What is a Concussion?
A concussion is, “a jarring of the brain substance, by a fall, blow, or other external injury, without laceration of its tissue, or with only microscopical laceration.” (Black’s Law Dictionary 364. 4th Ed. Rev. 1968)
What is a Concussion?
Concussions are caused by violent blows or jolts to the head, and result in altered brain function. Concussions are serious injuries, and it is important to recognize the symptoms of a concussion, like loss of consciousness, nausea, dizziness, disorientation, headaches, and other medical issues. Multiple concussions can be life-threatening.
A concussion can have great legal ramifications. It is cited as a term in legal definitions, and included in cases such as Mathews v. Hayne as evidence of severe injuries in accidents. Concussions are specifically important in cases involving personal injury claims or incidents where negligence is alleged. They can lead to claims for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering, and sometimes other damages depending on the circumstances of the injury. Medical records of concussions may serve as evidence.
More information about Concussion
Not much has changed after concussion lawsuits
We saw another example this weekend of how football coaches allow players to stay in the game with head injuries. Michigan coach Brady Hoke failed to remove sophomore quarterback Shane Morris after he received a crushing blow from a defensive end. Morris appeared dazed, stumbling after the hit. The coaches let him stay in the game for the next play and then removed him, only to return him to the game later for another play.
As this played out on national TV, it raised questions to the necessity of a concussion protocol at the college level, that would bar teams from allowing players with head injuries, and concussion-like symptoms, to continue playing without further evaluation.
CBS Sports reported that in his postgame news conference Coach Hoke said, “I don’t know if he had a concussion or not, I don’t know that. Shane’s a pretty competitive, […]
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Growing pressure on NFL to address brain injuries
Football is a dangerous game when it comes to head injuries, both in the NFL and also on youth football fields. A 2010 study by Purdue University found that linemen, tight ends, running backs and linebackers suffer the must frequent head injuries. It’s no wonder why many of the highest profile NFL victims of traumatic brain injury, such as Junior Seau and Tony Dorsett, were linemen, linebackers or running backs.
More than 5,000 ex-players have filed a lawsuit against the NFL in federal court. In the lawsuit, the former players have alleged that NFL officials hid the dangers of repeated hits to the head while mythologizing the violence of their sport. The NFL reached an agreement for a $765 million settlement with the players, but the deal was rejected by Judge Anita Brody because she fears the sum is too low to adequately cover current and future retired player who may need long-term care. […]
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President highlights risk of head injuries in youth sports
Today President Obama hosted a conference highlighting the risks of head injuries to young athletes in an effort to promote awareness of the problem. The Healthy Kids & Safe Sports Concussion Summit included researchers, professional athletes, parents, coaches, league officials, and sportscasters.
USA Today reported President Obama told those at the conference that there are no “solid numbers” on the extent of the concussion problem in football and other contact sports. “We need to have better research, better data, better safety equipment, and better protocols.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability in the United States. A concussion, which is common in many sports, is a type of TBI caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head that can change the way the brain normally works. […]
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Robert Munley notes the increase in youth sports concussions
A new study published this month in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that there was a continuous increase in concussions among high school athletes between 2005 and 2012. The rate of concussions nearly doubled from .23 concussions per 1,000 athletes in 2006 to .52 per 1,000 in 2012.
A concussion is an injury to the brain that produces a transient loss of brain function with symptoms of dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion, headache and vision changes.
The study was authored by Joseph Rosenthal, a clinical assistant of physical medicine and rehabilitation at The Ohio State University and a group of his colleagues utilizing data from the High School Reporting Information Online sports injury surveillance system. The system contains data from a representative sample of 100 U.S. high schools that have at least one certified trainer on staff.
The report studied boys’ […]
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Injury Rate From Bounce Houses Soaring
Pennsylvania parents thinking of renting a portable bounce house or moonwalk for their child’s next party might want to think again.
Every 46 minutes a child is injured in an inflatable bouncer, according to a recent study in the journal Pediatrics.
Thirty children are taken to emergency rooms each day for broken bones, sprains, cuts and concussions from bounce house accidents. Their average age is seven years old.
Most are hurt when they collide with another bouncer or fall inside or outside of the inflatable device.
Following is from a CBS News report:
Falls accounted for 43 percent of injuries, followed by stunts and collisions. Forty-four percent of the injuries occurred at a recreational setting and 38 percent occurring at home.
More than 27 percents of injuries were fractures, […]
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