Football is a rather aggressive sport and the chance of an athlete sustaining a serious injury or even death is quite possible. All one has to do is to consider Terry Long, known as the “strongman of football,” who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The pro ball player suffered from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative disease as a result of playing football. Many other football players, prizefighters, and others who are subject to sustaining injuries to the brain and head may suffer from this disease, and if that is the case, they may have a personal injury lawsuit. This article will examine such possibilities.
What to Do if You Sustain a Brain Injury because of Football
If a person feels he has sustained a brain injury because of playing football or some other sport, he may want to talk to personal injury lawyers about what to do. In states, such as Kentucky, the injured person may only have one year to file a personal injury lawsuit in a civil court, otherwise, the opportunity for the case to be heard may be gone. The chance to be awarded damages will also be gone, so it is crucial for the person to act upon the lawsuit as quickly as possible. Kentucky is a state that does not have caps on damages awarded.
More about Brain Injuries Sustained because of Football
Injuries such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) fall under personal injuries for which the injured party can file a lawsuit. All medical appointments should be kept and carefully documented so that the documents can be used when the lawsuit goes to trial. It is possible that the matter may be settled out of court by the insurance company, which usually is what occurs in a lot of cases. However, the injured party should realize that the insurance company may try to find a loophole where partial responsibility may be placed on the injured party’s shoulders.
Working Close with Your Attorney for Brain Injuries Suffered because of Football
In cases where the injured party may be considered as being partially at fault, the courts call this comparative negligence. In Kentucky, whatever percentage of fault is assigned to the plaintiff, the courts will reduce that percentage from any damages awarded to the plaintiff. This could turn out to be treacherously low for the plaintiff, so it is essential to make sure that everything possible is done to keep this from happening. Having the right personal injury attorney who has experience with brain injury cases is one step in the right direction.
Final Thoughts about Brain Injuries because of Football
A football player and others who have a good chance of being hit in the head should keep up with all symptoms that could signify brain injury. Examples of some of these symptoms are confusion, issues with problem-solving, memory loss, irritability, aggressiveness, and difficulties with social skills. Other signs to look for include but are not limited to sensitivity to noise and light, difficulty with sleeping, physical weakness, nausea, excessive sweating, and slurred speech. There are many other things to look for and an experienced attorney may be able to lead his or her client to the right doctor who can help document such brain injuries.
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