Brick New Jersey Personal Injury Law Blog

New Jersey residents who plan on taking a road trip during the summer are probably aware that others have similar plans. This means more cars on the road and, unfortunately, more crashes. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car and motorcycle crashes are the number one cause of traumatic brain injuries. This should be a cause for concern for everyone out on the road.

TBI symptoms can arise just minutes after an accident, but they are often delayed symptoms. They can include exaggerated mood changes, slurred speech and changes in cognitive function. Doctors examining crash victims will look for issues like memory loss, poor word recall, loss of balance and coordination and a diminished ability to count backward. These could point to a TBI or, in less severe cases, a concussion.

In 2017, there were 37,150 fatalities on the nation's roads, according to U.S. DoT data. This is a 10 percent increase from 2014, and many experts believe that distracted driving has a large part to play in it. Drivers in New Jersey who are concerned about this trend, which is being aggravated by advances in technology, can consider the results of several recent studies made on the subject.

An AAA study showed that built-in infotainment systems demand a high level of attention from drivers, even more so than interfaces like Android Auto or Apple CarPlay that run off smartphones. Researchers conducted an experiment with 64 participants driving five different vehicles; the participants were asked to make calls, text, adjust audio, enter navigation destinations and use the other features on the infotainment systems and smartphone interfaces.

Drivers in New Jersey should exercise caution when sharing the road with large trucks. One thing to remember is that truck accidents often end in death, and that in 97 percent of these fatal crashes, it is the occupant of a passenger vehicle who dies. When victims survive, they are usually left with serious physical and mental trauma.

Some of the most severe physical injuries are incurred by the spinal cord. The impact of the crash could cause the vertebrae to become dislodged, fractured or compressed. The nerves could become damaged, leading to temporary or permanent paralysis. Other bones, such as the leg, arm and hip bones, may be broken as the body is thrown against the window, air bag or steering wheel. Victims may have to undergo multiple surgeries before recovering.

If you don’t have it, you probably have not given much thought to carpal tunnel syndrome. But if you have been diagnosed with this condition or suspect there is something wrong with your hand or arm, this post could help you understand what is happening – and what you can do to get better.

The carpal tunnel a passage in the wrist that allows a nerve called the median nerve to pass between the arm and the hand. The ligament at the top of the tunnel is very rigid. If that ligament or other surrounding tissues become swollen, the resulting pressure on the median nerve and causing carpal tunnel syndrome.