NFL and college football players seek compensation for traumatic brain injuries
Tragic stories such as that of college football player Derek Sheely, who passed away after falling into a coma allegedly caused by a series of head-to-head collisions during four consecutive practice sessions, have brought the issue of head and brain injuries in college and professional football into the spotlight.
The NFL has already agreed to a total of roughly $756 million in settlements to compensate the families of 4,500 players who developed brain injuries linked to football injuries. Two more brain injury lawsuits have been brought in the past few months by former Bears quarterback Bobby Douglass and former Northwestern player and pro training camp participant John Cornell. Derek Sheely’s family has also filed a lawsuit.
Lawsuits Allege Football Programs Failed to Disclose Risk of Brain Injuries
The basis of the brain injury suits against the NFL and various college programs is a failure to properly warn players about the risk of brain injury during play. Football helmets protect the head but do not protect against brain injury, because the brain will still bounce around inside the skull when the helmet gets hit. This causes a concussion, and if players are permitted to go back out on the field with even a minor concussion and suffer another head trauma, serious complications may result.
In the Derek Sheely lawsuit, the helmet manufacturer, the school, the head coach, and the NCAA are all named as defendants since each of these parties could reasonably have been expected to provide a warning about brain injuries.
Scientific Advances Make Brain Injuries Easier to Detect
One potential factor behind the continued incidence of brain injury claims among football players is improved diagnostic technology. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, aka CTE, was formerly only detectable by post-mortem examination. Now, however, this degenerative brain condition linked to multiple head injuries can be detected in living players, providing an opportunity for families to seek compensation sooner.
Do Not Take a Head Injury Lightly
If you have suffered any kind of head injury, it is very important that you not only get immediate medical help but also schedule an appointment with a specialist who can use the latest technology to detect all kinds of brain injuries. At the Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, we can help you connect with specialists and secure the documentation needed to establish the extent of your injury and its effect on your future. Then, as your brain injury attorney, we will use this evidence to fight for you to receive the compensation you deserve.
