The Danger of Microsleep
What is a Microsleep? Have you ever been sitting in front of your computer and dozed off for a brief second, only to be jerked awake by a head-snap? If so, you have experienced a microsleep. These episodes are defined by brief periods of sleep and loss of attention. They can last from a split […]
Anxiety: When Benzo’s Attack
Did you Know? Anxiety disorders develop from risk factors such as genetics, brain chemistry life events and personality. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States. Approximately 40 million adults age 18 and older, are affected each year. This equates to about 18.1% of the United States population. Anxiety disorders are […]
Diabetes Complications – Mimics To DUI?
Diabetes The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reports that there are 30.3 million American adults with diabetes. This is approximately 9.4% of the American population. The ADA also reports that 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year and that in 2015, it was the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. What […]
What a criminal attorney needs to know about brain injuries.
In April, I covered delirium and noted that there are many underlying etiologies that can cause it. One of those underlying causes is brain injuries, or intracranial processes such as stroke, tumor or traumatic injury. Symptoms of certain intracranial processes are not always immediately apparent or obvious to the person being affected or even their […]
What role does Hypoxia play in Criminal Cases? {Assault/Trauma}
For both prosecutors and defense attorneys, it’s often important to know the defendant’s state of mind to litigate the case. If a defendant has a medical condition or traumatic injury that could result in hypoxia it warrants further review by a medical expert to determine if the hypoxia was severe enough to change their mental […]
Delirium: What role does it play in criminal cases? {DUI/Gen Med}
In many of our cases we come across symptoms of delirium and are asked to determine if they are due to the assumed etiology, like alcohol or drug intoxication; or from something else, like seizures, or traumatic brain injury. So, this month I’d like to do an overview of delirium and its potential causes, and […]
Involuntary Intoxication when mixing Cocaine and Alcohol…? {MH/Tox}
What if someone knows how cocaine affects them, and they know how alcohol affects them, but not how they can affect them when taken together? The use of both cocaine and alcohol together results in a unique metabolite called cocaethylene. This metabolite stays in the system longer and prevents the reuptake of dopamine resulting in […]
How using a nurse can help you win your case.
The nurses and doctors at Godoy Medical Forensics offer medico-legal consulting in criminal and civil cases and we can assist you in your case development and at trial. In many cases you do need a doctor to testify, but that doesn’t necessarily exclude the need for a nurse. It may actually save you money if you […]
5 things criminal attorneys should know about…Bruises
This is the last in the “5 things criminal attorneys should know about…” series where I highlight some areas of medicine that often cross into the criminal fields. This is not meant to be an in-depth review, but rather just bullet pointed facts. If you have any subject requests let me know! [sep]For this month […]
5 Things Criminal Attorneys Should Know About…Diabetes
This is the 5th out of 6 in this series of “5 things criminal attorneys should know about…” which I first posted a few years ago. Each month I highlight some areas of medicine that often cross into the criminal fields. This is not meant to be an in-depth review, but rather just bullet pointed […]
