Today, I want to discuss an important new study out of the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center that raises a difficult, but critical issue in severe traumatic brain injury care: Decisions to Withdraw life-sustaining treatment. The research challenges the assumption that most patients with severe TBI have little chance of meaningful recovery. The study looked at over 500 patients with severe traumatic brain injury comparing outcome between patients whose...

Is a prior concussion associated with an increased risk of long-term disability following a motor vehicle crash? That’s a question asked in a Canadian study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association open network published online on January 21 2026. The short answer is Yes. In the study of over 900,000 adult patients, the research found a past concussion was associated with a 15% increased risk of long-term disability. The findings according to the study authors stress t...

When people hear “concussion,” they often think of teen athletes. But concussions are also common in toddlers and preschoolers — and in young children, they most often happen because of falls. In this episode of The Brain Injury Insider, we discuss new research published in Pediatrics on early childhood concussion. The study, “Frequency and Predictors of Persisting Symptoms 1 Year After Early Childhood Concussion,” looked at children ages 6 months to 6 years old and found that about one in f...

Why should someone retain a brain injury law firm after an accident? Most people assume that any personal injury attorney can handle a brain injury case. But traumatic brain injury (TBI) cases are medically and legally different from typical injury claims. Brain injuries are often called “invisible injuries.” A person may appear normal while experiencing serious cognitive, physical, and emotional consequences such as: • Memory and concentration difficulties • Headaches and dizziness • Visi...

Today on The Brain Injury Insider, I want to call your attention to an important breakthrough in the management of traumatic brain injury: The development of outpatient clinical practice guidelines designed to standardize care for the millions of Americans recovering from TBI. Although protocols exist for emergency care and hospital management of people with a brain injury, no protocols exist regarding outpatient management following emergency care or inpatient hospital care, and no ...

Today, I’d like to discuss a new study examining treatment options following the development of a traumatic subdural hematoma, a condition when blood collects rapidly on the surface of the brain. This bleeding may cause pressure on the brain and lead to worsening injury, cognitive impairment, and even death. Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury, particularly among older adults and children. A slip, trip, a misstep can lead to a blow to the head, or the sudden deceleration ...

Today, we’re tackling an often-overlooked issue in forensic neuropsychology: the assessment of Spanish-speaking adults. As the Hispanic population in the United States continues to grow, lawyers and experts face new challenges when language and culture intersect with brain injury evaluations. These issues were raised in an interesting article in published in the journal Brain Injury entitled “Considerations in the Neuropsychological Assessment of Spanish-Speaking Adults” The is...

As we observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we pause to honor the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of Dr. King—a visionary leader whose moral courage and unwavering commitment helped move our nation closer to justice, equality, and dignity for all. Dr. King taught us that the pursuit of justice is not confined to history books or holidays. It is an ongoing obligation that demands vigilance, compassion, and action. At De Caro & Kaplen, LLP, we are guided by the belief that every pers...

Words matter—especially when it comes to brain injury. In this episode of The Brain Injury Insider, we discuss a new joint statement from leading brain injury organizations that aims to improve how brain injury is defined, discussed, and understood across medicine, law, policy, and public life. The guidance, titled “Communicating About Brain Injury,” was released by the Brain Injury Association of America and partner organizations to address outdated and often harmful language surrounding b...

The holidays (Christmas and New Year) can bring a mix of emotions—joy, reflection, and sometimes real difficulty, especially after a traumatic or serious injury. In this message, brain injury attorney Michael Kaplen shares gratitude for survivors, caregivers, professionals, and colleagues, and offers encouragement, peace, and hope as we look ahead to 2026. Resources: Michael Kaplen: https://brainlaw.com/about/michael-kaplen/ Shana De Caro: https://brainlaw.com/about/shana-de-caro/ brain inju...