Great resources for Lawyers & your legal team of experts
As a former student of paralegal studies, Jennifer has a love for research and a foundational understanding of law and the legal system as a whole. Although she did not go on to pursue her degree in the field of law she felt that it has helped her in this journey to assist victims, their families and their legal teams to uncover possible hidden resources that might help and benefit those who find themselves to be victims of toxic mold injury.
Below are some important links, files and resources that Jennifer consider's as helpful to any "toxic tort" legal team when serving their clients:
General Data:
Mycotoxin: as it applies to humans and animals http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC164220/
Medical (personal injury): Connecting physical symptoms or diagnosis directly to exposure of indoor mold from water damaged buildings
Toxic effects of mycotoxins in humans http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10534900
Biological actions of mycotoxin http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8463495
Indoor Mold, Toxigenic Fungi, and Stachybotrys chartarum: Infectious Disease Perspective - (Clinical Microbiology) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC145304/
Structural brain abnormalities in patients with inflammatory illness acquired following exposure to water-damaged buildings: A volumetric MRI study using NeuroQuant®
Vitamin B deficiency in patients exposed to Mold Toxins: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2007/923182/abs/
Metabolism of Mycotoxins, Intracellular Functions of Vitamin B12, and Neurological Manifestations in Patients with Chronic Toxigenic Mold Exposures. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2004/957412/abs/
Aspergillus exposure and effects on Vitamin D
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22904183
Exposure to Stachybotrys spp. and the guttation phenomenon. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24619360
Glutathione deficiency from Mycotoxin Exposure http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/6/2/608
Chronic Fatigue Syndrom diagnosis connection to toxic mold exposures http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/5/4/605
Possible scientific evidence and correlation between Chaetomium toxic mold exposure and MS, ALS, AutoImmune diagnosis https://www.whatech.com/managed-it-services/press-release/19891-toxic-mold-exposure-might-be-associated-with-multiple-sclerosis-warns-environmental-hygienist-fry
Neurophysiological Effects of Chronic Indoor Environmental Toxic Mold Exposure on Children
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2003/723838/abs/
A Case of Reye’s-Like Syndrome in a 68-Day Old Infant: Water Damaged Home, Mold, Bacteria and Aflatoxins.http://www.pharmapublisher.com/jms/index.php/ijct/article/view/346
Mycotoxin Exposure related to some Childrens Diseases. http://www.who.int/ceh/capacity/mycotoxins.pdf
What the primary care pediatrician should know about syndromes associated with exposures to mycotoxins. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16935759
NeuroQuant Testing holds up in the court of Law
by Michael Schrantz, of Environmental Analytics LLC
I often have clients ask me what sort of evidence or “proof” they can use to help them when living in an apartment or dealing with a landlord who does not seem willing to address their home when health concerns exist. This is especially true for patients diagnosed with CIRS-WDB.
For a few years now, NeuroQuant , one of the diagnostic tools used with physicians working with CIRS suspected/diagnosed patients, has been admitted in court. The following highlights this ground-breaking decision. If you had NeuroQuant done before, consider using this information to help educate those needing an education:
April 2016: NeuroQuant® and NeuroGage® admitted as evidence in court
On April 4, 2016, NeuroQuant® and NeuroGage® were admitted as evidence by Judge Raymond A. Jackson in a Federal court case in Norfolk, VA (Federico, et al. v. Lincoln Military Housing, LLD, et al.) despite the objections of defense counsel. This was the first time these brain volume measurement tools were admitted in Federal court. David E. Ross, M.D., neuropsychiatrist, testified on the neuropsychiatric aspects of mold-related illness which had affected the Federicos, including the NeuroQuant® and NeuroGage® MRI brain volume measurements. The results showed a combined pattern of brain enlargement/atrophy similar to that found in two pioneering studies published by Ritchie Shoemaker, M.D. and colleagues. The jury found in favor of the plaintiffs.
Dr. Shoemaker has hypothesized that the brain enlargement/atrophy is caused by chronic neuroinflammation. This idea is supported by his finding that clinical treatment leads to normalization of brain volume.
In court, positive rulings are important because they set a positive precedent, which means that judges in future cases will be more likely to admit these types of results than if there had been previous negative rulings. Also, setting a positive precedent in Federal court is particularly helpful because state courts tend to follow the lead of the Federal court.
NeuroQuant® and NeuroGage® are commercially available software products which are able to measure and track brain volume abnormalities in patients with mold-related illness and many other brain disorders. They provide important objective data which vindicates our patients’ subjective reports of many neuropsychiatric symptoms which cause suffering and impair function. It is good news for our patients that these software tools are being accepted by our courts.