Litigation

The difference in concussions in our clients and professional football players

By Michael Kaplen

A story in theNew York Times, Risk of High School Football Tackles is good proof of why information that we obtain from research done on concussions in professional football players cannot be relied on in judging the seriousness of concussions in amateur athletes and for concussions sustained by members of the general public. 

Often times this information is incorrectly used to argue that concussions are self limiting injuries with no serious or permanent consequences.  This opinion, often rendered by experts retained by insurance companies in the defense in brain injury legal cases needs to be refuted.  Simply put victims of brain trauma do not have the same physical characteristics as professional athletes.  Their height, weight and the strength of their neck muscles are quite different.  The types of impacts and the rotational forces that cause the traumatic brain injury are different in auto crashes and falls and cannot be compared with the impacts received on the playing field by professional football players.

The article in the Times and the study found in the July 2009 issue of the Journal, Athletic Training is useful proof in attacking these fallacious opinions.

The article reports on a study done comparing concussion injuries in high school football players to those in college players.  The study draws the conclusion that the risk of concussion and the G forces applied to the brains of high school athletes are far greater than those in college players because of the relative size of the players, their neck strength and total body weight.  You can read the full story by clicking here    You can also download the full concussion study published in the Journal of Athletic Training 

Any one with a brain injury legal case needs to consult with a brain injury attorney with the knowledge and experience to properly represent your interests and those of your loved ones in courts of law.  How to select a brain injury lawyer .

Full post as published by Brain Injury News and Information on July 19, 2009 (boomark / email).