Chicago Brain Injury Lawyer Blog

Accidents on the roadways cause the most serious traumatic brain injuries. Even more specifically, head injuries are quite common for those travelers who are in exposed vehicles--motorcycles--without the layer of protection that cars provide. It does not take much imagination to visualize how all manners of motorcycle accidents result in trauma to the head, which can cause significant long-term harm. When someone is in a car accident, being thrown from the vehicle is an exception, not the norm--especially when safety belts are used. However, the opposite is true for motorcycles, as most riders are launched off the machine, even in smaller accidents.

The official start of summer won’t come for another month, but with warming weather, the outdoor activities associated with the hot season are already in full swing. That includes riders enjoying the open road and winds that come with traveling on their motorcycle. In fact, as we’ve explained before, motorcycle travel is actually growing in popularity and more and more local residents are purchasing these machines as an alternative form of travel. Most bike owners still travel in cars but enjoy bringing out the motorcycle on nicer days or when they want a chance of pace.

Sadly, for far too many of these travelers, the desire to take in the open road may result in serious injury or even death. Accident and fatality rates are far higher among motorcycle riders than those who only travel in cars. There has been an increase in awareness campaigns recently in order to reminder all travelers--including truck and car drivers who share the road with bikers--to be familiar with the basic safety protocols that must be followed at all times to ensure that everyone arrives at their destination safety.

Illinois State Police Motorcycle Safety Fact Sheet
Law enforcement agencies in Chicago and throughout Illinois frequently publish safety information in the hopes of better educating the community and minimizing damage. For example, the Illinois State Police has a motorcycle accident fact sheet (viewed here).

The report explains how, contrary to the misperceptions of many, 95% of Illinois motorcycle accidents are caused in good weather on dry pavement. Instead, various forms of driver error are the cause. In addition, most accidents occur over the next few months, as 71% of all motorcycle accidents resulting in death occur between May and September--July and August are the single deadliest months.

Of course, there is only so much that motorcyclists themselves can do to prevent injuries. The truth is that many accidents result even with bikers act carefully at all times. That is because collisions more often than not are caused by other drivers who fail to see motorcycles, turning in front of them otherwise not sharing the road. This is unacceptable and usually calls for liability to ensure the injured biker has access to all the resources they need to fully recover.

Whenever you or a loved one is involved in one of these accidents, please get in touch with out Chicago motorcycle accident lawyers to see how we can help.

See Other Blog Posts:

Class Action Lawsuits & Brain Injuries

Distracted Driving, Car Accidents, & Brain Injuries

The Center for Justice & Democracy recently released a white paper on the sad state of class action lawsuits--as big companies have engaged in many attempts to undermine the critical legal tool. The increased difficulty in using class action lawsuits may have implications on some cases where brain injuries are involved. As with anything connected to the civil justice system, the weakening of citizen rights usually coincides with decreased protection and accountability of those whose negligence causes harm.

Understanding Class Actions
Most understand that class action lawsuits refer to special cases when a few plaintiffs are in court to represent themselves and many others (perhaps thousands) who were similarly harmed by some action. This is practicality tool, as it is often far more convenient (and less expensive) to adjudicate a matter once than thousands of times individually.

In some cases the individual harm to each plaintiff is such that it is too small to reasonably allow for justice. For example, if a bank illegally charges an extra $10 fee, it is unlikely that a single person could justify paying the fees and costs of a lawsuit in order to recover that money. The bank may have done this to 100,000 customers, however, reaping a million dollars unlawfully. The only way to hold them accountable is usually via a class action, when resources can be combined to vindicated the rights of the injured customers as a group.

Large corporations are usually the defendants in these matters, because they are the ones most likely to harm a large group of individuals at once. This may include businesses like national or international automobile manufacturers. In the past car defects and other auto problems have been handled with class actions lawsuits. As we’ve noted previously, car accidents are the single biggest cause of serious traumatic brain injuries. Ensuring the safety of all vehicles is a critical tool in minimizing TBIs, and so open access to class action lawsuits is important.

Limiting Citizen Rights
Yet many are growing concerned about the “demise” of these suits. This is a result of both damaging legislation and dangerous court cases.

For example, as the CJ&D paper notes, in 2005 Congress passed a law that allows corporations who are defendants in these cases to “remove” them to federal court, where they deem their chances more favorable. This has clogged the federal court system (which is much smaller than state systems), resulting in huge backlogs and event the dismissal of cases with merit.

In addition the U.S. Supreme Court issued a few recent opinions which may limit the number of cases that meet the requirements to be “certified” as a class-action. In a high-profile case against Wal-Mart for sexual discrimination, the rights of more than 1 million women were deemed to lack the “commonality” requirement of a class--resulting in the suit getting thrown out, and the rights of those affecting practically eliminated. A similar ruling in a case for over-charging cable customers also resulted in the refusal of a class to be certified.

Perhaps even more damaging, the Court is also considering whether certain forced arbitration agreements can eliminate the option of pursuing class action. If allowed this would essentially permit the largest companies to chose on their own to make it impossible for any class action to be pursued against them. It is a staggeringly unfair proposition.

See Other Blog Posts:

Distracted Driving, Car Accidents, and Brain Injuries

Helmet Maker Riddell Loses Brain Injury Lawsuit

Brain injury prevention is a complex task, because the injuries are caused in so many different ways. There is no single solution to the problem. Minimizing the toll that these harms take requires appreciating the seriousness of the consequences and understanding the situations that often cause them.

So what causes brain injuries?

Reports indicate that the single largest cause of all such injuries are falls. From toddlers to the elderly, falling and hitting one’s head on a solid object can occur virtually anywhere. That contact can prove damaging, leading to concussions or more severe forms of brain damage.

But while falls cause the largest total number of head injuries, the most serious head injuries--those resulting in permanent disability or death--are most often caused by car accidents. For that reason, many brain injury advocates are focusing more and more on addressing safety while behind the wheel in an effort to ultimately minimize the number of community members who suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Distracted Driving
Perhaps no issue is gaining more attention on the auto traveling safety front than that of “distracted driving” -- using a phone while behind the wheel. In fact, last month was officially dubbed “Distracted Driving Awareness” month by the National Safety Council. You can read more about the awareness campaign, including signing a pledge to help tackle the problem, at the official campaign website.

As part of the campaign, organizers shared a summary of what they dubbed “The Great Multitasking Lie” as it relates to driving and cell phone use. This “lie” refers to several common misconceptions. For one thing, the human brain is not capable of “multi-tasking” at all--because every time attention is divided, response time and functioning is weakened. In other words, it may seem like you are able to drive and talk without any impairment, but that is a deception. The campaign also points out that the real problem is with the mental processes involved with using a cellphone--not necessarily the use of the hand to hold the phone. In other words, even “hands free” devices pose serious risks that increase the possibility of an accident.

All of this is not mere speculation but proven by scientists. Various studies examined the way that talking on a phone affects the brain. Those research efforts clearly show that talking while driving weakens the driver’s ability to recognize and respond to “driving cues.” Those cues could be anything--from a changing light to a slowing car. When talking, the driver is less likely to process that action in a timely fashion. In other words, they may “see” the car slowing in front of them, but their brain is less adept at understanding what that means they need to do.

Brain Injury Recovery
Addressing the continuing problem of distracted driving will go a long way toward lowering the number of accidents that lead to serious brain injuries. If an accident does strike, however, it is important for Illinois travelers (and their families) to understand that they have legal rights to recovery. Be sure to contact a car accident lawyer to learn about how you can ensure you or your loved one receives the full scope of compensation they are entitled to best recovery from their injuries.

See Other Blog Posts:

Helmet-Maker Riddell Loses Brain Injury Lawsuit

Understanding Punitive Damages Following Brain Injury

Most brain injury lawsuit news space is gobbled up by talk of the legal challenges against the National Football League. NFL officials, among other things, are accused of downplaying information about serious head injury risks to professional athletes and encouraging hard hits that ultimately caused serious harm to thousands of players.

Often forgotten is that many of those same plaintiffs also pointed to other liable parties, including the makers and manufacturers of the equipment used in the sport. By far the leader in this regard is the helmet-maker, Riddell. The company was hit by many different lawsuits. A jury verdict recently came down in the latest of these, resulting in a significant renunciation of the company’s practices.

$11 Million Riddell Verdict
As discussed earlier this month in a USA Today story, the lawsuit was filed on behalf of a high school football player who suffered a serious brain injury in 2008. According to reports, the teen at the center of the case suffered a concussion during a football practice for the local high school team. However, the young man was not properly treated by the coaches and other adults at the practice. He was not brought to a local hospital and did not receive the medical care he needed. As a result the brain injury worsened, and he suffered permanent brain damage. The young man now has paralysis on his left side.

Following this tragedy, the family sought out the aid of a brain injury attorney who filed suit against various parties involved. The defendants included the school, coaches, as well as Riddell--the company that made the helmet the boy was using during the incident.

The specific claims against Riddell were two-fold: the helmet was defective and the company failed to properly warn others of the risks of danger. Ultimately, the jury in the case did not find that this particular helmet was defective, but they did hold the company liable for its failure to warn. They apportioned damages between all involved parties, resulting in a total verdict of $11.5 million.

The company indicated that it plans to appeal. This is expected, considering Riddell faces many other similar lawsuits. The company likely does not want to set the precedent of losing in any case in order to gain leverage in negotiations with those in yet unfinished litigation--including the lawsuit filed by thousands of former NFL players.

Brain Injuries & The Law
This latest verdict demonstrates a few of the foundational legal principles as they relate to brain injuries. Not every time someone suffers a brain injury will there be legal liability. Another party must have acted negligently or otherwise violated strict liability rules. But even in situation that may seem to have no outside wrongdoers, a closer examinations reveals many problems. Failure to provide proper medical care, making unsafe equipment, not warning of dangers, and other general errors are usually signs of negligence that may open the door to legal accountability.

Sometimes it is obvious who should be named as a defendant in a case; other times it is not. In all cases, however, it is important for affected families not to make assumptions on their own. Visit with an attorney who works on these matters, share your story, and get accurate assessments from a legal professional.

See Other Blog Posts:

Helping Parents Gauge When a Head Injury Needs Medical Attention

Understanding Punitive Damages Following Brain Injury

Brain injury awareness is at an all-time high, thanks in large part to high-profile lawsuits related to head injuries in sports. This increased knowledge is helpful in re-iterating that even seemingly “minor” brain injuries can have serious consequences in both the short and long-term. For this reason, all those who suffer hard head contact need to be incredibly vigilant about their condition, seeking out proper medical care when necessary.

But what exactly is the line between a “hard knock” and an injury that needs professional aid? It is impossible to say with certainty.

Recently, a helpful UT San Diego story discussed this issue in relation to toddler injuries. All those with young children appreciate that it is likely impossible to prevent all bumps and bruises to youngsters as they grow up. Those learning to walk, exploring new spaces, or otherwise engaging with the world will undoubtedly take some tumbles, hit some corners, and injure themselves. But how do parents know when an injury is truly minor and when professional help is needed?

When a “Bump” is More than a Bump
The article points to a 2009 study that may offer some help in distinguishing degrees of injury in children. The research effort created simple guidelines to differentiate between minor head injuries and severe ones. These rules were split into two: one group based on visual signs and the other which includes responses from children of an age where they can verbalize feelings.

For example, signs of serious injury requires some medical help for those who cannot yet talk (under two years old) include any falls over two feet, where consciousness is lost, and large visible bumps to the head other than the forehead. Those older than two years old, signs of seriousness similarly include falls from large heights, loss of consciousness, vomiting, and serious headache.

Tests in Serious Cases
If you child takes a tumble and exists some of the signs of serious injury, it is critical that you take them to the emergency room. Once there, the doctor may perform more sophisticated tests to gauge the seriousness on the child’s brain. This is most commonly done via a CAT scan. The scan will look for bleeding around the brain or fractures.

However, even if fractures or bleeding are not found, that does not mean that your child did not suffer a brain injury. For example, some of the most common brain injuries affecting children are concussions. Concussions occur when the brain was “shaken up” inside the skull. If the diagnosis is concussion, then rest and time away from physical activity will be prescribed. It is critical to follow those concussion recommendations. While a single concussion may not have long-term consequences, follow-up head injuries can be far more serious after a concussion.

Proper medical attention is always step one following an accident that may involve brain injury. In addition, if the injury was caused in some preventable way, including auto accidents or slip and fall situations, then it may be prudent to seek out an injury attorney to learn about your legal rights to receive compensation to help in recovery.

See Other Blog Posts:

Understanding Punitive Damages Following Brain Injury

NFL Now Facing Brain Injury Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Brain injuries can arise in a wide array of events, from car accidents and sport collisions to medical malpractice and more. When the injury is caused by the negligence of someone else, then a civil lawsuit may be filed to compensate the party for their losses. In the truly unique cases where the wrongdoer acts with reckless abandon or extreme negligence, then there is also a chance that the defendant will be hit with punitive damages. Instead of compensating the one hurt, these damages are meant to punish the person who acted so wrongly.

There remains much confusion about the purpose of these awards, their size, and frequency.

At the outset, it is important to understand that punitive damages are rare. They are not something that comes up in the vast majority of cases. Additionally, when they do arise, they do not automatically mean a penalty of tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. Punitive damage awards are usually much smaller, and tied to the size of the compensatory damages themselves.

This week Justia published a handy article that discusses the purpose of these damage awards, walking through the major court cases that have defined their applications in all civil lawsuits--including those involving brain injury.

History of Punitive Damages
The U.S. Supreme Court has faced a myriad of cases related to these awards over the past few decades. Their decisions in those cases guide what attorneys propose in appropriate cases today. The short summary of those decisions show that punitive damages are allowed, but their scope must factor in reasonableness--awards of every size may not necessarily comport with constitutional guidelines.

Virtually all of the cases stem from defendants who were hit with large punitive damage awards by judges or juries and then challenged the constitutionality of the award. At first, those defendants argued that the awards violated 8th Amendment prohibitions on excessive fines. However, the court noted that the 8th Amendment does not apply to suits between private parties, and is not applicable when the state is not involved.

After that legal defeat, defendants moved to the due process clause of the 14th Amendment, arguing that it was violated with unreasonable punitive damage awards in civil lawsuits. On a few occasions, the Court has agreed. In perhaps the most high-profile case on the issue in 2003, State Farm v. Campbell, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a punitive damage award of $145 million. They reasoned that the award violated due process not because all damages based on punishment are wrong, but because the size of the award was excessive in light of the compensatory damages. In that case, only $1 million in compensatory damages were given. That equates to a 145 to 1 ratio between punitive and compensatory--a figure the court deemed to wide. Instead, they suggested that a 10 to 1 ration would likely be the maximum.

However, even that 10 to 1 rule has been questioned, and subsequent cases have actually allowed punitive damage awards of much larger. Therefore, it remains a tough legal questions to say with certainty whether any punitive damage award is appropriate. An attorney with proper experience can explain how it all might work in your case.

See Other Blog Posts:

NFL Now Facing Brain Injury Wrongful Death Lawsuits

Brain Injuries Beyond the Playing Field

Troubles continue to mount for the National Football League, as more and more brain injury lawsuits are being filed by those who claim to have been affected in one way or another by the league’s action (or lack of action) which allegedly led to athlete head injuries. As we have discussed frequently, many former NFL players claim that the league knew (or should have known) of long-term harm that came to players because of the sport. Claims suggest that the NFL downplayed those risks and otherwise encouraged certain conduct on the field which increased the risk of player head injury. For many of these former players, their years on the gridiron have led to significant problems in retirement, with early dementia and other cognitive disabilities.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit
In the past, most of the claims against the NFL sought to assist those players who were struggling with the effect of long-term brain injury. However, this week several news outlets reported that two wrongful death lawsuits were recently consolidated with the concussion-cases. The Journal Times noted that the two cases both stem from the suicide of NFL superstar Junior Seau. One of the lawsuit was filed by Seau’s parents and the other by his four children.

Seau committed suicide last May, and his surviving family claims that he was pushed to commit the act as a result of brain injuries he sustained over his playing career. Like the concussion cases, the family claims that the NFL is responsible for the brain injuries by their conduct. After his passing, examinations were made on his brain. They revealed that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)--a brain injury identified in many former athletes who suffer repeat traumatic blows to the head. CTE was previously only diagnosable after death, however recent advances now may allow medical professionals to identify CTE in living brains.

Next Steps
Reports indicate that here are many legal hurdles left to jump for those pursuing these matters. The case (which now includes over 4,000 former patients) was originally filed in federal court. The NFL countered by suggested that the matter had to be heard in arbitration pursuant to collective bargaining agreements between the league and players. A hearing next week will be argued on that very issue. As in many other setting, large companies and chronic defendants often prefer to have matters settled in arbitration, because the rules of the proceedings are such that they may be more favorable to defendants.

As we discussed last week, these high-profile traumatic brain injury cases have had the positive effect of raising public awareness of the harm caused by serious blows to the head. TBIs are far more common than most suspect, and regardless of how this NFL matter plays out, more and more people are understanding the risks. Yet, it is crucial to remember that the majority of TBIs do not arise in sports. Instead, car accidents and falls remain the most common way that local residents suffer this harm. When those accidents are connected to negligence of any kind, then those affected can similarly pursue legal actions to help in their recovery. For assistance on these matters in the Chicago area, please reach out to our brain injury lawyers for help.

See Other Blog Posts:

Brain Injury Beyond the Playing Field

“Head Health” Initiative Launched

Last week we explained how March was being celebrated as “Brain Injury Awareness Month.” As with so many other public health and safety issues, raising awareness and educating about the issues is a critical step in addressing the problem and ultimately finding solutions to minimize the harm.

In honor of sharing information about these harms, an article in Take Part recently sought to dispel some misunderstandings about brain injuries. The headline itself is provocative: “What’s Really Causing Traumatic Brain Injury (Hint: It Isn’t Sports).” The main point that the author makes is that while sports-related TBIs have gained significant attention in recent years, they actually constitute a relatively small percentage of brain injuries. Car accidents and falls remain, far and away, the most common underlying cause of TBI.

The Basics
The article reminds that in total, this is not some relatively minor issue that only occurs occasionally. It has staggering physical, mental, emotional, and financial costs. Each month nearly 140,000 more people will suffer some degree of traumatic brain injury. Many will be relatively minor, but even “minor” brain injuries have real consequences on the lives of those in the middle. And the serious TBIs are not all that rare. According for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), TBIs are actually the leading cause of death for certain younger age groups. On the financial side, estimates suggest that these brain injuries cost about $75 billion a year. Obviously there is significant reason for all of us to work on minimizing these harms.

Truly tackling the problem requires focusing on how TBIs often strike, most notably auto accidents and falls. About half of all TBIs arise in this way, meaning that making a serious dent in minimizing TBIs requires focusing on safety related to transportation and minimizing slip and falls.

The Next Steps
Most argue that we need to focus on awareness, prevention, and research. This makes intuitive sense. On the awareness front, it is important for community members to understand that real harm can come from even small brain injuries. It does not take a dramatic blow to do damage.
Once more people understand that risk, preventative efforts can be taken which address those risks. Also, focusing more intently on basic “safe driving” tips (wear a seatbelt, don’t drive distracted, etc.) may be the most important way to actually prevent TBIs. Encouraging safety in sports is certainly part of that prevention piece, but it is nowhere near the most important.

Finally, we must continue to provide support to research efforts hoping to better understand the injury and ultimately provide better treatment options. The brain remains a mystery in many ways, but step by step we can learn more and help those suffering.

The injury attorneys at our firm are proud to play a small role in raising awareness of sharing information about this topic. If at any point you or a loved suffers a TBI and may need legal advice on the matter, feel free to contact our firm for support.

See Other Blog Posts:

Spread the Word: March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

“Head Health” Initiative Launched

There is no magic bullet to “solve” the brain injury problem. The issue is so large, arises in so many different settings, and includes so many different medical concerns that we can all expect to be dealing with brain injury risks for the rest of our lives. But one simple step that can lead to beneficial benefits for all types of injuries is increased awareness. The mere act of getting more people to take some time to consider the seriousness of brain injuries and the myriad of risks they face each day may have ripple effects that ultimately change the lives of those suffering from the injury. From being more cautious when behind the wheel (car accidents are a leading cause of TBI) to prioritizing safety in sporting events, the more residents are aware of the scope of brain injuries, the better.

It is in that spirit that March has been designated at Brain Injury Awareness Month. Various events for both professionals and community members have been ongoing throughout the past few weeks. One overarching theme is to spread the message that a staggering 1.7 million Americans suffer a traumatic brain injury each and every year. In other words, these are not fluke accidents but serious systematic injuries that affect virtually everyone at one point or another.

As a Huffington Post story explained this week, the statistics remain somewhat shaky, because many people experience milder TBIs without getting a proper diagnosis or treatment. There are often no outward symptoms. Instead the harm is often felt only internally, including things like dizziness, concentration problems, nausea, and more.

Healing the Brain
Of course, working to minimize TBIs altogether is one goal. But it is also critical to make strides in helping those who suffer the injury. We often report on emerging research efforts in this field, as medical experts are focusing more and more attention on understanding the brain and harnessing healing powers.

For example, the HP article author explained how she recently attended two conferences to discuss how brain plasticity principles can be used to help those who have suffered a TBI. She explained how one problem is how to allow those with brain injuries to better interpret fine details as they come in from the senses. Some victims have injuries which cause many of their interactions with the world to appear as a “blur.” Fortunately, there may be steps that can be followed to train the brain to better pick up on details, using the brains ability to adapt and mold to regrow skills.

Brain Injury Lawyers
All of us should continue to support those researchers working on these issues. As more information is uncovered regarding methods to use the brains healing capacity to recover from TBI, it will be important for all families to ensure their loved ones are in a position to take advantage of those healing tools. At times, that might mean guaranteeing that others responsible for causing a brain injury (like a negligent party in a car accident) are held fully accountable so that resources are available to pay for the therapy and equipment needed to fully recover.

See Other Blog Posts:

Head Health Initiative Launched

New “Tongue Zapping” Treatment for Brain Injury

It is far too early to predict how any of the legal matters related to traumatic brain injuries and various football organizations might pan out. Both the professional National Football League (NFL) as well as the NCAA college-level programs are facing various lawsuits. Accusations in those cases usually stem from claims that administrators downplayed risks, hid information, or otherwise did not do enough to protect players from known risks. Many high-profile players who suffered serious brain injury (or committed suicide with alleged connections to injury) have spurred national discussion on these issues.

While it is hard to find any silver lining in the injuries that have affected tens of thousands in big and small ways, it is clear that the national conversation is turning toward ways to address the problem. It is becoming impossible for league officials--from youth programs to professional organizations--to ignore the warning signs or fail to act to protect athletes from harm.

One step that is taking place at the higher levels is the funding of various large-scale project to improve players health and safety. For example, Forbes reported recently on new initiative launched by a joint effort from the NFL and General Electrics (GE). Known as the “Head Health Initiative” the project is a $60 million effort which will last at least four years with the goal of developing new imaging technologies. The new tools will hopefully “aid in the prevention, detection and management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and concussions.”

In a press conference announcing the partnership and project, the NFL Commissioner explained how there is still a long way to go before we are where we need to be in terms of identifying all head injuries in an efficient and timely manner. Hopefully this commitment and research endeavor will speed up the process.

The project will be split into two. The first part will focus on better understanding TBI generally and analyzing long-term harm, including better diagnosis tools. The second phase will be focused on “innovation,” tackling the equipment and protection issues (structures and materials) which might prevent harm

The Future
While the NFL’s participation in the initiative is obviously focused on improving its image and helping to improve the safety of players in the future, the implications of the findings could extend well beyond the sport of football. Many different research project in recent months and years have noted how youth of all ages often experience serious head injuries that go undetected and untreated. This opens them up for follow-up injuries and more serious long-term harm. The better imaging and other technology available to detect even subtle brain trauma damage may go a long way toward helping minimize harm.

Hopefully this trend will continue and all preventable head injuries can be eliminated. Until that time, it is important to keep the pressure on those in a position to make changes. If you or someone you know suffers a TBI as a result of negligence (either in football, another sport, or something else entirely), please contact our injury lawyers to see how we can help.

See Other Blog Posts:

New Research on Brain Injuries in College Football

The Brain Injury Data Project

The drumbeat continues when it comes to information on the dangers of brain injury in football. Businessweek recently reported on even more research--this time focused on college athletes--that exposes potential long-term harm for players. The most troubling aspect of the research is that it shows that real danger may arise even in cases where the player suffers no official concussion. It is still a bit too early to say with clarity what this might mean for future changes to the game or potential legal liability for injuries. However, at the very least it is yet another reminder of the fact that it is no longer possible for anyone connected to the game to claim uncertainty or lack of knowledge about potential long-term harm as a result of brain injuries suffered while playing.

College Football Study
According to the report on the study, the researchers used various tests--blood scan, cognitive measures, brain tests, and similar tools--to assess the potential head trauma for 67 college football players. The testing was conducted over the course of the season to get an idea of potential harm as playing time increased over a set period.

What did they find?

In short, the players who suffered the hardest hits showed the clearest brain damage. More specifically, those players were found with higher antibody levels which themselves are linked to brain damage. Even when examined “double blind,” meaning no one involved knew specific identifiers in the results, it was clear that abnormalities existed.

What is the significance?

One of the most notable aspects of this research was the way that blood tests in particular were able to help show possible long-term harm even when clearer signs (like actual concussions) were not present. One researcher involved explained, “All football players have repeated subconcussive hits—throughout the game, the season, and their careers,” he says, but without external symptoms of injury, the hits were hard to measure. The blood tests appear to offer an early warning system.”

Considering that tens of thousands of young men play college football, these latest results indicate that many more may be exposed to serious long-term harm. And because the focus is on injuries that are “less severe” one-time events than concussions, many of those players may suffer brain injury unknowingly, with various effects down the road.

The Context
This latest study comes amid countless other examinations of the damage that players suffer as a result of extensive careers in the game--often starting as children in youth leagues. The NFL is already facing lawsuits for hundreds of former players making a range of legal arguments about long-term harm, cover-ups, and lack of attention to obvious risk factors which endangered players lives unnecessarily.

In the last month or so widespread attention was again drawn to the problem when researchers identified a degenerative brain disease in living football players. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) has previously been identified in football player after death, including those who committed suicide. Yet, the Center for the Study of Chronic Encephalopathy, used new tools to test 35 living former NFL players. Startlingly they found CTE in 34 of those players.

See Other Blog Posts:

Child Suffers TBI From Falling Tree Limb

Brain Injury Data Report

We frequently report on the many different investigations currently underway to better understand how the brain works and figure out ways to prevent and treat brain injuries. The studies are often very diverse, because, after all, the brain is the most complex organ in the body. In fact, it is safe to say that the human brain is one of the most complex single machines on the planet. Research will naturally be similarly complicated and divergent, with researchers each tackling small pieces of the puzzle.

In this way we have learned much, from the general idea of neuroplasticity and the “cascading” effect of traumatic brain injuries to the harm caused by tau protein build-up. We have come a long way, but significant work remains before much of this new knowledge is transformed into concrete treatment options. That is not to say that medical experts are not on the case, from “cooling” techniques to prevent cascading to electrical stimuli on the tongue to stimulate regeneration of brain connections, there are some exciting prospects on the horizon that may result in real benefits for those suffering from all types of brain injuries, TBIs, degenerative injuries (i.e. dementia), and even those brain injuries that develop at birth.

The Promise of Stem Cells
One of those possibilities involves stem cells. It has long been known that these cells, because of their unique properties of spurring regeneration, may hold the key to helping those with any number of currently permanent injuries including those affecting the brain. In recent years there has been particular focus on “cord blood” collected after a birth and matched to the actual child born. The idea is that that cord blood can be used later if the child were to suffer any sort of injury--either during the birth or after.

One nonprofit group that is leading the way in this effort is known a Newborn Possibilities. You can view their website here. Essentially, the entity works by providing critical grants to medical institutions and others who are at the cutting edge of studying cord blood’s use to take advantage of stem cell properties of rejuvenation. The group provides support for many universities that are conducting trials to test the benefit of certain therapies. For example, there are trials going on right now to see if the use of cord blood on children who suffer from cerebral palsy (which is a brain injury often arising during traumatic births).

While cord blood is most often associated with these birth injuries, in reality the long term benefit of stem cells may actually be used to for any number of harms, including things like traumatic brain injuries caused by auto accidents, falls, sporting hits, and more.

According to the Newborn Possibilities website studies in animals have found that the cells in the cord may may actually be able to cross the “blood brain barrier,” move to the damaged tissue, and begin repairing it. In this way, it acts almost like a magic bullet that works to fix serious problems. However, things are never as easy as they seem when it comes to using these options in human bodies, and so medical experts are vigilantly working to tame the process and develop real long term treatment options.

See Related Blog Posts:

Helping Those with Cerebral Palsy Learn to Speak

Cerebral Palsy Treatment & Umbilical Cord Blood Cells