Medically Conscious but Legally Unconscious?
Conscious or Unconscious? Can someone be medically conscious but considered legally unconscious? What an interesting conundrum! According to the Oxford Dictionary, “unconsciousness is the state of being unconscious or the state of being uninformed or unaware” and “automatism is the performance of actions without conscious thought or intention, involuntary” (Oxford English Dictionary, 2021). Even in […]
Can One Punch Kill? {Assault/Trauma}
A review of medications and medical history can play a critical role in any case with traumatic injuries.
Loss of Consciousness: 5 Things Every Criminal Attorney Should Know
Loss of Consciousness (LOC) 1. There is a long list of causes including: Alcohol or drug intoxication/overdose Seizures Diabetes Trauma Infection Psychogenic (i.e. panic attack) Stroke Dehydration Heart arrhythmia 2. Medical term for transient loss of consciousness (passing out) is “syncope” 3. LOC can occur without warning, or person may have symptoms that allude to the […]
How is a concussion managed?
Conservative management of concussions is standard practice. Physical and cognitive rest is recommended for at least 24 hours pending cessation of symptoms. Gradual return to work, school, and physical activity is also endorsed. For a person with prolonged symptoms, reevaluation and treatment may be beneficial. (Evans, Concussion and mild traumatic brain injury, 2013) Admission to […]
What is post-concussion syndrome?
One common consequence of concussion is the post-concussion syndrome (PCS), which is a group of symptoms that includes headache, dizziness, decreased concentration, memory problems, irritability, fatigue, visual disturbances, sensitivity to noise, judgment problems, depression, and anxiety. PCS is usually associated with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), such as a concussion, but may also occur after […]
How is a concussion diagnosed?
The initial diagnosis of concussion is based on evaluation of the symptoms a person reports, or someone else observes, after sustaining the injury. Concussion is commonly divided into three different types: Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3. The chart below distinguishes the features of each: [su_table] Grade Behavior Signs Time 1 Confused but remains […]
What exactly is a concussion?
When a bump, jolt, or blow to the head causes a change in the way the brain works, it is called a concussion. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that causes the brain to move quickly back and forth inside the skull. They are sometimes considered “mild” because concussions are not […]
Strangulation – how it’s done
Carotid Restraint, Manual Strangulation, Ligature Strangulation and Hanging all have different mechanisms and different symptoms and time to unconsciousness. Read about each type here.
