Woman dies from brain injury sustained in California earthquake

USPA News - An elderly woman who suffered a serious brain injury in last month`s earthquake that struck California`s wine country has died, sheriff`s officials said Wednesday, making her the first earthquake fatality on the U.S. mainland in more than a decade. Laurie Anne Thompson, 65, was at her home in Napa when the strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area in the early hours of August 24. She was hit on the head by a television during the earthquake but did not initially go to the hospital for treatment, although she did complain of a headache.

"Thompson was alert on Sunday following the earthquake and did not show any signs of cognitive impairment," said Captain Steven Blower of the Napa County Sheriff`s Office. "On Monday, Thompson`s family noted that she was feeling dizzy and that her cognitive functions were impaired. They then convinced her to go to the hospital." Thompson collapsed before going to the hospital and was transported to the Queen of the Valley Hospital by ambulance, where her condition continued to deteriorate over the next few days. She died at 9:35 a.m. on September 5 of an intracranial hemorrhage due to the injury sustained in the earthquake. The woman`s children, Aaron and Shannon, said Wednesday that they wanted everyone to know that when a family member or a friend suffers a head injury, they should seek medical attention immediately. "Head injuries can be fatal even if they appear insignificant and it is best to get checked by a doctor," Blower said. The August 24 quake was the strongest to strike the San Francisco Bay Area in a quarter-century and caused significant regional damage. In addition to Thompson`s death, about 200 people were injured, some of them seriously. Napa Valley`s wine industry alone suffered at least $80.3 million in damages.