Brain Injuries Sustained in Sports-Related Accidents
If you have suffered a brain injury while participating in recreational or professional sports‚ there is something very important that you must understand: Brain injuries are serious; they are not just “part of the game” and can have very serious long-term effects if not handled properly. Injuries may‚ generally‚ be an accompanying hazard of sports‚ especially contact sports like football and hockey‚ but also sports like soccer‚ but this does not mean you deserve them. Teachers‚ coaches‚ colleges‚ and professional sports organizations are responsible for the safety of their players. If they do not take the necessary safety precautions to prevent serious immediate or future injury‚ they may be held liable for the damage caused.
If you believe your sports-related brain injury or condition (such as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) is the result of negligence on the part of those responsible for your safety‚ be it a school or youth league coach‚ school administration‚ recreational league officials‚ or the governing body of a professional sports organization like the NFL‚ you may be able to take legal action. At the Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers‚ our San Diego brain injury attorneys can help you hold negligent sports personnel and/or organizations responsible for threatening your immediate and/or long-term health. To discuss your case with one of our lawyers‚ contact us for a consultation today.
Concussions and the NFL
One of the most publicized controversies concerning sports-related brain injuries involves the National Football League‚ or NFL. The way the NFL has handled concussion injuries has fallen under scrutiny after two former NFL players committed suicide as a result of their deteriorating mental conditions. These players were Dave Duerson and former Atlanta Falcons Safety‚ Ray Easterling. Both suffered from post-concussion-related depression and dementia. The NFL has been facing legal action‚ brought against it by thousands of plaintiffs claiming that they have been negligent in not treating NFL players properly for concussion injuries and hiding the documented connection between football and incidents of brain injury.
Football brain injuries are not only an issue for the NFL‚ however. Schools and youth sports leagues have also been criticized for the way they handle concussions. It has even been suggested that children should not be allowed to play contact sports like football‚ which can cause brain injury and potentially alter their brain’s normal development.
KUSI Interviews Ross Jurewitz on Junior Seau Case
Negligence vs. the Sport
If you’ve suffered a sports-related brain injury‚ there is an important question to consider when determining what your legal rights in that situation are: Were your injuries or your resulting condition from former injuries the result of natural hazards of the sport or negligence on the part of sports authorities? In the case of professional football‚ NFL brain injuries may be a hazard of the trade to an extent‚ but poor decision-making and not prioritizing player health led to mental degeneration in former players‚ something NFL officials knew to have been a possibility. Other examples of negligence that could lead to football and other sports-related brain injuries include‚ but are not limited to:
- Failure to provide the proper safety equipment;
- Failure to promptly treat players for head injuries suffered in a game or practice;
- Failure to recognize potential effects/symptoms of a concussion or other brain injury;
- Keeping a player in the game after a blow to the head;
- Having no qualified medical personnel on hand; and
- Not having the proper certification/qualifications to coach a sports team/conduct a sports program.
Your Health is not a Game – Let Our San Diego Sports Head Injury Attorneys Help You!
There is no excuse for not taking the health and safety of athletes seriously‚ whether they are in Pee-Wee leagues‚ Division I college teams‚ or professional sports organizations. At Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers‚ our San Diego personal injury lawyers are committed to helping you hold negligent parties responsible for the harm they have caused. Call us today at (619) 233-5020 or (888) 233-5020 for a consultation on your legal rights and options.
Additional Information
- New Football Helmet Safety Latch Could Help Prevent Serious Injuries
- KUSI News Interviews Ross Jurewitz on Junior Seau Case
- Atlanta Football Player Who Committed Suicide Had Brain Disease
- Junior Seau – The Suicide Investigation
- 111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E. – The New York Times
- Dorsett‚ Others Show Signs of CTE
- Brain Trauma to Affect One in Three Players‚ N.F.L. Agrees
- 76 of 79 Deceased NFL Players Found to Have Brain Disease
- Scientists Dissected the Brains of 79 NFL Players. What They Found Is Disturbing.
