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New Guideline for Treating Concussions
The personal injury attorneys in Los Angeles at the Law Offices of Reneé J. Nordstrand have found that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) recently released a new guideline to deal with the 1 million athletes who suffer from concussions, and potentially debilitating brain injuries every year in the United States.
New evidence has found that it does not take much for permanent brain damage to occur if a concussion is not properly cared for on and/or off the playing field. Researchers have found that younger brains can be especially vulnerable to long-term damage.
The co-lead author of the new guideline said that the new standards replace the older 1997 guidelines released by the AAN. One of the most important recommendations the new guideline stresses is that any athlete who is suspected of having experienced a concussion should be removed from the field of play immediately.
He went on to say, “We’ve moved away from the concussion grading systems we first established in 1997 and are now recommending concussion and return to play be assessed in each athlete individually. There is no set timeline for safe return to play.”
Not surprisingly, the guideline states that for men, the sports that offered the greatest risk for sustaining a concussion were football, soccer, and hockey. For women, the greatest potential risks for concussion and traumatic brain Injury were in soccer and basketball. The guideline also states that the period of greatest risk for potential brain damage is within the first 10 days of a concussion.
If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury due to the negligence of another party, whether on the playing field or off, contact the Law Offices of Reneé J. Nordstrand. Traumatic brain injuries can lead to lifetime of expensive medical care and rehabilitation costs, and can place immense stress on the families of victims. If you believe you have a case, we can be reached online or call us at our Santa Barbara office at (805) 962-2022, or at our Encino office at (818) 981-3530.