Category: Uncategorized

Don’t Forget the Coffee!

by John McKiggan

I never cease to be amazed by the interesting information I come across when I am doing research for my clients. For example recently I was reading some scientific literature on a brain injury claim I am working on when I came across an article about the correlation between caffeine consumption and a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Coffee Drinking Mice Form Faster Memories?

A study conducted by professor Gregory Freund of the Illinois University looked at the effects of caffeine on the brain and how it appears to block the brain-based inflammation associated with the disease. The study was conducted on mice, with one group given caffeine and the other not.

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Posted in: Brain Injury, Uncategorized

Pedestrian – Car Collisions in Nova Scotia: Who is at fault?

by John McKiggan

As a Nova Scotia car accident lawyer I am frequently asked to help pedestrians who have been injured by a motor vehicle.

Whose fault is it?

If the accident happened in a cross-walk and the pedestrian had the right of way, liability (fault) usually isn’t a big issue. Drives must yield the right of way to pedestrians in a cross-walk.

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Posted in: Car Accidents, Pedestrian accidents, Uncategorized

Amanda Todd – Can Some Good Come From This Needless Tragedy?

by John McKiggan

Three weeks ago British Columbia teen Amanda Todd was discovered dead in her home in Vancouver. The fifteen year old girl committed suicide after being tormented by bullies online.

Heartbreaking

Amanda posted a YouTube video a month before her death highlighting the bullying and cruelty she faced. In the video, which now has more than 4 million views, young Amanda reveals that when she was in Grade 7 (12 years old) she attempted to make friends online and she ended up flashing someone (via webcam).

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Posted in: Bullying, Child Safety, Uncategorized

Pfizer Zoloft Birth Injury Claims – When is a risk too small to explain?

by John McKiggan

Last month 10 couples filed birth injury lawsuits against Pfizer, who manufactures the antidepressant Zoloft. They claim severe birth injuries suffered by their children are a consequence of the mom’s taking Zoloft during their pregnancy.

Failed to Warn of Risks

The argument is Pfizer failed to warn of the risks to unborn children, and further that Pfizer did not adequately test the product.

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Posted in: Child Injuries, Class Actions, Drug Injuries, Personal Injury, Product Liability, Uncategorized

Using Their Heads: New Study of Athletes and Concussions

by John McKiggan

As a lawyer who deals with personal injury claims, I frequently encounter clients who have suffered some form of brain injury.

In cases of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury the cause is almost always some form of concussion. The effects of concussions can be lasting, particularly in circumstances of repeat impact.

Athletes At Increased Risk

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Posted in: Brain Injury, Concussion, Head Injuries, Uncategorized

Magic, Misdirection and Distracted Driving

by John McKiggan

My hobby is performing magic, and I love reading books about famous magicians. So I was interested to read Alex Stones’ new book about Houdini called Fooling Houdini: Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks & the Hidden Powers of the Mind. It occurred to me some of what Stone says about magicians is relevant to my work as a personal injury lawyer in Nova Scotia.

Distracted Driving

In my work representing people who have been injured in car collisions I have noticed an increase in the number of accidents caused by driver inattention or some form of distracted driving.

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Posted in: Car Accidents, Distracted Driving, Uncategorized

Trampolines and “Jumpy Castles”: It’s all fun and games until someone breaks a limb

by John McKiggan

Risk = Fun?

As a child safety lawyer I have come to realize that an inevitable paradox of childhood is that the riskier an activity, the more children are drawn to it. This phenomenon is best illustrated by the backyard trampoline and the birthday favourite, so-called “Jumpy Castles”.

These especially entertaining apparatuses occupy children (and adults) for hours but they pose a significant risk of injury, particularly to younger children.

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Posted in: Child Injuries, Child Safety, Uncategorized

New Advances in Concussion Testing Helps Protect Athletes

by John McKiggan

The hottest topic of conversation among my friends and neighbours the last two weeks has been their kids amateur hockey tryouts. The other day, I was contacted by a parent whose son suffered a serious concussion during a practice session.

Sport-induced concussions are serious business. As Sidney Crosby can testify, they can have long lasting effects, particularly if they are not diagnoses promptly and the athlete is returned to the game. As I have posted previously, there are a number of different mechanisms for diagnosing concussions: Brain Injury Claims: New Guidelines to Diagnose Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

An article posted by my colleagues at Slater Vecchio discusses a new baseline test for athletes before the season begins.

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Posted in: Brain Injury, Child Injuries, Personal Injury, Uncategorized