Brain Injuries: A Multidisciplinary, Illustrated Guide
Galina Nikolskaya, MD & Nicholas Rowley, JD
Description
Description
Brain Injuries: A Multidisciplinary, Illustrated Guide, by double board-certified neurologist Dr. Galina Nikolskaya and trial lawyer Nicholas Rowley, provides a comprehensive masterclass on traumatic brain injuries.
Written in an illustrated question-and-answer format, this two-volume set covers brain anatomy, the mechanisms of traumatic brain injury, neurological examinations, post-traumatic headaches, sleep disorders, post-traumatic mood disorders, neuroimaging, and rehabilitation. It also features dedicated chapters by specialists in audiology and vestibular evaluation, optometry and neuro-optometry, neuropsychiatry, neuro-radiology, neurosurgery, and physiatry. Each contributor shares insights from their respective clinical fields on the evaluation and care of individuals with brain injuries. The content is grounded in extensive clinical experience, with additional insights from Nicholas Rowley in select chapters.
This two-volume set is designed to be an accessible educational resource for legal professionals on both the plaintiff and defense sides, as well as medical experts, clinicians, therapists, and the caregivers of TBI survivors. It presents complex neurological concepts and brain injury medicine in a clear, comprehensible manner to foster a deeper, shared understanding of traumatic brain injuries across disciplines. By equipping readers with medical knowledge on brain anatomy, the mechanisms of injury, clinical findings, imaging, diagnostics, and long-term effects, this guide aims to elevate the level of education about brain injury and to bridge the gap between medicine and the law, supporting informed, fact-based evaluations of brain injury cases.
Tens of thousands of people live with traumatic brain injuries, often with subtle or no obvious outward signs. Changes may appear in personality, cognition, memory, sleep patterns, reading comprehension, or the ability to work. A clear understanding of brain injuries, including their mechanisms, objective findings, treatment options, and long-term effects, is essential for anyone involved in the medical care, caregiving, or legal evaluation of a brain injury case.
Details
Details
Hardback: Hardcover; Two Volumes; 704 pages; 1st edition (2026); 7x10; 2-Volume Set: 978-1-951962-85-2; Volume 1: 978-1-951962-86-9; Volume 2: 978-1-951962-87-6
Publisher: Trial Guides, LLC
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Volume I
Introduction
- Brain Anatomy Overview by Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist, and Nicholas Rowley, JD, Trial Lawyer
- Mechanisms of Traumatic Brain Injuries: Microscopic and Structural Damage by Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist, and Nicholas Rowley, JD, Trial Lawyer
- The Neurological Exam: From Normal to Objective Evidence Across Traumatic Brain Injury Severity by Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist, and Nicholas Rowley, JD, Trial Lawyer
- Audiology and Vestibular Issues in Traumatic Brain Injury by Robert Allen, AuD, CCC-A, F-AAA, Vestibular Audiologist
- Acute Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Brain Bleeds by Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist ,and Nicholas Rowley, JD, Trial Lawyer
- Subacute and Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury Bleed Complications by Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist, and Nicholas Rowley, JD, Trial Lawyer
- Blood Neurotoxicity in Traumatic Brain Injury: Microscopic Insights by Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist, and Nicholas Rowley, JD, Trial Lawyer
About the Authors
Volume II
Introduction
- Traumatic Brain Injury-Vulnerable Brain Regions and Associated Symptoms by Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist, and Nicholas Rowley, JD, Trial Lawyer
- Sleep Disorders in Brain Injury by Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist
- Post-Traumatic Brain Injury Visual and Ocular-motor Dysfunction by Penelope Suter, OD, Neuro-Optometrist
- Neuro-Ophthalmologic Assessment in Traumatic Brain Injury: Advances in Visual-Oculomotor Diagnostics by Marianna Samuels, OD, Dipl., Medical Ophthalmology, Neuro-Optometrist
- Post-TBI Headaches by Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist, and Nicholas Rowley, JD, Trial Lawyer
- Conventional and Advanced Neuroimaging in Traumatic Brain Injury by Cyrus A. Raji, MD, PhD, Neuroradiologist, Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist, and Rod J. Oskouian, MD, Neurosurgeon
- Interactions Between Traumatic Brain Injuries and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder by Lester Zackler, MD, Neuropsychiatrist, Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist, and Nicholas Rowley, JD, Trial Lawyer
- Rehabilitation and Reintegration After Traumatic Brain Injury by David Patterson, MD, Rehabilitation Medicine, Galina Nikolskaya, MD, Neurologist, and Nicholas Rowley, JD, Trial Lawyer
About the Authors
Free Chapter Sample
Free Chapter Sample
What Legal Leaders Are Saying
— Brian Panish, Managing Partner at Panish|Shea|Ravipudi, past president of the Inner Circle of Advocates, has nine verdicts over 50 million, forty over 10 million, and one product liability verdict against General Motors for $4.9 billion“Nick Rowley and Dr. Galina Nikolskaya’s book, Brain Injuries, is an exceptional and highly valuable resource that masterfully bridges the gap between complex medical science and practical legal application, offering a clear, engaging, and deeply informative exploration of traumatic brain injury that is accessible without sacrificing sophistication. Through its unique question-and-answer format, and richly illustrated explanations, it transforms intricate neurological concepts—such as brain anatomy, neuronal communication, and the functional impact of injury—into understandable and compelling material, while simultaneously equipping legal professionals with the tools to effectively analyze, present, and advocate brain injury cases, making it not only an educational text but also a strategic guide. What truly distinguishes the work is its multidisciplinary voice, blending the clinical expertise and teaching clarity of a neurologist with the real-world trial insight of an accomplished attorney, resulting in a narrative that is both authoritative and practical, and further enriched by vivid analogies (like the brain as an orchestra or a city), detailed visuals, and real-world context that enhance retention and understanding. Overall, the book stands out as a definitive, thoughtfully crafted, and indispensable reference for anyone seeking a deeper comprehension of brain injury—whether in medicine, law, or advocacy—and reflects a rare combination of intellectual rigor, clarity, and purpose.”
— Arash Homampour, the Homampour Law Firm, Los Angeles; Super Lawyers Top 10 Southern California“Every trial lawyer who handles brain injury cases knows the gap between understanding the medicine well enough to talk about it and understanding it deeply enough to teach it to a jury. This book closes that gap. Dr. Nikolskaya and Nick Rowley have created something I wish existed when I tried my first TBI case: a comprehensive, beautifully illustrated guide written in a direct-examination Q&A format that mirrors how we actually learn from experts and present evidence in the courtroom. The multidisciplinary approach, covering everything from cellular neuroanatomy to neuroimaging to rehabilitation, gives attorneys and medical professionals alike the foundation to truly advocate for brain injury survivors.”
— William Barton, trial lawyer and author of Recovering for Psychological Injuries“Brain Injuries: A Multidisciplinary, Illustrated Guide by Nick Rowley and Galina Nikolskaya, MD is accurate, brief, and clear, and the gold standard for future legal books. Why? Because (1) it’s presented in a question-and-answer trial format that mimics the courtroom, and (2) it emphasizes the “mild” TBI, which is the kind that the defense thrives on and most of us have, and (3) the book has over 180 trial ready medical illustrations and (demonstrative) exhibits. The questions are by Nick Rowley, one of the nation’s finest trial lawyers, and the answers are by Galina Nikolskaya, MD, a forensic neurologist with a focus on brain injuries. You can’t do any better. It’s all here—waiting for you and your next client.”
— Randi McGinn, past president of the Inner Circle of Advocates, AAJ Speaker, Trial Guides author, and New Mexico trial lawyer“If you could choose one part of your body you would never want injured or impaired, it would be your brain—the center of your ability to reason, to remember, to connect with your loved ones and the world around you. Nick and Dr. Nikolskaya have written a book that helps us understand the profound loss suffered by people who are brain-injured. More importantly, it shows us how to explain the depth of this loss to judges and jurors. If you have a brain injury case, this book is a must-read.”
