Having represented the injured victim throughout the US for over three decades, I can tell you first hand that a closed-head injury is a life altering injury.
As you know, a closed head injury is commonly described as a trauma in which the brain is injured as a result of a blow to the head, or a sudden, violent motion that causes the brain to knock against the skull.
Closed head injuries are the number one problem in contact sports, but very very little attention is given to this issue.
What concerns me is that our national attention is drawn to such topics as whether or not Kevin Love will resign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, whether Tiger Woods will make a comeback, and whether Johnny Manziel will redeem himself and become an NFL Star.
With that being said, it was with great delight that I read the lead story in yesterday’s New York Times Sports section.
The story chronicled a young man; Curtis Baushke suffered supernumerary concussions throughout his high school soccer career which ultimately led to his death.
I found it to be particularly ironic that directly above this lead story on concussions was a banner containing three photos introducing related stories within the sports section. Two photos, one on each end had to do with baseball, and the picture in the middle depicted a Women’s Cup soccer player deftly deflecting a soccer ball with her head.
Although the fans probably went wild for her stunning play, every neurosurgeon that watched her head-butting the ball undoubtedly cringed in horror.
Tragically, participants, coaches, fans, and media really have no idea just how prevalent and profound brain injuries are for footballers, soccer players, and cyclists.
This is why I have embarked on a personal crusade to educate as many people as possible regarding the “real consequence” of a blow to the head.
We have all heard sportscasters trivialize a brain injury by saying, “wow, he just got his bell rung!”, “I bet he is seeing cobwebs right now,” “Nothing a little smelling salt won’t fix,” or “he’s up and walking around, and that’s a good sign!”
It is my goal to use every means possible to disseminate this critical information so that all athletes, particularly high school football players, can make intelligent and informed choices when they weigh the long-term, permanent consequences of brain injuries versus the thrill of participating in a contact sport.
The information available on football-related brain injuries is increasing in rapid fashion. Research studies from a variety of academic sources have concluded that the occurrence of concussions is exponentially higher than anyone thought and that the long term effects, i.e. memory loss and mood swings are permanent in nature.
In the weeks and months to follow, I look forward to sharing fascinating information that will lead to a spirited debate.
As your catastrophic injury lawyer, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®!
Author: Tim Misny | For over 34 years, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving “Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus & Cincinnati, Ohio.” You can reach Tim by email at tmisny@misnylaw.com or call at 1 (800) 556-4769.
