Brain Damage from Sporting Injuries

Many people enjoy playing sports for fitness, fun, or as a profession. However, there are risks involved with these types of activities due to various factors, including other players, obstacles, and the nature of the sport. Injuries do occur, and they can be quite severe in serious cases: According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission there are an average of around 400,000 sports-related head injuries treated every year. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one that results from a blow to the head or other external forces, incidents that are common in team or contact sports. Traumatic brain injuries are more frequent in certain types of sports and the consequences can be life-changing, especially financially. Discuss your options for compensation with a traumatic brain injury lawyer if you’ve been suffered brain damage while participating in a sport.

Cycling

In an average year, around 17 percent of all bicycle-related injuries involved head and brain trauma. Many of these were from falls, collisions with objects, and accidents with motorized vehicles. In most cases, the victim was not wearing a helmet, which contributes to the severity of the brain damage. The biggest issue with cycling as a cause of sports injuries is that it doesn’t take a catastrophic incident to cause brain damage. A fall of just a few feet or slower-speed collision can lead to a skull fracture that affects the brain’s normal functioning.

Football

Catastrophic football injuries cause brain damage at all levels of the sport, not just the professional players that receive the bulk of media attention. College, high school, and junior football players may also suffer head trauma, despite the proper usage of helmets and protective gear. Most cases involving brain damage occur during games, though they also happen during practice sessions and scrimmages. Defensive players are most vulnerable, with defensive backs and linebackers making up a large number of sports injuries that cause brain damage.

Cheerleading

Though some may not consider it a sport in the traditional sense, cheerleading has undergone major changes since participants were turning cartwheels to pep up a crowd. Cheerleading competitions often involve tossing members of the team several feet in the air, and even a slight mishap can cause the person to come crashing to the rock-hard gymnasium floor. Risky gymnastics moves can also lead to catastrophic falls. If a victim strikes his or her head, brain damage can be extremely serious.

Trust a Maryland Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney with Your Sports Injury

A brain injury is much more serious than any other injury that might leave you sidelined from your favorite sport. You’ll incur high medical bills, suffer from pain and other conditions, and may be unable to work. With the assistance of a skilled traumatic brain injury lawyer, you can recover compensation for these losses. The lawyers at The Casper Firm have extensive experience in these types of sports-related injuries, representing clients in court and in settlement discussions with insurance companies. For more information or to schedule a consultation on brain damage from sporting injuries, please contact our Baltimore office.