In recreational boating accidents or commercial maritime accidents involving seamen, there are many ways for injuries to arise. Someone can loose their footing as the vessel under them noses into the trough of a wave. Heavy objects, such as improperly stacked pipes or oxy-acetylene tanks can come loose and fall on someone. Yacht and cruise ship stewards can injure their backs carrying heavy food trays. Recent Case involving reimbursement of medical expenses and bills in boating accident. On commercial vessels, a seaman could become injured over the course of months, or even years. Seamen and maritime workers could be exposed to benzene containing solvents aboard chemical tankers, manganese fumes from welding in shipyards, mercury, asbestos and other harmful materials. With certain toxic substances, the latency periods (time for an illness to develop) can sometimes span decades. Years ago, I represented a man in a severe fracture injury. The tibia and fibula (lower bones of the leg) had been badly crushed. The only medical option was reconstruction of the leg using shafts, pins, and screws. The bright side of the ordeal was that he recovered well and we came to be good friends after his case was favorably concluded. Although the leg injury was something this man would always live with, I admired his sense of humor. Despite everything he’d been through, he still managed to joke about how his re-built leg was going to cause a scene at airport metal detectors every time he boarded a plane. If a plaintiff is injured the way my friend was injured, the damages are obvious. . A second grader could have told you that something wasn’t right with the leg…that the injuries were serious. But what about other kinds of injury…where the physical damages are not as obvious? How does one measure injury there? In those cases, clinical examinations are required to evaluate the extent of injury. And the exams generally utilize diagnostic tools that include the following: X-Ray: Radiographs, or x-rays as they are more commonly called, reveal fractures, dislocations, and other evidence of injury. Chest x-rays are used in the screening of respiratory diseases. Cat Scan: A Cat Scan, or CT, is a more powerful imaging tool than a basic x-ray. It uses traditional x-ray technology but enhances the capability by integrating multiple images taken as the scanning equipment moves around the subject. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): The MRI is a powerful diagnostic tool. Unlike radiographs, MRI’s do not use photon radiation. Instead, they measure a return signal after the body part has been excited by an energy source. Since different types of tissue, whether bone, muscle, or tumor emit different return signals based on their density, MRI’s reveal more than basic fractures or dislocations. They can reveal herniations, disc bulges, nerve impingement, and other evidence of injury…or illness as well. EMG: Electromyography (EMG) is used to assess the condition of muscles and nerves following an injury. EMG involves measuring electrical signals from muscle cells when they are at rest and when they have been contracted. It is an invasive procedure, involving insertion of electrodes through the skin. A trained medical professional observes and interprets the electrical response. NCV: Nerve Conduction Velocity is used to diagnose for nerve damage following an injury. An electrical impulse is administered to a nerve. Characteristics such as the velocity, potential and latency of the electrical signal are measured at the other end of the nerve. A trained medical professional can interpret the response signal to rule out or confirm nerve damage. Ultra Sound: Ultrasound is an imaging technique. Ultrasound is also a physical therapy modality. As a diagnostic imaging tool, ultrasound is valuable because it provides real time images and is non-invasive. A sonogram for a woman during pregnancy usually comes to mind with this tool. Blood Tests: A blood sample can be sent to a lab to test for any number of substances. This is a valuable tool in investigating whether someone has been exposed to chemical substances. Lung Capacity Test: This test is used to measure changes in a person’s breathing capacity…which can be the result of exposure to harmful chemicals or airborne particulates. Tim Akpinar Contact Information: Telephone: E-mail: Street Address: Mailing Address: Website: © 2006 by Tim Akpinar - All Rights Reserved The contents of this website may not be copied or transmitted without the prior written consent of Tim Akpinar Back to Recreational Boating Accidents Back to Commercial Vessels |
Medical Issues in Maritime Injuries - Boating Accident Injuries Documenting the Marine Injury - Diagnostic Tests as Evidence - Determining the Nature of a Maritime Injury |