Related Journal

Traffic Injury Prevention [1]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Traffic_and_Motor_Vehicle_Safety_Act

Pathophysiology

Though it is more likely to cause infection, penetrating trauma is similar to closed head injury such as cerebral contusion or intracranial hemorrhage in a number of ways. As in closed head injury, intracranial pressure is likely to increase due to swelling or bleeding, potentially crushing delicate brain tissue. Most deaths from penetrating trauma are caused by damage to blood vessels, which can lead to intracranial hematomas and ischemia, which can in turn lead to a biochemical cascade called the ischemic cascade. The injury in penetrating brain trauma is mostly focal (affects a specific area of tissue).[2]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penetrating_head_injury

Common types of injuries

Serious bodily injury is any injury to the body that involves a substantial risk of death to the victim.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injury

Types

The damage from TBI can be focal, confined to one area of the brain, or diffuse, involving more than one area of the brain. Diffuse trauma to the brain is frequently associated with concussion (a shaking of the brain in response to sudden motion of the head), diffuse axonal injury, or coma. Localized injuries may be associated with neurobehavioral manifestations, hemiparesis or other focal neurologic deficits.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traumatic_brain_injury

Characteristics

Patients typically have several focal white matter lesions of variable size (1-15 mm) in a characteristic distribution. Areas most vulnerable to injury are the frontal and temporal lobes (Boone and de Montfort, 2002). Other common locations for DAI include the white matter in the cerebral cortex, the corpus callosum, the superior cerebral peduncles, basal ganglia, thalamus, and deep hemispheric nuclei (Smith and Greenwald, 2003; Stock and Singer, 2004). These areas may be more easily damaged because the difference in density between them and the rest of the brain (Stock and Singer, 2004).

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffuse_axonal_injury

Symptoms

Presentation varies according to the injury. Some patients with head trauma stabilize and other patients deteriorate. A patient may present with or without neurologic deficit.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_injury

Bibliography

Die Rolle des Staatsanwaltes Erfahrungen in Europa - Il ruolo del Pubblico Ministero Esperienze in Europa - Le role du Magistrat du Parquet Expériences en Europe - The role of the Public Prosecutor Experiences in Europe - Vecchiarelli Editore Manziana (Roma) 2005 ISBN 88-8247-156-X

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosecutor

Brazil

In Brazil, the public prosecutors form a body of autonomous magistrates - the Ministério Público - working both at the federal and state level. The procuradores da República - federal prosecutors - are divided in three ranks "procuradores da República" (federal prosecutors), "procuradores regionais da República" (prosecutors who officiate before federal appellate courts), "subprocuradores gerais da República" (prosecutors who officiate before the superior federal courts), according to the jurisdiction of the courts before which they officiate. The Procurador Geral da República heads the federal body and tries cases before the Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF), Brazil's highest court, in charge of judicial review and the judgment of criminal offenses perpetrated by federal legislators, members of the cabinet and the President of Brazil. At the state level, the career is usually divided in "promotores de Justiça substitutos" (substitute state prosecutors), "promotores de Justiça" (state prosecutors) and "procuradores de Justiça" (prosecutors officiating before the states' court of appeals). There are also military prosecutors whose career, although linked to the federal prosecutors, is divided in a manner similar to state prosecutors. In Brazil the prosecutors' main job is to promote justice, which means they have the duty of not only trying criminal cases, but, if during the trial they become convinced of a defendant's innocence, requesting the judge to aquitt him. The prosecutor's office has always the last word on whether criminal offenses will or will not be charged, with the exception of those rare cases in which Brazilian law allows for private prosecution. In such cases, the prosecutor will officiate as custos legis, being responsible to ensure that justice is indeed carried out. Although empowered by law to do so, prosecutors conduct criminal investigations only in major cases, usually envolving police or public officials' wrongdoings. Also, they are in charge of supervising police work and directing the police in their investigations. The power of individual prosecutors to hold criminal investigations is still controversial and, although massively supported by judges, prosecutors and the general population, it is being contested before the Supremo Tribunal Federal. Beside their criminal duties, Brazilian prosecutors are among those authorized by the Brazilian constitution to bring action against private individuals, commercial enterprises and the federal, state and municipal governments, in the defense of minorities, the environment, consumers and the civil society in general.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosecutor

Doing business

As with other types of lawyers, personal injury lawyers may choose to start a solo practice or join a small, mid-size, or large law firm as an associate. Personal injury lawyers may also be partners (owners) of a law firm or strive to be a partner.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_injury_lawyer

Legal aid in England and Wales

In England and Wales, legal aid is administered by the Legal Services Commission, and is available for most criminal cases, and many types of civil cases with exceptions including libel, most personal injury cases (which are now dealt with under Conditional Fee Agreements, a species of contingency fee) and cases associated with the running of a business. Family cases are also often covered. Depending on the type of case, legal aid may or may not be means tested.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_Aid

Political Issue

George W. Bush made tort reform a centerpiece of his successful run for Texas governor and of his second-term domestic policy agenda. This has led to the issue becoming more of a major rift between the Republicans and Democrats.[citation needed] In the 2004 presidential election, Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards, a successful trial attorney, was criticized by tort reform advocates for lawsuits that he brought against obstetricians on behalf of children who suffered severe birth injuries; reformers criticized the suits as relying on junk science, while Edwards denied the allegation.[6] Edwards's profits from the stated lawsuits were substantial and are certainly not a subject of dispute.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tort_reform