Benign mesothelioma is a non-cancerous tumor of the pleura (lining of the lung and chest cavity). Nonmalignant mesothelioma is usually a localized tumor that affects men more frequently than women. The tumor may grow to a large size and compress the lung, which then causes the following symptoms: chronic cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity).

Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.

Approximately half of mesothelioma patients are asymptomatic (show no symptoms of disease). During a physical examination, a health care provider may notice a clubbed appearance of the fingers in a patient, which is an indication of the exposure/disease.The health care professional may run tests that identify mesothelioma. These tests include a chest x-ray, CT scan of the chest and/or and open lung biopsy.

There is no universally accepted protocol for screening people who have been exposed to asbestos. However some research indicates that serum osteopontin levels might be useful in screening asbestos-exposed people for mesothelioma. The level of soluble mesothelin-related protein is elevated in the serum of about 75% of patients at diagnosis, and it has been suggested that assessing soluble mesothelin-related protein levels may be useful for screening.

Surgery is usually generally necessary for a solitary tumor (if found); however, according to current statistics, the outcome of the surgery is expected to be good with prompt treatment. One of the most common complications though is pleural effusion (fluid escaping into the membranes around the lungs), which can be very serious.

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.

Concussion is a mild form of TBI from which recovery often occurs without long term effects unless a person experiences multiple concussions. Repeated brain injuries have a cumulative effect resulting in more severe and more prolonged post-concussion symptoms. A very serious and dangerous condition or even death can occur if a second concussion is suffered while symptoms from a previous concussion still persist. This condition is called second-impact syndrome (SIS).

Sports-Related Concussions Causes and Frequency

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 300,000 people experience concussions each year from sports injuries. Most sports-related concussions come from contact sports, especially football, boxing, hockey, and martial arts. Other major causes of a large number of sports-related concussions are falls or collisions in sports such as skiing, bicycling, horseback riding, basketball, and soccer. In soccer an additional risk for concussions is heading the ball.

The most likely population to suffer concussions due to sports activities are males between the ages of 16 and 25. Within this group, the risk is highest at the high school level. About 25 percent of the 300,000 sports-related concussions reported each year are suffered by high school students playing contact sports. At the college level, over one third of football players has suffered a concussion and about 20 percent have had multiple concussions.

Dangers of Multiple Concussions

Second-impact syndrome (SIS), which is a concussion that occurs while the victim is still recovering from and earlier concussion, has resulted in at least 26 deaths in the past 20 years since this condition was first characterized. Most of these victims were in high school.

While most cases of SIS and multiple concussions do not cause death, the neuropsychological brain damage they cause is significant. Many studies have shown that athletes who have suffered multiple concussions are more likely to have prolonged learning difficulties and perform more poorly on neuropsychological tests compared to people who have had one concussion or no concussions. Some the well-documented neuropsychological impairments in athletes who have had multiple concussions are:

* Reduced speed in processing new information

* Problem solving and planning difficulties

* Increased number of headaches

* Concentration difficulties

* Memory impairments

* Behavioral problems

Why Athletes Suffer Multiple Concussions

Factors that contribute to why athletes suffer multiple concussions are related to the ability to accurately assess severity and recovery from symptoms. For example, there are several different scales for rating severity at the time of the concussion but there is general lack of agreement on which to use. There is also lack of agreement on what amount of time should pass before athletes can safely return to sports. This is because there are not any widely accepted guidelines for assessing whether the athlete has recovered.

Preventing Traumatic Brain Injury

Using proper protective equipment can prevent many cases of concussion. Helmets or other appropriate headgear should be used in contact sports, and in sports for which falling or colliding are risks (skiing, horseback riding, bicycling). Custom fitted mouth pieces may also help prevent concussions in contact sports. To be effective, all protective equipment should be properly fitted and used for the purpose in which is was designed.

Although the risk of concussion is inherent in sports participation, decisions as to what sport to participate in can help mitigate the risk of concussion. If you are concerned about a traumatic brain injury sustained while playing a sport, you may wish to contact an experienced TBI lawyer. Your traumatic brain injury attorney can help you assess your potential TBI claim and help you get the compensation you deserve for the devastation incurred in traumatic brain injuries.

With the number of people killed in SUV rollovers increasing by 14 percent per year, consumers should be aware of the risks SUVs pose to their families. Even more alarming than the rising rollover statistics is the withholding of rollover information by the government and auto manufacturers.

Sobering Statistics

Though the number of SUV rollover fatalities continues to escalate, but SUVs are not being manufactured to better resist rollover crashes. Not a single SUV earned the federal agency’s highest safety rating, according to an NHTSA report in 2003. However, SUV consumption has increased: SUV popularity created a large increase in sales in the 1990s, and because of high consumer demand for these cars, car makers continue to manufacture SUVs. Because the vehicle has changed from simply being an off-road vehicle to a replacement for the family station wagon, manufacturers removed the roll bar that protects drivers and passengers in a rollover situation from SUVs.

Many SUV rollover accidents occur because of the unusual propensity the large car has to roll over when steered hard in foreseeable accident avoidance maneuvers. Also, the size and height of an SUV may increase the danger of rollovers. SUV defects, like weak roofs and safety restraint system failures, are some of the heightened risks involved in an SUV rollover situation. Roof Crush Injury

Roof crush injury is most often the result of rollover automobile accidents. Roof crush injuries kill 10,000 people every year. Vehicle design is supposed to depend on a structural support system that creates a "survival space" that protects car occupants in a crash from injury due to roof crush. When a vehicle does not have the proper roof pillar strength, it will cause the roof to cave into the passenger compartment during an accident. A weak roof makes a vehicle defective, and roof crushes can cause serious and fatal injuries, including disabling brain and spinal injuries.

Safe Roof Designs

Safe roof structure designs have been documented from as early as the 1930s. Vehicles with the safety features mentioned above would reduce the number of roof crush accidents. Despite the availability of safer designs and structures, manufacturers claim it is the force of the impact that leads to injuries and death, notwithstanding the fact that the relationship between rollover crashes and injuries from roof crush was observed and noted as early as 1932.

Safe roofs are equipped with strong roof pillars and full-length closed sections, windshield headers and side sections, internal baffle plates, strong tubular cross-members, and reinforcing gussets at the connections. Some use rigid foam within the tubular cross-members to help strengthen the structure. These different safety precautions can significantly minimize the fatal results of roof crush.

Roof Crush and Rollover

Roof crush injury risks are higher in vehicles with a greater propensity to roll over. Because they are taller and narrower, SUVs, or sports utility vehicles, are three times more likely to roll over in an accident than are other passenger cars. In 1973, the government passed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 216, creating a standard roof strength test to measure the integrity of roof structure in motor vehicles. This test was to apply to motor vehicles weighing six thousand pounds or less. Many SUVs weigh more than this, and are therefore exempt from compulsory safety standards that may be crucial to preventing roof crush injury. In light of SUV roof crush injury risks, consumer advocacy groups have urged the federal government to modify standards so that they include any vehicle weighing ten thousand pounds or less.

Roof pillars appear strong to the average consumer, but most of them consist of just sheet metal that is hollow on the inside at the cross sections. When an accident occurs involving roof structures with a filled inner space, the outcome has been shown to be safer due to a lesser amount of roof crush.

Pillars filled with high-density foam can reduce the severity of a roof crush significantly, saving lives and reducing serious injuries. Overall, federal safety standards fail to provide roof strength requirements that adequately protect people from suffering roof crush injury in a rollover automobile accident. Despite federal standards, many vehicle roofs will easily crush a foot or more during a rollover accident. More stringent testing standards and minimum industry safety standards must be employed if the government hopes to adequately protect people from sustaining serious roof crush injury in automobile accidents.

If You’ve Been Injured in an SUV Accident

Though rollover accidents are regarded as highly survivable events, the integrity of a vehicle’s roof structure during impact is crucial. Windshield reinforcement is a critical component of vehicle design: when a windshield is destroyed in the course of an accident, the strength of the roof is instantly reduced by 33 percent. As a result, roof crush injuries are often extremely serious. Common roof crush injuries include neck fractures and other spinal injuries. Sometimes a brain injury may result from the roof crushing in on the vehicle occupant. These head and neck injuries can also cause paraplegia, quadriplegia, or other life-altering conditions.

If you have suffered injury due to a roof crush car crash, you may be eligible for monetary compensation due to faulty automobile design. Contact an experienced crashworthiness attorney as soon as possible. Your crashworthiness lawyer will help you assess your claim, file a law suit, and get the compensation you deserve.

Motorcyclists, even those who wear helmets, are most likely to sustain non-penetrative injuries to the front of the head, damaging parts of the brain responsible for speech and higher functions. Those without helmets may also be susceptible to a penetrating brain injury, in which an object enters the head and skull, damaging the soft tissue of the brain itself. Helmets Essential to Prevent Traumatic Brain Injury

Study after study shows that the best way to prevent a traumatic brain injury is to wear a helmet approved by the federal Department of Transportation. (Some also carry approval from the Snell Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to testing the effectiveness of commercial helmets.) In January of 2006, only four states in the U.S: Colorado, Illinois, New Hampshire and Iowa- had no law at all requiring motorcyclists to use helmets. Twenty-six others had limited helmet laws, usually ones that require helmets for riders who are under 18 or 21.

But even in states without strict helmet laws, riders are still strongly advised that their chances of death or serious head injury are seriously reduced by wearing a helmet. A rider’s failure to equip passengers, particularly passengers who are under 21, with helmets may be considered negligent. And if the helmet is below state and federal standards, poorly fitted, old or has been through a previous accident, that helmet is not safe, may not be legal and will not prevent death, brain damage or another traumatic injury. Other Brain Injury Risks for Motorcyclists

Even though proper equipment significantly cuts down a motorcyclist’s chance of a traumatic brain injury, it is not foolproof. Riders must stay aware of other factors that could lead to a motorcycle accident involving a traumatic brain injury. Motorcyclists are advised to check their bikes and equipment for problems before each ride; adjust the suspension and tire pressure of the motorcycle when carrying a passenger; wear boots, gloves and other protective gear; and adjust for changing road conditions.

The cost of an accident that causes traumatic brain injury can be severe. A traumatic brain injury causes brain damage that can range from a mild concussion to severe, life-changing disabilities such as trouble communicating, personality changes, schizophrenia, or even a coma. Because the brain cannot heal itself the way other organs do, these are often lifelong problems that cost tens of thousands of dollars to treat. They also place a severe emotional and financial burden on the injured person’s family members. If you or someone you know is the victim of a motorcycle accident causing traumatic brain injury, it is essential to seek out an expert in accidents and TBI who can help reconstruct the accident and secure compensation.

Antifibrinolytic drugs such as Trasylol are used during heart surgery because they slow the breakdown of blood clots during, and thus can prevent excessive bleeding. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) there are not many alternatives when it comes to patients at risk for excessive bleeding during heart surgery. Thus, the FDA is working with Bayer to phase Trasylol out of the marketplace in a way that does not cause shortages of other drugs used for reducing bleeding during surgery. Therefore, at this point there will be no complete Trasylol recall. However, these recent negative findings concerning Trasylol are only the next in a long line of safety concerns and warnings that have been documented by the FDA.

In September 2006, Bayer A.G. was faulted by the FDA for not revealing during testimony the existence of a commissioned retrospective study that concluded Trasylol carried potentially greater risks than other similar antifibrinolytic drugs. The FDA was alerted to the study by one of the researchers involved. Although the FDA issued a statement of concern they did not change their recommendation that the drug may benefit certain subpopulations of patients. In a Public Health Advisory Update dated October 3, 2006, the FDA recommended that "physicians consider limiting Trasylol use to those situations in which the clinical benefit of reduced blood loss is necessary to medical management and outweighs the potential risks" and carefully monitor patients. Due to the necessity for such drugs in hear surgery, the FDA did not recommend any withdrawal or Trasylol recall, but did issue a new Trasylol warning label to strengthen safety warnings concerning Trasylol.

This trend of potentially dangerous findings concerning Trasylol illustrates sometimes that once a drug is approved by the FDA, halting its sale is exceedingly difficult. Experts on FDA advisory panels are often hesitant to take widely used medicines out of doctors hands, even when their safety is uncertain. For this reason it is important for anyone who may have had Trasylol used during a surgical procedure to consult with their doctor about the potential risks involved. The need for serious consultation concerning the safety of Trasylol is perhaps even more important for those who may potentially require Trasylol in a future surgical procedure.

For anyone who believes that, in addition to a medical consultation, they might require any kind of legal advice, contacting an experienced Trasylol law firm may be the best course of action. A Trasylol lawyer experienced in the intricacies of the complex situation involved in this case would be able to offer guidance and information to anyone who may have been affected, or who may have had a loved one affected. Getting in touch with an expert Trasylol attorney can be as easy as filling out the Trasylol lawyer case evaluation form at the top or bottom of this page. Get advice you need on any potential Trasylol lawsuit today!

Scientists believe gadolinium may cause NSF because it reacts badly to high levels of acid in the body. Because patients with kidney failure aren’t able to process impurities out of their blood as well as healthy people, they have a much higher level of acid in their bodies, a condition known as acidosis. The brand names of gadolinium-containing dyes that are approved for use in the United States with MRIs include: Magnevist, MultiHance, Omniscan, OptiMARK and ProHance.

Brand names of gadolinium-containing dyes used in other countries include Dotarim, Gadovist, Primovist and Vasovist.

Painful, Debilitating Symptoms

NSF was originally called nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy, because its first and most obvious symptoms are lesions or rough patches on the patient’s skin. Over a period of days to weeks, patients notice a swelling and tightening of the skin, especially the skin on the arms, hands, legs and feet. This is often symmetrical, meaning that a spot on the patient’s right arm will appear in a similar place on the left arm. The skin develops lesions — areas where it gets redder or darker, which burn, itch or send sharp pains through the area. On a microscopic level, scientists have found that these lesions are caused by a buildup of too much skin and connective tissue — essentially, scar tissue.

Over time, the lesions harden and become "woody," resembling an orange peel. Eventually, this hardening makes it impossible for patients to bend their fingers, elbows, knees or other joints — robbing patients of their ability to walk, perform daily tasks or even care for themselves. And the disease attacks other organs in the same way, leading to a buildup of scar tissue that could eventually stop internal organs from working as well, causing death.

In addition to these symptoms, NSF patients have also reported: Blister-like spots on the hands, muscle weakness, bone pain in the hips and ribs, yellow lesions on or near the eyes and sudden development of hypertension (high blood pressure).

Confounding Diagnoses

Because NSF is only found in patients who already have kidney failure, its symptoms are often disguised by existing symptoms of a serious disease. Indeed, some scientists believe that NSF is underdiagnosed in kidney patients. In addition, NSF is often found about two weeks after the patient underwent a serious medical problem or a surgery, such as failure of a transplanted kidney, deep-vein thrombosis, angioplasty or another traumatic event that affects the blood vessels and the heart. Researchers are currently investigating whether these traumas cause NSF or are some of its effects. Many of them would be treated or diagnosed with MRI/MRA tests, suggesting that the tests — and their use of gadolinium — could be the problem.

Crippling Effects

Even if it did not affect patients’ independence, NSF would be disabling because of its painful and disfiguring effects on the skin. But because it also causes muscle weakness, joint pain and physical inflexibility in patients who already have serious kidney problems, NSF can be literally crippling, putting some patients in a wheelchair within weeks of diagnosis. In severe cases, patients may need assistance just to move, care for themselves and perform the daily tasks of living. For people who have fought hard to live independent lives after renal failure, this can be emotionally devastating as well. And NSF presents a very real threat of death: directly, through buildup of scar tissue on vital internal organs, or indirectly, through falls and accidents caused by the patient’s loss of mobility. That is just too high a price to pay for a simple diagnostic test.

As of December 21, 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration knew of at least 215 cases of NSF worldwide. Of these, all of the patients whose medical histories were reviewed in detail had been exposed to gadolinium in an MRI or MRA. In addition, tests have found gadolinium in the skin lesions of people with NSF. While more research is needed to confirm these findings, this very strong correlation between gadolinium and NSF has already led to lawsuits across the country. As researchers begin to confirm the link between NSF and gadolinium, observers expect many more.

The International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association (ISMA) is actively involved in a worldwide campaign to encourage snowmobile safety and safety training programs. However, laws governing snowmobile operation vary widely among different states, and generally, there are fewer restrictions and regulations for operation than for other motor vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles. Causes of Snowmobile Accidents

Speed is a contributing factor to most fatal snowmobile accidents. Driving too fast often occurs when alcohol is involved. Alcohol can not only impair judgment but can also cause hypothermia. Driving at night presents another hazard, since vision is limited. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, most fatal snowmobile accidents happen between 8:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. Drowning is another leading cause of snowmobile fatalities.

Among children who are injured or killed in snowmobile crashes, about two-thirds of the fatal accidents are due to head and neck injuries, usually from striking a stationary object. For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 16 not be allowed to operate snowmobiles, and that all riders (drivers and passengers) be required to wear helmets. Snowmobile Safety

The most important snowmobile safety practices are:

* Maintain the snowmobile in top condition

* Wear appropriate gear including helmet and face shield or goggles; layers of clothing (water repellent); warm mitts or gloves; warm boots; windproof outer layer;

* Stay in control by knowing and staying within your own abilities and the abilities of the vehicle;

* Plan your route and tell someone else, including estimated time of arrival;

* Travel at a safe speed and be especially cautious at night -Avoid alcohol and drugs before and when driving;

* Ride with someone else and do not travel alone;

* Stay alert. Be aware of fatigue caused by the vibration and motion of the snowmobile and the sun and wind, all of which affect reaction time;

* Stay on marked trails;

* Cross roadways with care, stopping first before proceeding at a right angle to the road -Avoid crossing water (lakes or rivers);

* Carry a safety kit containing a first aid kit, flashlight, matches, tool kit, and compass;

* If traveling in the mountains, be aware of avalanche dangers;

When Snowmobile Accidents Happen

Most snowmobile crashes result in personal injury, which is why it is best to travel with someone else who may be able to help in the event of an accident. If your snowmobile goes through the ice, a snowmobile suit should keep you afloat for a few minutes. Pull up onto the ice and roll away from the hole, standing only when you are well away from the hole. Keep your mitts or gloves on.

If traveling in the mountains, which has the risk of avalanches, again be sure to have a partner. Carry rescue gear such as a beacon, radio, shovels, and probe poles for locating people who are buried in the snow. Dangers of Snowmobile Racing

Snowmobile racing is becoming increasing popular. The high speeds of snowmobile racing can result in loss of control and flipping of the vehicle and an increased the risk of striking objects or other snowmobiles. This means increased risk of personal injury. Manufacturer’s Recall Alert

In 2006, a snowmobile recall occurred for about 3,600 snowmobiles sold in the United States and Canada. Snowmobile enthusiasts must be aware that snowmobiles, as with any vehicle are subject to mechanical defects that can result in injury or death. The snowmobile manufacturer for this recall is Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) out of Quebec, Canada. BRP manufactured the 2005 and 2006 Ski-Doo models in which ring gears fragment at high speeds releasing high speed debris. This flying debris has caused injuries including lacerations and fractures.

If you have been injured in a snowmobile accident, you may have a legal case. Contact an experienced snowmobile accident attorney to determine whether you might be eligible for compensation.

Benign mesothelioma is a non-cancerous tumor of the pleura (lining of the lung and chest cavity). Nonmalignant mesothelioma is usually a localized tumor that affects men more frequently than women. The tumor may grow to a large size and compress the lung, which then causes the following symptoms: chronic cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity).

Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.

Approximately half of mesothelioma patients are asymptomatic (show no symptoms of disease). During a physical examination, a health care provider may notice a clubbed appearance of the fingers in a patient, which is an indication of the exposure/disease.The health care professional may run tests that identify mesothelioma. These tests include a chest x-ray, CT scan of the chest and/or and open lung biopsy.

There is no universally accepted protocol for screening people who have been exposed to asbestos. However some research indicates that serum osteopontin levels might be useful in screening asbestos-exposed people for mesothelioma. The level of soluble mesothelin-related protein is elevated in the serum of about 75% of patients at diagnosis, and it has been suggested that assessing soluble mesothelin-related protein levels may be useful for screening.

Surgery is usually generally necessary for a solitary tumor (if found); however, according to current statistics, the outcome of the surgery is expected to be good with prompt treatment. One of the most common complications though is pleural effusion (fluid escaping into the membranes around the lungs), which can be very serious.

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.

Symptoms of Balance Disorders

Balance disorders occur, at least temporarily, in nearly all people who have suffered a TBI. This instability can exist even when neurological tests do not detect any problems.

Common symptoms of balance dysfunctions include:

* Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, woozy or a sensation of spinning (vertigo)

* Burred vision

* Falling or unsteady gait (feeling of falling)

Diagnosing Balance Disorders

Maintaining balance is a complex multifunctional process that involves interplay between three systems:

* Vestibular system (the inner ear balance organs)

* Visual system (eyes)

* Somatosenory system (joint and muscle receptors or sensors)

Normally, the brain receives and processes information about the environment and these systems work together to control balance. The Sensory Organization Test (SOT) is the primary test that assesses balance impairment by evaluating each of the three balance systems. Balance Impairment and Severity of Traumatic Brain Injury

The severity of TBI is determined using several measures such as:

* Glasgow Coma Test

* Length of unconsciousness (time in a coma)

* Length of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA)

For TBI patients beginning rehabilitation, there is a significant relationship between TBI severity and degree of sitting and standing balance impairment. Patients with more severe TBI ratings also have more impaired balance ratings.

Recovery from Balance Disorders Caused by Traumatic Brain Injury

A study at Wayne State University found that the degree of balance impairment for brain-damaged patients (specifically sitting balance impairment), measured at time of admission to rehabilitation can predict the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) at discharge. FIM measures the degree to which recovering patients can live independently after discharge. This study underscores the relationship between brain injury severity, balance impairment, and the prognosis for TBI recovery.

For cases of mild traumatic brain injury in which there was no loss of consciousness and no clinically detectable problems, balance impairments (as measured by performance on the Sensory Organization Test), usually last from 3 to 10 days. However, subtle balance impairments that are harder to detect, such as abnormally high reliance on vision for maintaining balance, can persist for months or years.

Individual treatment plans for balance disorders may include balance retraining exercises, general exercise, and certain drugs. Recovery takes time and recovery times vary. Some brain-injured people require assistance for years. If you have suffered from a traumatic brain injury, you may wish to contact an experienced TBI attorney to help you assess your claim and gain compensation for your medical expenses, future medical care, and the pain and suffering that brain damage and brain injury can cause.