Today’s gas leak at the intersection of Glenview and Earl Avenue served as a frightful reminder to the Crestmoor residents of the September 2010 San Bruno explosion. For many residents the sight of fire engines and the call to evacuate will rekindle flashbacks and distressing dreams of the event. There’s no doubt that this gas leak will exacerbate many San
San Bruno Residents’ Right to Compensation for Emotional Distress
Many of the San Bruno residents evacuated on September 9th may be categorized as “survivors,” having escaped the Glenview fire without being burned. But even though they suffer no physical injuries, the gas explosion will leave dozens with emotional injuries that will persist for a long time to come.
Generally the law does not require a…
Proving PTSD with MEG Imaging Studies of the Brain
A recent study shows for the first time that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be objectively diagnosed using magnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive measurement of magnetic fields in the brain. Researchers at the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis VA Medical Center published a study this month in the Journal of Neural Engineering identifying a biological…
Can Traumatic Brain Injury Victims Develop PTSD?
One would assume that if a TBI victim cannot remember the injury producing event, he cannot suffer flashbacks or nightmares re-experiencing the event. Right? Wrong.
Indeed, a diagnosis of a TBI generally requires a loss of consciousness. But the victim’s loss of consciousnesss does not shield him from post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Apparently…
Accident Victims and PTSD
Even after the physical injuries have healed, an accident victim may still suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She may continue to experience flashbacks, nightmares, or daydreams in which the traumatic event is replayed again and again. The person may also suffer an abnormally intense “startle response” – like a rush of…