In recent years, many Ohio residents have read news stories about traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including concussions, that happen in sports and recreational activities. I know all about the pervasiveness of the NFL reports surrounding concussions on the field and risks of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). While researchers continue to work on questions surrounding contact sports and brain injuries, the increased interest in sports-related concussions has led to additional studies on the topic. Researchers across the country have also begun investigating other causes of concussions and more severe TBIs.
A recent study reported in Science Daily argues that concussions are actually much more common in college students than some of us might think. Surprisingly, many of those college students are not sustaining concussions while playing sports. Let me tell you more about the study and its implications for brain injury lawsuits.
Concussions Among College Students More Likely to Occur Outside of Sports
Believe it or not, the recent study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, suggests that “concussions are more than twice as prevalent among college students than previously believed and significantly more likely to occur off the playing field than on.” In other words, the study highlights two important points: college students sustain concussions at higher rates than most of us thought, and a majority of those concussions are not tied to contact sports. The study looked at about 30,000 students, and determined that about 340 concussions were diagnosed among that group each year. That makes for an “incidence rate of about one in 75 students per year.”
If sports are not the cause of most college student concussions and other traumatic brain injuries, how are these students sustaining the head injuries? Falls are the most common reason for concussions and other TBIs in college students, accounting for approximately 38% of all the concussions identified in the study. Many of those falls occur on icy campus sidewalks or pathways that are supposed to be maintained by the college or university. Many falls also happen while students are riding skateboards or scooters. Nearly 9% of those concussions occurred in fights, while almost 7% happened as a result of a car accident.
Some College Student Concussions do Happen in Varsity and Club Sports
Although a slight majority of concussions happen outside the realm of college sports, many TBIs do result from athletic involvement. Yet even those statistics might surprise you. About 35% of all college student concussions are sports-related, according to the study, yet women in varsity sports sustain concussions at a higher rate than men. When it comes to varsity athletes, the concussion rate is about 51 for every 10,000 students. Club sports also commonly lead to concussions.
Of the college students studied, a surprising number had sustained repeat concussions. More than 40% reported that they had sustained anywhere from one to three concussions while in college, and 5% of those students reported sustaining four or more concussions during that time period.
Contact an Ohio Brain Injury Lawyer to Get the Compensation You Deserve
If your child sustained a concussion at school, the college or university may be liable. I am an experienced Ohio brain injury lawyer, and I can help with your concussion case. Contact me today at 877.944.4373. I’ll Make Them Pay!®
