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Study: Young Athletes Should Avoid Competing Before Full Recovery

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Catastrophic injuries and accidents can devastate victims — or even cost them their lives — whether in North Carolina or anywhere in the United States. These injuries can happen to anyone at any time. However, perhaps the most tragic cases involve children who lose the full promises of their futures because their schools returned them to sports before they recovered fully from concussions.In a 2011 article on the dangers of concussion to young athletes, HighSchool OT.com reports that out of 1,827 sudden deaths among young athletes from 1980 through 2009, 148 fatalities occurred in football. And of that number, 17 players died of head or neck injuries after sustaining recent prior concussions. Even one death of a high school athlete is too many when a coach or others at a school could easily prevent it through responsible decision making.

Concussion is a traumatic brain injury that occurs due to a blow to the head. However, these often-severe injuries do not always reveal themselves with obvious symptoms such as unconsciousness, blurry vision, mental confusion or even a headache. This is why schools must immediately seek medical attention for any student who suffers a head injury – even if the student walks away with no apparent harm. And after a student sustains a concussion, schools need to obtain medical authorization before permitting a student to return to sports or even to physical education classes.

Unfortunately, parents may not receive notification from their children or the school until a second accident causes catastrophic injuries. Parents should encourage their children to communicate freely about even minor accidents at school. However, if a child sustains traumatic brain injuries at school, parents should seek advice from an experienced North Carolina catastrophic injury attorney, even if they do not immediately know the exact causes of the injuries.

When you schedule a free and confidential initial consultation at Lanier Law Group, P.A., you benefit from experienced attorneys who can educate you on your legal options. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case. Call us at 919-342-1368 to learn how we can help.