London are producing the highest number of people involved in serious road traffic related accident in the UK. Together they amounted to almost a 30% increase in this type of injury since June 2012.

Read the source article here http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130516-912275.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Read more about the signs and symptoms here http://www.braininjurygroup.co.uk/symptoms-of-brain-injury.html

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Published on Thursday, 02 May 2013 14:31

Healthy young volunteers in Edinburgh are taking part in a trial for a new treatment for stroke by having their brains cooled under a special ‘cooling cap’, as part of a project taking place across Europe.

About 1,000 Europeans die from a stroke every day, with twice as many being left disabled.

The technique is expected to show whether cooling the brain shortly after a stroke reduces damage to the brain. It is already used elsewhere for treating people at risk of brain injury, including newborn babies and cardiac patients.

Results from previous pilot studies indicate that reductions in the brain temperature of as little as 1C could be beneficial and may contribute to significantly reduced mortality rates and improved quality of life for stroke survivors.

It is hoped that in time, the brain cooling process could be started by ambulance crews, allowing treatment for a patient to begin very quickly.

Read the source article here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-22368408

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Published on Monday, 29 April 2013 10:35

A new treatment of giving new-born babies xenon gas shortly after a birth starved of oxygen can now be administered in an ambulance thanks to the development of a mobile incubator.  Experts from the universities of Bristol and Swansea have built equipment which means babies can receive xenon and cooling therapy immediately after birth and during ambulance journeys between neonatal units.  It is early days to know the effectiveness of combining cooling and xenon gas and trials are on-going.  The theory is very promising and the mobile unit is another key step forward in administering the brain damage-prevention treatment within the vital five hour ‘window’ after birth. http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/World-newborn-baby-risk-brain-injury-given-gas/story-18822481-detail/story.html#ixzz2RqVHdY3r

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Published on Thursday, 25 April 2013 08:42

Spandau Ballet and EastEnders star Martin Kemp has opened a brain injury unit in Northampton.  Kemp survived two brain tumours and fully appreciates the importance of the OakLeaf Group facility in Northampton.  Remembering there was no such set up when he was unwell in the mid-90s, Kemp warmly welcomed the unit in Duston.

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/health/martin-kemp-opens-northampton-brain-injury-unit-1-5028891

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Published on Tuesday, 09 April 2013 10:33

This is intended as a guide to the sorts of questions you should ask when consulting a solicitor about your brain injury claim.

Make sure you ask these questions of the actual lawyer that has/will have the day to day conduct of your claim: NOT just the firm where they work.  You may want to ask about specific experience of the type of case you have but the following general questions may help.

Brain injury claims can often take several years to conclude so you will need to ensure that you feel comfortable working together on what can be a complex and demanding case. Remember, if your solicitor does not meet your expectations, you can change representation, even when you have started the legal process. You should not have to put up with a lawyer who does not inspire confidence. 

1. Are you a qualified solicitor? If not, what are your qualifications and who will be supervising you? When did you qualify?
2. How many brain injury cases (worth in excess of £1Million) have you been the lead solicitor with day to day conduct of the litigation in the past 5 years? How many of those cases are you currently handling?
3. In which courts are those cases being litigated? (These cases should be run in the High Court. If the answer is a County Court you may want to ask why?)
4. How many brain injury cases have you personally handled in the past 5 years where:
   (i) Liability has been in dispute?
   (ii) Provisional damages have been claimed? (If none, you should be concerned)
   (iii) An award of periodical payments has been made?
5. What level of professional insurance indemnity cover do you carry? (These cases can often be worth in the region of £10-15 million. You should ensure that your solicitor is adequately covered).
6. Are you a member of any of the following?:
   (i) Brain Injury Group
   (ii) Association of Personal Injury Lawyers. If so, at what level?
   (iii) APIL's Brain Injury Experts Panel
   (iv) Headway Panel
   (v) The Law Society Personal Injury Panel
   (vi) Individually (i.e. personally) listed in Legal 500 or Chambers UK (the two leading peer review directories) of leading lawyers in the field of personal injury law
    
7. I have the benefit of legal expenses insurance (as part of my home contents or motor insurance policy). Can you act for me under the terms of that insurance?
8. Will you act by way of Conditional Fee Agreement? If so, will you take any success fee from my damages? (Some lawyers will take a success fee of up to 25% of the award for damages for the injuries and past losses. Others will not take any of your damages).
9. Will you advise on Court of Protection Deputyship and investment of damages?  Some firms want to act in the litigation so they can make commission on the investment of damages. Ask them for details of how much money they will make on this aspect. Do they have a transparent charging policy?
10. Can you put me in touch with 3 past or current clients so I can ask them about their experience of your handling of a brain injury claim? (If the solicitor is reluctant, you may want to consider why).
11. Have you ever been found liable (or admitted liability) for professional negligence arising out of any personal injury/clinical negligence claim? (If so, please explain the circumstances).
12. Have you ever been found guilty of/ admitted a charge of a breach of professional conduct by any professional regulator (e.g. Law Society, Solicitors Regulation Authority or Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal) arising out of your handling of a personal injury/clinical negligence claim? (If so, please explain the circumstances).

The above questions should help you decide which solicitors are worth seeing for an initial consultation. After that consultation, you may want to ask yourself the following further questions:

1. How quickly did the lawyer respond to my initial enquiry?
2. Did the lawyer explain the process to me in plain English and without baffling me with legal jargon?
3. Was the lawyer able to answer my questions and give me confidence in their abilities?

To find a specialist brain injury solicitor in your area, click here http://www.braininjurygroup.co.uk/find-a-solicitor.html

These questions have been compiled by Warren Collins of Simpson Millar LLP, who are members of the Brain Injury Group.