Blog Layout

Research shows concussions can cause long-term effects

Randy Rozek • Nov 16, 2016

There’s always risk with any activity. Of course the risk is greater when an activity involves an impact sport or is high risk – such as rock climbing, skateboarding or racing.

And according to an article in the Hillsboro Tribune, all active sports, not just football, involve injuries — bruises, sprains, lacerations, dislocations and broken bones — which usually heal with no long-term concerns.

“But brain injuries, also called concussions, even if classified as ‘minor’ traumatic brain injuries (MTBI) are different. Brain injuries after recovery can be subtle or dramatic but last a lifetime,” the article reads. “Recent work by Dr. Ann McKee (Boston Medical College) and others reveal two new important facts. Even minor concussions have cumulative effects. It is not just the big hit … that renders a player confused or unconscious that are dangerous. And it is now documented that the hundreds and thousands of typical ‘normal’ head impact events from blocking and tackling have cumulative and significant lifelong health impacts.”

McKee studied more than 100 professional ball players’ brains after their deaths. All the players’ deaths were a result of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Some symptoms of CTE are depression, drug abuse, violence, irrational behaviour and suicide.

“When deaths occur in high school football, brain or spinal injuries are usually causal. Particularly dangerous is secondary impact syndrome when a player sustains an MTBI, continues to play and receives a second brain impact,” the article reads. “Basketball, lacrosse and soccer also involve both acute and cumulative brain injuries. CDC data notes significant incidence of concussion when basketball players’ heads strike hardwood floors.”

Along with protective gear, such as helmets, new protocols such as awareness training for coaches and players, on-field penalties, and Return To Play (RTP) protocols have emerged in recent years. Many states have also imposed Concussion Protocols to protect players.

“New technologies are emerging. Better helmets are good and are being adopted. Shock sensors connected to helmets or in the chin strap cup don’t indicate what is experienced by the head mass and brain,” the article reads. “… De facto medical device liabilities, patent conflicts and high incidence of “false positives” are ongoing issues.”

 

Free E-Books 
By Randy Rozek 27 Oct, 2023
After an ongoing struggle to bring justice to the victim of an attack at a Wisconsin diabetes clinic, attorney Randy Rozek of Rozek Law Offices, S.C. has won an $8.3 million victory in which a jury found hospital security at fault for the attack and the client’s resulting injuries. In 2014, Rozek’s client was in the waiting room of the diabetes clinic at a local children’s hospital when a 16-year-old girl with a history of violence viciously assaulted her. The victim, who was accompanied by her two young children, was “punched repeatedly in the face and head, had chunks of hair pulled from her head and was struck in the head with a chair,” Rozek said. The children, aged 9 and 11 at the time, were so frightened by the brutal beating that they fled to a stairwell for safety, fearing their mother had been killed by the attacker and that they would be next if the attacker was to find them. Rozek’s client survived the assault, but still struggles with symptoms of a TBI (traumatic brain injury) and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) following the attack.
By Jayne Zabrowski 21 Jul, 2020
Congratulations to Attorney Randy Rozek on his election to be Chair of the American Association for Justice’s Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group. The American Association for Justice (AAJ) is the largest group of legal advocates for justice in the country. According to AAJ: “For over 70 years, AAJ has successfully defended Americans’ right to trial by jury and continues to fight every day to protect our practices, our clients’ rights, and our civil justice system.” The 3 pillars of AAJ are Community, Advocacy and Education. AAJ has over 50,000 members and has several different Litigation Groups made up of attorneys that specialize in different areas of the law. The Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group (TBILG) was established in 1991 in order to allow attorneys that handle Traumatic Brain Injury cases the ability to share their knowledge, techniques and experience. The TBILG has over 300 members from around the world. Pre-COVID19, the TBILG will typically put on two or three in-person conferences throughout the year and always had a reputation for bringing in great speakers and having a great turnout. Randy was asked about his election as Chair of the TBILG and had this to say: “It means a lot to me that my fellow trial lawyer colleagues bestowed upon my the great honor of leading the Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group for the next year. Our group is made up of some of the greatest TBI lawyers in the country, if not the world. I am proud to lead a group of great lawyers that have dedicated their practices to advocate for those individuals that have suffered from the devastating effects of brain injuries.” Rozek Law Offices, S.C. 3970 N Oakland Ave Ste 604 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211 (414) 374-4444 https://www.rozeklaw.com/
By Randy Rozek 18 Mar, 2020
The vast majority of interactions between clients and Rozek Law Offices is not in-person contact. Typically, however, the initial contact between a potential client and Attorney Rozek would be an in person meeting. Due to the health concerns regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Rozek Law Offices has implemented new technology that will allow potential clients to retain Attorney Rozek and Rozek Law Offices without an in-person meeting. A typical new client relationship with Rozek Law Offices now looks like the following:
By Randy Rozek 20 Aug, 2019
MILWAUKEE, WI – We are pleased to announce that Randy Rozek, Rozek Law Offices, S. C., has been selected to the Brain Injury Association of America’s Brain Injury Preferred Attorneys Program. This is an exclusive partnership between the nation’s oldest and largest brain injury advocacy organization and one of Wisconsin’s foremost brain injury law firms. […]
By Randy Rozek 31 Oct, 2018
The majority of our clients are referred to us from people in the community, doctors, judges, lawyers, other past clients that we have represented, but also we’re routinely asked to associate with other attorneys around the state or even around the country because we know the right experts and we get the right results. Because […]
By Randy Rozek 08 Oct, 2018
Wisconsin Rideshare Accident Lawyer Rideshare accidents is a new field of law with the advent of Uber, Lyft, and other companies that offer ride services. What we’re seeing in the law is that some of these companies don’t provide adequate training or even adequate background checks on their drivers. Not only are we have seeing […]
By Randy Rozek 03 Oct, 2018
Coma is a deep state of unconsciousness for a prolonged period of time, immediately following a coma or during a coma, the medical professionals are looking to eliminate the bleeding and eliminate the swelling of the brain. Following that, and even after the coma victim regains consciousness, they’re still likely going to be left with […]
By Randy Rozek 07 Sep, 2018
If you’ve suffered a brain injury and you’re having vision problems, most likely, you’ll be referred to a neuro ophthalmologist. Some of the common visual disturbances following traumatic brain injury include light sensitivity, convergence disorder, blurred vision, seeing things in your visual field that aren’t actually there. A neuro ophthalmologist can help identify these types […]
By Randy Rozek 20 Aug, 2018
A neuroradiologist is a radiologist that specializes in advanced imaging of the brain. If you’ve been referred to a neuroradiologist, they’ll do an MRI and then look for damage to certain parts of the brain. Most likely lesions in the gray-white matter interface, which is most susceptible to injury following brain injury. There will also […]
By Randy Rozek 09 Aug, 2018
  If you’ve suffered a brain injury and you’ve been referred to a neuroendocrinologist, you can expect for that doctor to look for damage to your pituitary gland. If you’ve suffered a brain injury, most likely there was enough force involved to damage the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus, which connects the pituitary gland to […]
More Posts
Share by: