New NFL Season Turns Spotlight on Brain Injuries

After a spring and summer spent, in part, answering claims that the league may not take brain and spinal cord injuries seriously enough, NFL officials cannot have been pleased that the new season’s first week brought all of these questions back into play. During last Sunday’s season opener, as the New York Times reports, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Stewart Bradley lay motionless on the field for several minutes. Though taken off the field for medical reasons he returned to the game, the paper reports, “less than four minutes later.” At halftime team doctors diagnosed him with a concussion.

As the Times notes, however, the real question is what example all of this is setting for younger players. NFL teams are well-positioned to offer their players immediate and on-going medical care. At the high school level, in particular, that is far less likely to be the case. As the Times notes, “only 42 percent of high schools in the United States have access to a certified athletic trainer, let alone a physician.”
The danger is that youngsters inspired by dreams of NFL glory are taking and giving sharper hits than they should, and that many schools are ill-equipped to deal with the consequences.

It is at such moments – when coaches and schools fail our kids – that the law must step in to hold responsible parties accountable. If your child has suffered a Portland head injury while participating in youth or school sports you owe it to yourself to begin consultations with an Oregon traumatic brain injury lawyer who can help you consider your options.

As the Times reports: “Research suggests that 10 percent to 50 percent of high school football players will sustain a concussion each season, with as many as 75 percent of those injuries going unreported and unnoticed.” Take the time to speak with a Portland child brain injury attorney for an outside opinion on the best way to guarantee justice if your son’s football experience has been neither as safe nor as fun as you had hoped.

New York Times: Eagles’ Handling of Head Injury Draws Spotlight

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