NEW BRAUNFELS LAW BLOG

When anyone learns that someone they care about has suffered a brain injury, they may immediately think the worst. As most people know, any damage to the brain could easily result in serious changes to a person's personality and his or her abilities. Unfortunately, many scenarios could lead to an individual suffering this type of serious injury.

First, you may want to remember that the manner in which a brain injury occurs determines the category it falls into. In general terms, when a lack of oxygen causes damage to the brain, those injuries fall into the category of an acquired brain injury. When the head suffers trauma that leads to brain damage, those injuries fall into the category of traumatic brain injuries. In particular, car accidents can easily lead to various forms of TBI.

As a possible link between brain trauma and violent or unpredictable behavior becomes clearer, neuropsychology and neuroscience are increasingly being cited in criminal cases. Typically, defendants aren't trying to excuse their behavior altogether but to provide an explanation that could mitigate their punishment. A committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine is now meeting to discuss the courtroom use of what they term "neuroforensics."

This evidence may include brain scans, behavioral tests, psychological evaluations and evidence of earlier brain injuries, head trauma or neurological disorders. If the science indicates that these conditions can alter a person's behavior -- and it seems to -- it only makes sense for the evidence to be brought into court as a sentencing factor.

According to federal data, 94 percent of motor vehicle crashes are the result of human error. That is the motivation behind creating fully autonomous vehicles that take drivers completely away from the controls. After the recent fatal accident involving a self-driving Uber vehicle in Arizona, however, it's clear that we're not quite there yet.

However, similar technologies are being installed in a number of passenger vehicles. Most are high-end, but the technology is expected to become widespread as its cost drops over time. Let's take a look at some of what is becoming available now.

A motor vehicle accident involving a tractor-trailer can result in catastrophic injuries. The driver and passengers in smaller vehicles often have little to protect them from the size and weight of a big rig, and the outcome can be life-changing. If your loved one has recently suffered such injuries, you may have many anxieties about the future.

Among the many possible injuries a tractor-trailer accident victim may suffer is a spinal cord injury. The spinal cord houses the nerve center for most of the body, and once damaged is often beyond repair. Before your loved one's medical team can inform you of their prognosis, they will have to do a series of diagnostic tests to assess the level of damage your loved one's spine endured.