The 2011-2012 school year and fall season is upon us, which means football season! Whether it be the NFL, college, or local high school football, fall means football for many.

This year, especially, with football injuries being a hot topic recently, there is a lot of concern regarding head injuries. These injuries range from traumatic brain injuries, concussions, or more. These injuries are a result of bumps, blows and or hits to the head that can chemically change the function of the brain.

In fact, concussions do not always occur when a person has been hit in the head.  Concussions can be a result of a severe blow to the body, which causes the head to rapidly move back and forth. What we used to think was a minor hit, has become a massive concern.
There are several stories to back up this revelation, making it difficult to understand why this wasn’t a bigger concern years ago.

A football player from Penn had no history of depression. He was a normal guy, playing the sport he loved. The player hanged himself in April 2010. When doctors examined his brain tissue, it was discovered that he was in early stages of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, which is a brain disease, found in those who have been the victim of many concussion and head injuries.

While doctors cannot completely confirm that his suicide was caused by this disease, they did say that he developed the disease at a very young age, which it most definitely could have played a role.

However, doctors did confirm that CTE was caused by the repetitive brain trauma he experience in football, most of these hits were sustained while his brain was still developing.

Minor concussions are a thing of the past. Concussions can be very severe, dangerous and life threatening. The frightening part is that these injuries cannot be diagnosed without medical testing. After an athlete sustains an injury, it may be hours or days after the injury before athletes experience symptoms – if they even do at all. For others, these symptoms can last days, weeks or longer.

If your child is an avid athlete, we strongly recommend that you do some research on concussions in order to understand signs, symptoms and treatments. While he/she may feel fine after the hit, there could be devastating affects down the road.

If you or someone you love has experienced brain injury, due to the negligence of another person or entity, contact a personal injury attorney today. Seattle brain injury attorney Chris Davis has been representing accident victims for nearly 20 years. Call Davis Law Group at (206) 727-4000 to schedule your free consultation.