Sustaining a Concussion Can Increase Your Risk of Sports Injuries in the Future

Sports-related concussions in Rancho Bernardo need to be taken extremely seriously, whether they impact minors or adults, and whether they are a first-time injury or a subsequent concussion. Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). While they might be described as “mild” in comparison with more moderate or severe forms of head trauma, they are nonetheless significant injuries that affect the brain. According to a recent study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, sustaining a concussion could increase a person’s risk of experiencing additional sports-related injuries in the future. Accordingly, if a party bears liability for a sports-related concussion, there is a possibility that they could be liable for subsequent injuries that arise out of that TBI.

What do you need to know about the recent study and its implications? Consider the following information.

Athletes May Need Additional Time to Recover from Concussions

The authors of the study analyzed concussions and future sports-related injury risk in nearly 1,500 junior athletes, considering the long-term effects of concussions. The study revealed that sustaining a concussion can increase the risk of sustaining a future sports-related injury by about 50 percent, including a subsequent head injury or another form of bodily injury. To clarify the numbers, the researchers found that, over a period of seven years, athletes who sustained a concussion were about 1.5 times as likely as athletes who had not sustained a concussion to be injured again.

What should we be taking away from this information? One of the key implications of the study is that athletes who sustain concussions may require additional recovery time before returning to play. Rather than permitting athletes to return to the field according to current protocols, they may require additional rest time to avoid new injuries. Indeed, the recent study supports findings that suggest many weeks may be necessary before returning to any kind of activity, especially for younger players. For example, a study published in BMJ in 2016 indicated that younger athletes may need a month or longer to recover from a concussion.

Who is Responsible for Concussions and Subsequent Sports-Related Injuries?

Who is liable when an athlete—especially a teenager or other young athlete—suffers a concussion? And does that liability extend to subsequent sports-related injuries that may have resulted, at least in part, from the initial concussion?

Liability is complex, but there are many ways in which an athletic organization, coach, school, team physician, or another party may be liable for a sports-related concussion if protocols are not properly followed. While more research is needed to determine the link between concussions and subsequent sports-related injuries, the recent study implies that those same parties could potentially be liable for additional injuries tied to concussions. To determine liability in a brain injury case, it is important to have an experienced personal injury attorney assess your case and circumstances.

Contact a Rancho Bernardo Personal Injury Lawyer

Brain injury claims can be complex, but one of the experienced Rancho Bernardo personal injury attorneys at our firm can discuss your case with you today. Contact the Walton Law Firm for more information.

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