By Randy Appleton, Virginia Brain Injury Attorney

The issue of traumatic brain injuries sustained by professional athletes will be tackled on May 22 at a panel discussion in Virginia (VA). Paul Flatley, who is a former receiver with the Minnesota Vikings, will be part of the discussion on brain injuries in Richmond, Virginia (VA), pal-item.com reported. Flatley has said the tragedy of Dave Duerson, will be highlighted at the event.

Our experienced traumatic brain injury (TBI) attorneys noted recently how years of concussions sustained during a long football career may have contributed to a traumatic brain injury that led Dave Duerson to take his own life in February 2011.

After retiring the player remained active on panels that explored how knocks sustained to the head during games left former players struggling with problems such as dementia and Alzheimer disease.

New research has concentrated on a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), or “punch-drunk syndrome.” The dementia-like symptoms were recently highlighted in the Washington Post.

Increased concerns about concussions have led states to pass new laws to protect athletes at schools. Our Virginia (VA) personal injury attorneys recently reported on how new laws were enacted in Massachusetts (MA).

We recently highlighted how, also in Massachusetts (MA), schools are developing a test to recognize concussions in athletes.

As new data on concussions emerged across Virginia (VA), the General Assembly has also passed a new concussion law, requiring medical clearance for students to return to play. Under this law, a student-athlete suspected of sustaining a concussion “shall be removed from play.”

A student-athlete who has been removed from play is not allowed to return to play that same day until he or she has been evaluated by an appropriate licensed health care provider.

If you hit your head in an accident, sports impact, fall or physical assault, you may suffer concussion-like symptoms known as post concussion syndrome, for weeks or months afterward, while traumatic brain injuries can cause memory loss.

Mild traumatic brain injuries are less obvious that traumatic brain injuries, but a mild traumatic brain injury can cause permanent damage. There is a presently a growing body of evidence that these concussion-type injuries, if untreated, can lead to Parkinson-type diseases and dementia.

The heightened awareness of the dangers of brain injuries in sports has resulted in a raft of lawsuits in which victims have claimed institutions have failed to provide adequate care.

Recently we reported on a $2.5 million lawsuit against Virginia Tech’s basketball camp claiming inadequate facilities and a lack of supervision contributed to a teen’s head injury.

DM

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have experience handling traumatic brain injury and general head injury cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys achieved the largest verdict in Virginia’s history for a brain-damaged client in 2000. The initial award of $46 million rose to $60 million with interest when an appeal was settled confidentially. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. Our injury lawyers also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard blogs as pro bono public information services. While not every brain injury case meets our criteria, if you or a loved one is thinking about taking legal action against a possibly at-fault person or company that caused your injury, call our office at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, be sure to leave a voicemail. We will return your call.