Football places players at a significant risk of concussions, especially at the professional level. Players in the National Football League (NFL) are relentlessly tackled and hit by large, strong athletes on a regular basis. Even with helmets and rules against helmet-to-helmet contact, players still commonly sustain concussions. In fact, the NFL reported that 271 concussions occurred in 2015 alone.
Concussions are a type of mild brain injury that results in brain damage that disrupts normal brain function. Concussions not only cause immediate symptoms such as confusion, disorientation, loss of consciousness, headaches, and many others, but medical research also indicates that victims of multiple concussions can experience long-term effects and symptoms. Some of the long-term complications of multiple concussions can include the following:
- Early onset dementia;
- Early onset Alzheimer’s disease;
- Early onset Parkinson’s disease;
- Chronic depression;
- Lou Gehrig’s disease;
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Many of the above degenerative conditions can cause serious impairments and can lead to difficulty with memory, communication, or even lead to suicidal thoughts and suicide.
NFL Players To Receive Settlements
A number of former professional football players joined together and filed a lawsuit against the NFL. The players claimed that the NFL worked to hide the dangers of multiple concussions and instead of providing medical treatment, the league often encouraged players to return to the field even with signs of a concussion. As a result, many players sustained many concussions without realizing the long-terms dangers of doing so.
The NFL recently offered to pay out a significant amount to thousands of former players who have struggled with serious cognitive and mental impairments. Families of deceased players who were discovered to have CTE will be able to recover some for wrongful death. Certain players have appealed the settlement agreement due to what they believe to be inadequate compensation for the families of CTE victims. However, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third District recently upheld the lower court's decision.
By playing for years in the NFL, these retired players suffered hundreds of mild traumatic brain injuries. While they will receive some of the payout money, they can never go back in time and undo years of repeated brain damage and instead, many of them live in suffering. Sports leagues like the NFL should take more aggressive and affirmative steps to limit the number of concussions among players to avoid long-term consequences of concussions well into retirement.
Consult With A Baltimore Sports Injury Lawyer Today
Whether you are a professional or amateur athlete, you may be at risk of suffering a concussion when you play sports. In many cases, sports leagues, coaches, or medical staff may be held liable for the short-term and long-term losses related to a concussion. At The Casper Firm, we represent the rights of people who have sustained brain injuries in sports or any other type of accident. We know how severely concussions and other sports injuries can affect your life, so please call our office at 888-387-3878 for a free consultation with a brain injury attorney.
