Sarasota Injury Law Newsletter

Traditionally, physicians have used the skin graft process for replacing skin for victims of severe burn injuries, which involves taking uninjured skin from other parts of the body or growing skin artificially and grafting it over the burned areas of the body. The skin graft process, however, can take weeks or months to heal, renders the victim prone to infection and results in new skin that is quite fragile. Development of the Skin-Cell-Gun Professor Joerg C. Gerlach and his colleagues at the Department of Surgery of the University of Pittsburgh’s McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine have been working since 2008 to develop an alternative to the skin graft process. Scientists now have been testing the Skin-Cell Gun, which sprays skin cells biopsied from the victim’s undamaged skin directly onto the burned area in order to help it regenerate skin more quickly. Use of the Skin-Cell-Gun dramatically reduces recovery time for…
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Spinal cord injuries are typically very serious injuries that greatly affect the life expectancy of the injured person, or the average remaining years of life. While life expectancies have increased in recent years for victims of spinal cord injuries, life expectancies still are somewhat lower than for those persons without spinal cord injuries. The average life expectancy for spinal cord injury victims also depends on the age of the person at the time of the accident, as well as the type and severity of the spinal cord injury. Rates of mortality for spinal cord injury victims are significantly higher during the first year following the accident than in subsequent years. Estimated Life Expectancies for Spinal Cord Injury Victims For instance, the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates that the average life expectancy for a 20-year-old person without a spinal cord injury is 58.4 years. In contrast, the life expectancy…
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A traumatic brain injury occurs when a sudden blow to the head, or a penetrating head injury, disrupts normal brain function. TBIs can range from mild to severe, potentially having long-lasting or permanent effects. TBI victims may suffer from: Chronic headaches Cognitive difficulties Trouble concentrating Memory loss Language and speech problems Difficulty sleeping Sleeping more than usual Fatigue Depression Anxiety Changes in mood or personality Vision problems Sensory problems The two leading causes of traumatic brain injury in the United States are falls and motor vehicle accidents, both of which can change a person’s life in the blink of an eye. Accident victims may find it difficult to adjust to TBI-related disabilities, and the cost of rehabilitation and ongoing care can be overwhelming. If you suffered a TBI in a car accident, bicycle accident, fall or boating accident, or because of medical malpractice or nursing home abuse, an experienced Sarasota…
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In 1971, Florida became the second state in the nation to adopt a statewide policy concerning no-fault insurance, also known as personal injury protection (PIP). In the event of a motor vehicle accident, PIP covers necessary medical, surgical, funeral and disability expenses for injured drivers, passengers and pedestrians, regardless of who was at fault. Florida requires drivers to carry a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection. Earlier this year, the state House and Senate adopted Bill 119, which makes some drastic changes to Florida’s PIP law. The bill was signed into law on May 4, 2012. How Is Florida’s PIP Law Changing? Prior to Bill 119, personal injury protection would cover up to $10,000 for medical attention sought because of a motor vehicle accident. Under the new law, injured parties will be required to seek medical attention within 14 days of the accident, and only those individuals deemed to…
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