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Lost Brain-Injured Des Moines Man Demonstrates the Need for Wearing a Helmet

By Steve Lombardi

He has a brain injury and from what the reports state he is easily confused. Norris Price walked away from a local area hospital on Saturday around 12:30 p.m. He's 6'4', weighs 224 pounds and is 52 years old. When he walked off he was wearing a white t-shirt and blue or gray baggy pants. He may have on a brown beanie style hat with Harley Davidson on it. He frequents restaurants and bars, where he apparently likes to hang out.

Those with information about Price's whereabouts are asked to contact the Des Moines Police Department at 283-4811.

Person's who have suffered traumatic brain injury have problems with executive brain function; they have difficulty ordering things in their mind so they become easily confused and have difficulties staying on task. Their marriages frequently break up; they lose their job and most everything else in their lives. They are difficult to take care of and often times are a danger to themselves. And that is why I recommend wearing your helmet while riding a motorcycle. As one elderly client said, they aren't like children because children have the ability to learn from their mistakes; brain injured people do not.

A search of the Iowa Industrial Commission decisions did not turn up any case involving Mr. Price or Schumacher Elevator Company. A search of Iowa Court's online turned up a person with the same name and age, showed a Petition being filed on November 24, 2003 against SCHUMACHER ELEVATOR CO. and being dismissed on January 24, 2006. There is a Schumacher Elevator Company in Denver, Iowa. In the Court filings was a waiver of a workers' compensation lien being filed on February 25, 2005 by 'ORHC and Cannon Cochran Management Services, Inc.' ORHC is Ottumwa Regional Health Center and Cannon Cochran is what we call a TPA, or third party administrator. Under Iowa law workers' compensation insurers have a lien against third party settlements or funds generated from civil lawsuits outside of the workers' compensation system. This may or may not be the same person, but it certainly has a similar profile to what I'd expect to see if there was an accidental injury involving work and a third party. What is more important to this situation is how it demonstrates the need for caution when it comes to protecting your brain.

I was walking last week at Raccoon River Complex in West Des Moines and a high school age young lady was riding a moped, with no helmet while texting someone on her cell phone. She wore flip flops and a skirt. That is not too smart a move on her part. A skinned knee will mend, a damaged brain probably will not.

Like I said, wear your helmet to protect your brain and if you have information concerning Mr. Price call the Des Moines Police.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on July 26, 2009 (boomark / email).