New law could increase number of brain injury cases in the Northeast

Legislation in Congress could allow trucks in Maine and other states in the Northeast to travel with up to 10 tons more cargo than allowed on federal interstates, and brain injury advocates are worried about the potential impact of easing those regulations.

"Every year, nearly 5,000 people are killed and tens of thousands more sustain severe, crippling and costly injuries in truck crashes," noted Mike Davis, president of the Brain Injury Association of West Virginia, in a letter co-signed by several other groups.

Although the provision would only affect Maine next year, critics wrote the letter because of concerns that it would begin a string of regulations that increase the weight of trucks. They say that larger trucks can lead to death and traumatic injuries in accidents with other motorists.

Traumatic brain injury can occur because of the increased momentum of overweight tractor-trailers, but one Bayonne, New Jersey, teen has found that it takes a "miracle" to maintain body function even when the impact comes from smaller vehicles.

Jillian Ellis can move all of her limbs after initially being diagnosed as a quadriplegic following an accident where she was allegedly struck by a drunk driver in April, reports the Jersey Journal. 98 percent of those who experience traumatic brain injuries like Elias remain paralyzed as a result.