On Concussions: New Guidelines

The last two years or so have seen a welcomed renewed societal focus on the dangers of head injuries. Now, neurologists have announced new guidelines that may forever change the way that we treat concussions. 

On March 18, the American Academy of Neurology announced these new guidleines as a way to treat concussions in athletes. In a New York Times article Dr. Christopher Giza explained that the focus is now to get away from the old "grading system" towards a more individual approach:

“We’ve moved away from the concussion grading systems we first established in 1997 and are now recommending concussion and return to play be assessed in each athlete individually,” said Dr. Giza.

Sports fans and athletes have been inundated with horror stories of sports idols who have had horrible experiences post career, such as the story of ex-NHL player Derek Boogard and of the massive NFL litigation brought by former players, both of which I linked to in a prior personal injury law blog.

Many of us can remember "getting our bell rung" during our high school football days. Far from being viewed as a potential injury, these moments were often seen as a rite of passage as the coach patted our backs and we re-entered the game..... the new guidelines require the immediate removal from a game for any player suspected of having suffered a concussion. Players should not return until cleared by a licensed health care professional who performs a thorough evaluation using a checklist. 

Head injuries such as concussions or other traumatic brain injuries ("TBIs") can be difficult not only on victims, but their relationships with others as well. Unlike a broken leg, for example, these injuries are not always immediately noticeable or as well understood. For this reason, they are sometimes referred to as "invisible injuries" and in my Rhode Island personal injury law practice, we have to take the time to document and explain the effects of these injuries. We have a great resource here in RI – the Brain Injury Association of R.I. has an extensive library and other resources to help people.

It's amazing how much more we are still learning about the human brain and the effect of trauma on same.

Removing players from the field and examining concussions on an individual basis, I believe is a step in the right direction for treating these injuries with the serious attention deserved. What do you think?