Make sure you hire a law firm with the skills to handle it
In recent years, many professional football players have been diagnosed with serious brain injuries linked to their time on the field. In many cases involving chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the diagnosis was not possible until after the player’s death, leaving their family searching for justice via wrongful death lawsuits against the NFL.
If brain injuries happen in professional football, they can also happen in high school or college football. Depending on the severity of the injuries, the players may suffer mild symptoms such as headaches or severe, permanent problems like cognitive impairment, personality changes, and behavioral problems, which can spoil the promising future of any young student-athlete.
When football head injuries are caused by negligence, injured players and their families deserve compensation. However, securing this compensation can be difficult because football head injury claims often involve special challenges such as:
Difficulty Proving Negligence: In order to hold a coach, school, or organization liable for a football head injury, it is necessary to prove that they were negligent in their treatment of the athlete. In other words, we need to establish that they violated the standard of care. This can be challenging because the standard of care is evolving as we learn more about how concussion injuries can be diagnosed and how long athletes should be kept off the field after an injury.
Need for Expert Witnesses: An expert witness is often essential for establishing what the standard of care is and how the at-fault party violated it in their treatment of the injured athlete. Medical experts are also needed to explain how and why the football head injury occurred, how severe the symptoms are, and what the impact is on the athlete’s current and future well-being.
Causation May Be Questioned: In the case of a concussion, symptoms appear right away and are easily linked to involvement in football. But in the case of other types of football head injuries such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy or Second Impact Syndrome, it may take time for symptoms to be diagnosed. This could open the door for the defense to argue that the brain injury was caused by something other than football. Again, expert testimony will be needed to establish the facts of the matter.
Need Help with a Football Head Injury Case?
If you suspect that you or a loved one has suffered a football head injury due to the negligence of a school, a coach, a helmet manufacturer, or some other entity, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker immediately. We have specific experience with this complex type of personal injury case and we can help you. Call us at 800-333-0000 for a free consultation.
