Severe head injury and epilepsy

Patients who have severe head injuries have 22 times the normal risk of having epilepsy in the year following injury and seven times the normal risk even 10 years after the initial injury, according to the results of a study. The results were presented at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society (AES) by Per Sidenius, MD, Epilepsy Epidemiology Consultant, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Aarhus.

Doctors and colleagues identified 73,326 individuals with mild brain injury, 5,099 with skull fracture, and 3,850 with severe brain injury. A total of 17,470 people born within the time period had a diagnosis of epilepsy, and of these, 1,031 developed epilepsy after some form of brain injury.

Among patients with mild brain injury and those with skull fracture 1.14% and 1.5%, respectively, developed epilepsy in the 10 years following head injuries, whereas 3% of individuals with severe brain injury developed epilepsy in this time period. Although the relative risk for epilepsy with mild brain injury and skull fracture was higher in the first year following the head injury, the long-term risk was about double that of the general population [relative risk (RR) 2.22 and 2.17, respectively, with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 2.07-2.38 and 1.73-2.71, respectively].

The relative risk for epilepsy in the year following a severe head injury was approximately 22 times the risk for the general population with an ongoing relative risk of over seven times the risk for the general population (RR 7.40, 95% CI 6.16-8.89). When the researchers examined other risk factors, they found that a family history of epilepsy resulted in an even greater long-term relative risk for individuals with all three injury types (mild brain injury RR 5.75, 95% CI 4.56-7.27, P=.03; skull fracture RR 2.71, 95% CI 0.87-8.41, P=.04; severe brain injury RR 10.09, 95% CI 4.20-24.26, P <.00001).

Anecdotal evidence of a link between head trauma and increased risk of epilepsy has been a part of epilepsy care for a long time, but doctors emphasised that this study provides an empirical basis for this link and quantifies the risk. Physicians caring for patients with severe head trauma now have the evidence to support continued evaluation and possibly prophylactic care for these patients. These results should encourage additional attention to safety among the general population. "If you prevent head injuries, for example by giving your children bicycle helmets, you are also preventing epilepsy."

If you have been injured as a result of severe injury, or if you have been misdiagnosed by a doctor for epilepsy, please contact our firm (210) 979-9777 or visit our websites http://www.thebaezlawfirm.com or http://www.sanantoniopersonalinjurytriallawyers.com for a free evaluation of your case.

U.S. Law Firms, please beware.

First and foremost, we would like to take this opportunity to thank City Bank Fraud Department for preventing our firm from falling under the scheme that we are about to reveal to Law Firms all over the United States. Again, thank you!

Recently, our law firm received a proposal for business representation from Asia. We are expanding our Internet marketing, and apparently, it was working. Our first clients from the Orient had arrived with a proposal almost impossible to resist. In reality, this crooks are not from Asia, they are from Nigeria and their base of operations is Canada.

This is how their scam works. They will contact you via mail, or electronically through the firm’s website page. They will pose themselves as Asian corporations in need of representation against their clients. Their alleged name was Daechang. (This is not to say that Daechang was the company perpetrating the fraud, this was the name that the crooks used this time). We believe that they used real companies names in order to achieve their objectives. So, we conducted research, and it was all legitimate. Daechang, happens to be an Asian corporation with international clients.

According to them, they have clients all over US and their clients have delinquent accounts. They will tell you that, they have tried the same techniques in Europe with great success. So apparently, all they would need is a reputable firm (so far, our law firm fitted the profile). Our firm was to contact these American companies, in an effort to avoid litigation. The operations department from our firm sent Daechang the retainer agreement, and so the usual hourly contract was sent to the Asian corporation, and it was signed by their alleged president Mr. Si-young, cho. In most cases, our business retainer pre litigation is $25, 000.00 and our firm will not start any representation before the retainer is sent to our main office.

The next day, their president contacted us and indicated that (PCC Logistics) was ready to write a certified check for them through our law firm for the amount of $194, 000.00. They would need immediate representation from the firm, in order to help them collect from PCC Logistics. Mr. Si-young, cho instructed the PCC Logistics to send the check to the law firm, since the law firm represented them in the US.

We informed Mr. Si-young, cho that unless we received the retainer, we would not represent them; however, that same day, a certified check for the amount of $194, 000.00 arrived via Federal Express to our main office attached with an invoice from PCC Logistics. Mr. Si-young, cho had indicated that we were to subtract our retainer agreement from the $194, 000.00 and sent them the rest. Sounds familiar?

We were skeptical, so we took the alleged certified check to our bank. They informed us that "all of the right features of a certified check were present" that "we had nothing to worry about, to deposit the check in our accounts." Thank God that we decided to go to the drawee bank before depositing into our accounts. The folks at City Bank worked very hard to let us know that the check was fake.

We pray that the crooks conducting this schemes will get caught. We also pray that no other law firms in the U.S. will be affected by their fraud.

Police brutality in Texas

Most people turn to the police for protection and safety. As citizens, we trust police officers to use their authority and training to keep us safe. Occasionally, however, some police officers use poor judgment and abuse this authority, causing harm to the very citizens they have sworn to protect, and beginning the cycle of mistrust.

If you have been a victim of police abuse you probably feel helpless and frightened. Your sense of security and right-and-wrong has been forever shattered. While the vast majority of law enforcement officers are dedicated and ethical, the officers who are not tarnish the reputation of the force as a whole, and the community suffers.

Police officers have a duty to know and abide by the limits of their position. Whether or not a crime has been committed, they have a legal responsibility to act within reason. If a crime was involved, you may feel that you have no real defense against the abuse and that taking action puts you at risk for a harsher punishment. If there was no crime, you fear for your reputation and an undeserved permanent criminal record which will follow and limit you for the rest of your life.

Not only is police brutality and misconduct an egregious violation of public trust and authority, it is also illegal, and guilty law enforcement officers can and must be held legally accountable for their crimes. Some common claims upon which police brutality or misconduct charges are built include: excessive use of force, and wrongful imprisonment.

If you have been the victim of police abuse you must act quickly. There are several things you should do right away:

1- Seek medical attention
2- File a complaint
3- Take photos of your injuries
4- Get statements from witnesses
5- Contact The Baez Law Firm

If you, or someone you know has been a victim of police brutality, contact The Baez Law Firm, P.C. at (210) 979-9777, where experienced lawyers will handle your case with respect and dignity. Visit our websites http://www.thebaezlawfirm.com or http://www.sanantoniopersonalinjurytriallawyers.com We care about your legal needs!

What is Personal Injury Protection (PIP)?

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is an extension of car insurance available in Texas, which covers medical expenses and, in some cases, lost wages and other damages. PIP pays off regardless of who is at fault and is mandatory in some states, especially those with no-fault laws. PIP coverage may vary from state to state.

PIP can cover within the specified limits, the medical, hospital and funeral expenses of the insured, others in his vehicles and pedestrians struck by him. The basic coverage for the insured's own injuries on a first-party basis, without regard to fault. It is only available in certain states.

Personal injury protection insurance is an option that you can purchase when you buy automobile insurance. PIP pays for your medical expenses and your lost wages when you’re in a car accident or wreck. PIP has two important features. First, there is no subrogation interest; unlike health insurance, if you submit bills to your PIP carrier, you do not have to reimburse the PIP carrier for amounts paid when you receive a verdict or settlement that includes the same bills. And second, you can submit bills to your PIP carrier even if the bills have been paid by your health insurance.

If you have been injured in an accident, we can help. The Báez Law Firm, P.C. is here to protect your legal needs. Call us at (210) 979-9777 or visit our websited http://www.thebaezlawfirm.com or http://www.sanantoniopersonalinjurytriallawyers.com for a free initial consultation. We care about your legal needs.

Texas wrongful death claims

A wrongful death has occurred when a person is killed due to the negligence or other liability of a person or entity. Surviving beneficiaries and dependents are entitled to monetary damages in instances of wrongful death.

The Texas Legislature in 1860 enacted the original Texas Wrongful Death Statute. The Wrongful Death Act has been amended, codified and recodified over the years and is now Chapter 71 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code.The Act provides the exclusive remedy for wrongful death in Texas, compensating the decedent's spouse, parents, and children for the losses they sustained as a result of the decedent's injury and death. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.004(a).

A wrongful death action is separate and distinct from a survival action, where the individual's cause of action for injury to his health, reputation or person survives in favor of his heirs, legal representative, and estate. See Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.021.
"A person is liable for damages arising from an injury that causes an individual's death if the injury was caused by the person/agents or servant's wrongful act, neglect, carelessness, unskillfulness or default." Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.002(b).

Suit may be brought under the Act "only if the individual injured would have been entitled to bring an action for the injury if he had lived." Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.003(a). Under Texas law, plaintiffs bringing a wrongful death action are in the procedural shoes of the victim, and the defenses to victim's personal injury action are defenses to plaintiff's wrongful death claim.

The basic elements of a wrongful death claim are:
Death caused, in whole or in part, by the conduct of another person or entity.
Person or entity was negligent, or strictly liable, for victim's death
There are surviving beneficiaries or dependents
Monetary damages have resulted from individuals death.

The wrongful death action is subject to all the conditions to which decedent's action would have been subject had he or she only been injured. If a defendant to a wrongful death action dies while the suit is pending, or if an individual against whom an action could be instituted dies before the suit is filed, the individual's executor or administrator may be named as defendant in his place. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.008(a).

The surviving spouse, children and parents may bring the suit. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.004(b). If named beneficiaries do not bring an action within three (3) months of the death of the injured party, the executor or administrator of the estate shall bring the action on behalf of the beneficiaries unless instructed not to do so by all the beneficiaries. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.004(c).

A wrongful death cause of action accrues at death, if it exists at all, 2 years from death.
The two-year statute of limitations is absolute from the date of death. The so-called "discovery rule" does not apply in wrongful death and survival actions. In death cases raising limitations issues in medical malpractice claims, the courts have determined that, as between the statute of limitations for death claims, §16.003(b) of the Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann., and the statute of limitations set forth in § 74.251. for health care liability claims, the latter applied.

If your love one has been killed due to the negligence of others, please give us a call (210) 979-9777 or visit our websites: http://www.thebaezlawfirm.com http://www.sanantoniopersonalinjurytriallawyers.com for a free initial consultation. Because we care about your legal needs!

Texas wrongful death actions

A wrongful death has occurred when a person is killed due to the negligence or other liability of a person or entity. Surviving beneficiaries and dependents are entitled to monetary damages in instances of wrongful death. The Texas Legislature in 1860 enacted the original Texas Wrongful Death Statute. The Wrongful Death Act has been amended, codified and recodified over the years and is now Chapter 71 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code.

The Act provides the exclusive remedy for wrongful death in Texas, compensating the decedent, spouse, parents, and children for the losses they sustained as a result of the decedent's injury and death. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.004(a).

A wrongful death action is separate and distinct from a survival action, where the individual's cause of action for injury to his health, reputation or person survives in favor of his heirs, legal representative, and estate. See Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.021.

"A person is liable for damages arising from an injury that causes an individual's death if the injury was caused by the person/agent or servant's wrongful act, neglect, carelessness, unskillfulness or default." Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.002(b).

Suit may be brought under the Act "only if the individual injured would have been entitled to bring an action for the injury if he had lived." Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.003(a). Under Texas law, plaintiffs bringing a wrongful death action are in the procedural shoes of the victim, and the defenses to victim's personal injury action are defenses to plaintiff's wrongful death claim.

The basic elements of a wrongful death claim are:
Death caused, in whole or in part, by the conduct of another person or entity.
Person or entity was negligent, or strictly liable, for victim's death
There are surviving beneficiaries or dependents
Monetary damages have resulted from individuals death.

The wrongful death action is subject to all the conditions to which decedent's action would have been subject had he or she only been injured. If a defendant to a wrongful death action dies while the suit is pending, or if an individual against whom an action could be instituted dies before the suit is filed, the individual's executor or administrator may be named as defendant in his place. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.008(a).

The surviving spouse, children and parents may bring the suit. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.004(b). If named beneficiaries do not bring an action within three (3) months of the death of the injured party, the executor or administrator of the estate shall bring the action on behalf of the beneficiaries unless instructed not to do so by all the beneficiaries. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. §71.004(c).

A wrongful death cause of action accrues at death, if it exists at all, 2 years from death.
The two-year statute of limitations is absolute from the date of death. The so-called "discovery rule" does not apply in wrongful death and survival actions. In death cases raising limitations issues in medical malpractice claims, the courts have determined that, as between the statute of limitations for death claims, §16.003(b) of the Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann., and the statute of limitations set forth in § 74.251. for health care liability claims, the latter applied.

Something about the presidential candidates

Sen. Barack Obama's name could well come up in the trial of his longtime friend and accused Illinois fixer Tony Rezko, according to Chicago lawyers following the case.

Even before Barack Obama graduated from law school, his career as a lawyer and politician was nurtured by a Chicago businessman named Tony Rezko. Now Senator Obama avoids discussing Rezko.The most recent public appearance of the once-dapper businessman was in a federal court, unshaven, wearing an orange jumpsuit and constrained by leg irons.

Senator Obama hopes to beat Hillary Clinton in this week's Texas and Ohio primaries, victories that may ensure his nomination for president. At the same time, prosecutors and defence lawyers are expected to be in a Chicago courtroom selecting a jury to decide Rezko's fate.
In a high-profile corruption case, Rezko is accused of extortion for peddling influence in the administration of the Democratic Governor, Rod Blagojevich. The trial could last until June, over four critical months in Senator Obama's presidential campaign. His campaign aides know Rezko will be a distraction but do not believe it will have serious impact.

"Rezko has been a friend and supporter [of Obama's], as he has been with many politicians," said Senator Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod. "It's always easy in retrospect to say this or that should have been a warning flag."Mr Blagojevich, believed to be a subject of the investigation though he is not charged, denies wrongdoing. Senator Obama is not implicated. But the US District judge Amy St Eve made it likely that Senator Obama's name would come up in court by ruling that prosecutors may introduce evidence that Rezko used straw donors to make donations to politicians, apparently including Senator Obama.

In a debate in January, Senator Clinton jabbed Senator Obama over his legal representation of Rezko "in his slum landlord business in inner-city Chicago". Senator Obama said the characterisation was not accurate.Senator Obama had represented the non-profit Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corp, founded by Bishop Arthur Brazier of the Apostolic Church of God.

Woodlawn was a partner of Rezko in four low-income housing projects. In 1994 Senator Obama represented Woodlawn on a troubled project it later shared with Rezko.The city of Chicago sued, alleging Woodlawn failed to provide tenants with heat in the winter, and Senator Obama represented the landlord in court.


In 1975, a 27-year-old Hillary Rodham, acting as a court-appointed attorney, attacked the credibility of a 12-year-old girl in mounting an aggressive defense for an indigent client accused of rape in Arkansas — using her child development background to help the defendant....
In her 2003 autobiography "Living History," Clinton writes that she initially balked at the assignment, but eventually secured a lenient plea deal for Taylor after a New York-based forensics expert she hired "cast doubt on the evidentiary value of semen and blood samples collected by the sheriff's office."...

"She was vigorously advocating for her client. What she did was appropriate," said Andrew Schepard, director of Hofstra Law School's Center for Children, Families and the Law. "He was lucky to have her as a lawyer ... In terms of what's good for the little girl? It would have been hell on the victim. But that wasn't Hillary's problem."...

Presidential contender John McCain has a lawyer joke that he routinely tells when he is on the stump, the Wall Street Journal Law Blog reports.The well-known—and rather old—joke goes like this:What is the difference between a catfish and a lawyer? One is a scum-sucking bottom dweller. The other is a fish.

McCain also told the joke on the Tonight Show. When asked to comment, McCain spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker simply told the blog, “It’s a joke.”The blog’s comments section included several more jokes, including this one:A junior partner at a national law firm dies in an accident. He meets St. Peter at the pearly gates and protests, “This has to be a mistake, I’m only 35 years old.”St. Peter replies, “No mistake. According to your billing diaries, you’re 110.”

Huckabee was born in Hope, Arkansas, to Mae Elder (1925-1999) and Dorsey Wiles Huckabee (1923-1996), both natives of Hope. His surname is of English origin. His father worked as a fireman and mechanic, and his mother worked as a clerk at a gas company. His father was a strict disciplinarian, and left a lasting impression. Speaking to Charles Gibson of ABC News, he explained with a grin: "My father was the ultimate patriot. You know, he’d lay on the stripes, and I’d see stars."

Huckabee's first job, at 14, was working at a radio station where he would read the news and weather. He was elected Governor of Arkansas Boys State in 1972 and is a Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Alumnus. He was president of Hope High School in 1973. He has one sister who is a middle school teacher.Huckabee married his wife, Janet McCain, on May 25, 1974. He graduated magna cum laudefrom Ouachita Baptist University, completing his bachelor's degree in Religion in 2½ years before attending Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he dropped out after one year.

He has two honorary doctoral degrees: a Doctor of Humane Letters, received from John Brown University in 1991, and a Doctor of Laws from Ouachita Baptist University in 1992.

The Baez Law Firm does not endorse any political candidates or their campains. This information is for public use and may be disseminated as needed. If you need to talk to an attorney, please contact us at (210) 979-9777 or visit our websites http://www.thebaezlawfirm.com or http://www.sanantoniopersonalinjurytriallawyers.com for a free initial consultation.