Our May 2011 newsletter featured an article about concussions, the symptoms, the dangers, the athletes they effect and their long-term effects. Concussions and brain injuries in sports have become a hot topic in sports since January internationally due to the superstar players who have been afflicted with concussions. It has been 7 months since Sidney Crosby has been able to play an NHL game. It is now one month before the Pittsburgh Penguins open their training camp. Crosby is still suffering from post-concussion symptoms. The Toronto Star featured an article on August 15, 2011 discussing the current status of Crosby's health. Ray Shero, the general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins is smart to look at the "bigger picture":
"I want to make sure a year from now, three years from now, five years from now, that he's still the best player in the league and take the appropriate steps and back him, and go from there..."
Dr. Charles Tator, well respected Toronto neurosurgeon, and concussion expert noted that it is common for someone to have symptoms while working out hard. His advice is to do as much physical and mental activity as you can but to try to avoid reaching the threshold that triggers your symptoms. In other news, several former NFL players are suing the NFL because they claim that the NFL has known about the risks of concussions since the 1920s but did not inform players, coaches, trainers or the general public. This lawsuit involves 75 former football players who are suing the NFL, and state they were not aware of the long-term effects concussions have on brain health and that they relied on the NFL to protect them.
This lawsuit also names Riddell Inc., the football equipment maker as a defendant. The lawsuit claims that in 1994, the NFL researched the link between concussions and brain injury and in 2004, when the results were published, the NFL claimed there was no evidence of worsening injury from repeated blows to the head. The NFL also claimed that players could safely play in a game the same day they suffered a concussion if they are without symptoms and cleared by a doctor. Yet, it wasn't until June 2010 that the NFL acknowledged that concussions can lead to long-term health issues: dementia, memory loss and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Let us not forget what happened to Dave Deurson, who commit suicide in February 2011, asking that his brain be donated to science.
To read more about concussions, read Gluckstein Personal Injury Lawyer's May Newsletter, Spotlight on Concussions.
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