Recently in Brain Injury Category

Pennsylvania State Senators Pat Browne and Tim Briggs reintroduced identical legislation that focuses on preventing brain-injured student athletes from returning to a game too soon. The bills also seek to better educate students, coaches, and parents about sports concussions, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

"Even a ding or a bump on the head can be serious, and can result in long-term or lifelong disability," Briggs said.

Take Tracy Yatsko, 23. She was a student at Tamaqua Area High School in 2005 and knocked her head against another player during a basketball game. Yatsko felt nauseous, dizzy, and ached after the blow, showing clear signs of a concussion. However, she returned to practice the next day and continued playing until she collapsed in a locker room one day.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that a judge has dismissed a personal injury lawsuit against Duquesne University. Sam Ashaolu, a former basketball player for the university, attempted to sue the school as well as the university's Black Student Union for negligence. While he was attending an on-campus dance, he and four of his other teammates were wounded from gunfire when two men attacked them.

In 2006, the victim was shot twice in the head by William Holmes and Derek Lee. Mr. Holmes and Mr. Lee were accompanied by two women:  Erica Sager and Brittany Jones. Mr. Ashaolu's brain injury was the most severe. ABC 4 News reports that his PA personal injury attorney, Joshua Geist said in 2008 when the lawsuit was filed that, "It'll be a long, hard road for Sam Ashaolu to travel throughout his life. Injuries to the brain, as in this case, are almost always permanent." In the lawsuit, his PA personal injury attorney claimed that Duquesne University was negligent because they should have had better security.

North of Philadelphia, in East Rockhill Township, PA, a high school student was struck by an SUV. The 15-year-old boy was hit when he stepped onto the road.

ABC 6 reports that Dr. Margaret Kantes, "the principle of Pennridge North Middle school," was the one driving the SUV. Kantes stayed with the student after the accident, and "rendered aid" until the paramedics and police arrived.

The boy received serious head injuries from the collision. It is not clear whether it was a brain injury. As of now, his condition is stable.

In South Brunswick, NJ, a seventeen-year-old boy died at a basketball game. The AP reports that he was on the sidelines of a Crossroads Middle School game when he collapsed. Even though CPR was performed on him and then a defibrillator was used, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

As much as we would like things to make sense, to have someone to blame, as of now, it does not appear that anyone is at fault or that a PA personal injury attorney is needed.

In one week, Philadelphia has been bombarded with stabbings and gunshot wounds that have sent six men to the hospital (Philadelphia Daily News). While there does not seem to be an immediate connection between all of the crimes, that does not rule out the possibility. 

If there was a connection between some if not all of the attacks, then the victims would be able to hire a PA personal injury attorney and file the suit together. Having the same criminal in a string of similar robberies means that he could be charged for all of them at once. This would make the process a lot faster and save on court costs for the plaintiffs.

Rhashad Carlton has been charged with nearly beating a man to death for allegedly disrespecting his mother, Bonita.

The victim was beated outside of Sean Og's Irish Pub by five people including Carlton and his 45-year-old mother. A surveillance camera was able to record the fight. After the victim was unconscious, the mob left except for Carlton who continued the assault.