Posts by Rocky McElhaney
What Are the Most Dangerous Roads in Tennessee for Truck Accidents?
Some form of driver error is almost always the cause of truck accidents. Some accidents are caused by hazardous road conditions which are completely beyond the control of the truck driver. Factors such as storms and bad weather, animals darting out in front of them, and drivers of other vehicles that the truck driver must…
Read MoreLoss of Taste and Smell are Common Brain Injury Complications
According to BrainLine.org, losing the ability to taste and smell affects up to one in four traumatic brain injury victims. A University of Montreal study confirmed that the loss of these two senses can follow a TBI. The study of 49 people showed that slightly over half the patients with a TBI lost their sense…
Read MoreWinter Weather Driving Tips in Tennessee
While Tennessee has a warmer climate than many states, there are many days when the temperature dips below freezing. There are days when it snows or the roads and bridges freeze. Preparation and preventive driving can help prevent car accidents and help you survive an accident if it happens. Consider the following safety tips before…
Read MoreDoes a Normal MRI Scan Mean No Brain Injury?
Make no mistake about it: very severe brain injuries show up on magnetic resonance imaging scans, called MRIs. They can show brain bleeding; they can show brain bruising. But that doesn’t mean that every traumatic brain injury is gonna show up on an MRI scan. MRIs find stuff that’s macroscopic – that’s seen by the…
Read MoreNew Supreme Court Decision Makes Clear the Standard for Introducing Medical Evidence in Tennessee Personal Injury Cases
A recent Tennessee Supreme Court decision (Jean Dedmon v. Debbie Steelman, et al.) made clear that a plaintiff’s lawyer can introduce hospital, doctor, and other medical bills based on the initial amount the medical care provider charged, and not the discounted amount an insurance company paid. The difference is critical because many juries, judges, and…
Read MoreDealing with Depression After a Traumatic Brain Injury
One of the positive benefits of all the attention on concussion and traumatic brain injury in NFL players, is that the public is becoming increasingly aware of the devastating and long-term effects TBI can inflict. Depression is one of the effects of a traumatic brain injury. Depression can show up weeks, months or even a…
Read MoreElectronic Logging Devices and Truck Driver Safety
Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) are an attempt to keep drivers safe using technology. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been rolling out ELDs in phases that began in 2015, and will end in 2019. Phase II of the ELD mandate will commence on December 18, 2017. This is the last day that paper…
Read MoreSafety Hazards of Medically Unfit Truck Drivers
Truck drivers have a challenging job that requires them to transport goods under a tight schedule across our nation’s highways. Meeting those tight deadlines requires truck drivers to have a lot of stamina. To qualify for a CDL (commercial driver’s license) a truck driver must also be in good health. The U.S. Department of Transportation…
Read MoreFinding Hope for Veterans with TBI and PTSD Given an “Other-Than-Honorable” Discharge
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ National Center for PTSD reports that the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan resulted in increasing numbers of Veterans with traumatic brain injuries. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that 22% of all combat casualties from these conflicts were from brain injuries as compared to about 12% of Vietnam-related combat casualties.…
Read MoreWhat Is Arachnoiditis?
I know what you’re thinking, but arachnoiditis has nothing to do with spiders. Instead, arachnoiditis is a much more serious problem that occurs primarily after repeated lumbar punctures, such as myleograms with myleographic dyes, epidural steroid injections, and epidural anesthesia. When the spine is punctured, oftentimes it creates a cascade of symptoms which results in…
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