Sports Law and Concussion Roundup
Here is a roundup of recent developments regarding concussions in football.
First, La Salle University settled a concussion brain injury lawsuit for $7.5 million with former football player Preston Pelvretes, who was allegedly injured in a 2005 game. As usual with these types of lawsuits, the in-game concussion was apparently the second concussion that Pelvretes suffered in a month. Everyone knows that concussions have a cumulative impact on the brain, making it critical for coaches and trainers to do the right thing when the player suffers the first concussion.
Here is an excerpt from the article:
“Only in the past one to two years has there been the kind of attention placed on this matter necessary to force schools, colleges and the NFL to actually adhere to the well-promulgated and common-sense standards of the medical profession,” Shanin Specter, a lawyer for the Plevretes family, told The Associated Press.
Second, the chairs of the NFL’s concussion panel have resigned. This is not necessarily a positive development, but it is instructive to me because it tends to reveal a sea change in the way the NFL addresses concussions.
Third, Hines Ward apologized for his idiotic comments about concussions. Ward said the following about teammate Ben Roethslisberger’s decision not to play last weekend because of lingering after-effects from a concussion:
"I could see some players or teammates questioning, like 'it's just a concussion. I've played with a concussion before.' It's almost like a 50-50 toss up in the locker room. Should he play? Shouldn't he play? It's really hard to say."
Finally, football agent Jack Bechta has an outstanding article which suggests that coaches should play a pivotal role in addressing concussions because they are the front-line soldiers who have the best view of which player is impacted by a concussion.
NFL position coaches could act as the first line of defense in spotting concussions. They interact with their players more than any other person on the team. They know the mannerisms and baselines of their players’ skill sets so they can help identify those who are at risk. The problem is that players are their own worst enemy when it comes to concussion and are usually hesitant to tell anyone.
Concussions are a problem that are not going away, and unless and until the NFL, NCAA and high schools start paying closer attention to the impact of concussions – and moronic comments such as those offered by Ward in which a player’s toughness is called into question when he sits out due to a brain injury – it is a topic we will continue to cover here at Sports Agent Lawyer Blog.
