New Approaches Toward Traumatic Brain Injuries

You’ve likely been reading about attention in to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in the medical and legal communities, focusing on athletes and the risks associated with concussions. With the Junior Seau case underway, along with a number of additional cases against the National Football League (NFL), government and other nonprofit entities are taking notice.

Amidst all this discussion, it’s important to keep in mind that professional athletes aren’t the only ones affected by TBIs. If you or a loved one have suffered a concussion or other brain injury, it’s important to seek medical attention and to speak to a brain injury attorney. In California, brain injury lawyers have experience filing claims for TBIs and can discuss your case with you today.

Government Initiatives for TBI Research

According to a recent article from San Diego’s local CBS 8 News, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that more than 1 million sports-related TBIs occur in America each year, and many strike middle-school and high-school athletes. In fact, the CDC indicated that nearly 90 percent of TBI-related deaths and hospitalizations—about 1.4 million each year—are the result of concussions.

In response to this information from the CDC, President Obama “recently outlined the need for better research on the brain, particularly in relation to TBIs.” In addition to the new BRAIN Initiative that Congress will soon review, CBS 8 News reports the Coalition for Concussion Treatment has also been created.

The BRAIN Initiative has been compared to the Human Genome Project in its large-scale undertaking. Obama has described the initiative as a “grand challenge.” Its name stands for Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies, and it will partner the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in hopes of obtaining more nuanced brain research. Among its concern with other brain diseases, the initiative hopes to “develop solutions to prevent, treat, or even reverse the harmful effects of Traumatic Brain Injury.”

Nonprofit and NGO Attention to TBI Awareness

Taking a different route, the Coalition for Concussion Treatment is a nonprofit that seeks to provide education about concussions and appropriate treatment. In a somewhat similar vein, the California Concussion Coalition offers advanced concussion training sessions for high school coaches, as well as symposia and other events to educate California residents about the dangers or repeated concussions and TBIs in young athletes.

According to the CBS 8 News article, the Coalition for Concussion Treatment plans to hold a Concussion Awareness Summit in Minnesota “to explore gaps in TBI care, new approaches, and long-term effects.” Other nonprofits will take part in the summit and will use proceeds to tracks thousands of patients affected by TBIs in hopes of improving diagnostics and treatments. The Coalition for Concussion Treatment has created alliances with a number of other organizations in various fields, including Amarantus, Brewer Sports International, and Banyan Biomarkers. Together, the alliance will involve former professional sports players, advocates, advisors, and scientists “to catalyze research in TBI.”

Concussions and other TBIs are very serious injuries. If you or a loved one have experienced a concussion or other traumatic brain injury, you may be eligible for compensation. An experienced brain injury lawyer can speak to you today about your claim.

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