The air in Tampa is electric when anyone broaches the topic of football. It doesn’t matter if it’s high school football, the USF Bulls or the Bucs. Excitement for a lot of us stems from the idea that our team is a representation of who we are, when our team is on the field they need to win. The role of football players as a surrogate for someone like an information technology specialist opens an interesting door, because 5% – 10% of all athletes suffer a mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) in a season. If we consider only Division I and Division II college programs, the number of concussions will be roughly 2,530 on the high-end. The long-term effects of a mild TBI include memory difficulty, depression and the brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). In spite of the statistics, the issue of concussions remains mired in controversy. At its surface this article appears to be yet another soapbox speech about the danger found in sports, but it isn’t our goal. We want you to understand that the mild TBI numbers and facts are more alarming for your toddler, your sixty-five year old father or your significant other.
TBI and concussion facts:
In the US, an estimated 1.7 million people suffer a traumatic brain injury each year. Of the total estimated number, 1.4 million people are treated and released from an ER.
While a concussion is considered a mild TBI, it’s important to understand that 30% of all injury deaths in the US can be attributed to brain injuries. Each day, nearly 140 people in the US die from injuries that include a blow to the brain.
Symptoms of a concussion aren’t always immediately evident and can last for a few days, a month or longer. The victim of a mild TBI may feel a pressure or pain in his or her head, experience a loss of memory and suffer confusion. A loss of consciousness is expected by the layman, but doesn’t always occur.
Nausea, vomiting and slurred speech tend to manifest early after the TBI, but issues like irritability and sleep pattern changes may take days or weeks to appear.
Falls at home or in the workplace account for more concussions in a year than any sport. This can include your four-year old taking a tumble down a staircase, your grandmother slipping on a rug or you tripping over the curb outside your office complex.
Younger family members or friends who are injured in an accident and suffer a mild TBI will find they are able to recover quickly, but there will likely be ER bills and follow-up appointments with your regular physician. An older victim may find life needs to be modified, reinterpreted and reinvented to work well with changes that linger. If you find that you need help getting your life back in order after a TBI, working with Diaco Law can help you obtain fair compensation. Call 888-SOS-FIRM for a free case evaluation.