Category Archives: Brain Injury

The family of deceased professional hockey player Derek Boogaard has filed a wrongful death suit against the National Hockey League (NHL). The family claims that the NHL is responsible for the brain damage Boogaard sustained during his years as an “enforcer” in the league and his addiction to prescription painkillers. On May 13, 2011, Boogaard was found dead from an accidental overdose of pain medication and alcohol. He was subsequently diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain injury that is caused by repeated blows to the head. The family says the doctors knowingly prescribed Boogaard with addictive painkillers, even after they knew he was already addicted to them. They also reported that the doctors promised Boogaard that they would treat him for his addiction after the painkillers were no longer needed. The family argues that the doctors failed to warn Boogaard of the addictive properties, failed to monitor his condition…
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An alleged failure to stop at a stop sign cost a 51-year-old Howell, New Jersey man his life on May 3. David Pszczola was headed west on East Aldrich Road in a 2001 Chevrolet van when he was struck on the passenger side by driver Ada Borda-Urban, driving a 2008 Honda Accord. The result of the collision caused Pszczola’s car to roll several times before coming to a rest in a nearby driveway. Pszczola died at the scene due to the result of his injuries. Police said that Pszczola sustained a severe brain injury. Emergency services tried to resuscitate Pszczola, but were unable to. Borda-Urban was transported to a hospital, where she was treated for minor injuries and later released. No citations have been issued for Borda-Urban, but police said the Investigation is still ongoing. The intersection is controlled by a stop sign that gives East Aldrich Road the right…
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Ricardo Portillo, 46, died on May 4, after sustaining a traumatic brain injury on April 27. Portillo was officiating a recreational soccer game when he issued a foul to one of the players who then punched him. Witnesses say he was writing down notes when the player punched him in the side of the head. Portillo reportedly seemed fine at first, then asked to be helped off the field because of dizziness. After he sat down he began to vomit blood and emergency services were called. Portillo slipped into a coma before he arrived at the hospital due to the swelling of his brain and died later that week. When police arrived to the fields to investigate the alleged assault, the teen was gone and Portillo was lying on the ground awaiting medical attention. When news got to the authorities that Portillo had slipped into a coma, the search for…
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