Understanding the effects of a traumatic brain injury
Fall is here, and with it comes one of America’s favorite pastimes, the American Football. Every Sunday, and Monday and Thursday from September until early February, millions of fans fill stadiums and bars, or are glued to the television watching their favorite team hit and tackle their way to victory or defeat. An unfortunate side effect of the violence of American Football is the alarmingly high number of brain injuries that occur to players.
Last year this reached a pinnacle and earned national attention when retired players sued the NFL for failing to address and properly care for players both at the time of the injury and at the end of their careers, when many players suffered life-long serious affects from repeated blows to the head. In fact, ex-players agreed to a suit totaling 765 million dollars to help cover the costs of expenses dealing from such injuries.
Although sports related injuries are a major cause of brain injuries, anyone is vulnerable to an accident that may lead to a brain injury. Other common causes of brain injuries include motor vehicle accidents, falls, like slipping in the bathroom or falling out of bed, violence such as child abuse, domestic violence, and assaults, medical malpractice and workplace accidents.
Any hit to the head, regardless of the level of impact, could lead to a brain injury. The most common form are concussions, but severe head injuries, often called traumatic brain injuries could lead to significant implications, including life-long debilitating effects, or even in some cases, death. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, every day 138 Americans die from brain related injuries. It is an issue that can no longer be ignored, and awareness of the severity of brain injuries should be on the minds of Americans every day.
Source: findlaw.com “Brain Injury Symptoms and Diagnoses,” Accessed Sept. 29, 2015.