Life can seem daunting after a traumatic brain injury, and often times victims, and victims’ families do not know where to turn for treatment information and tools to combat the effects of the injury. The Brain Injury Guide and Resources, brought to us by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the MU Department of Health Psychology, offers tools and information for those suffering a traumatic brain injury, their friends, and their families. Explore the site to learn more about navigating employment, driving, and social security issues after suffering a traumatic brain injury. You can also look up treatments and take quizzes on your knowledge of TBI.

Image via University of Salford

There are some great new educational tools Apple’s app store that provide information and resources regarding concussions and traumatic brain injuries:

Traumatic Brain Injury Updates by Dan Gardner, MD, lists abstracts of up-to-date peer-reviewed articles about TBIs.

Concussion by SportSafety Labs, LLC lists possible signs of a concussions, provides helpful tool to evaluate whether or not a concussion has occurred, and will even call an ambulance via 911 and send your location to emergency services.

Like Concussion, Concussion Recognition and Response by PAR, Inc. is a tool for coaches and parents that helps to evaluate symptoms of a sports- related concussion. It also provides post-concussion guides for monitoring recovery and returning to the playing field safely.

All of these apps can be accessed via smartphone from the sidelines or at the scene of an accident.

Image via Dierk Schaefer

The New York State Insurance Department is poised to release a report discussing computer software used by many auto insurers to standardize the way they evaluate claim. The insurance industry rating agency, A.M. Best, quoted Aaron DeShaw in this story on Colossus, an injury and claims evaluator used by Allstate. From the article:

One of the software’s biggest critics is Washington attorney Aaron DeShaw, who wrote the book “Colossus – What Every Trial Lawyer Needs to Know.” He contends the use of the software leads to intentional underpayment of claims. “Having studied this back to the program’s origin, [one] can’t evaluate a case in good faith using Colossus,” DeShaw said.

DeShaw is a leading expert in Colossus, and published several books and computer software aimed at helping attorneys and physicians navigate the Colossus claims process.

Read the full story here.