NFL Faces Brain Injury Lawsuit

Nokesville, VAThe coming fall is a time when many young athletes' thoughts turn to sports—but many do not think about the risk of brain injury they may face. And why should they? Young athletes are supposed to worry about winning games and having fun, not about the possibility of a traumatic brain injury. But at least two brain injury lawsuits have been filed against the NFL, and parents whose children have been affected by concussions are speaking out, hoping to change how youth sports organizations view brain injuries.

According to Sports Illustrated (08/19/11), a class-action lawsuit has been filed against the National Football League (NFL) alleging the organization hid from its players the risk of brain damage and neurological injury associated with playing football. Six retired players have reportedly filed the lawsuit in Philadelphia, while 75 players filed a similar lawsuit in California. The Philadelphia lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, could ultimately include thousands of retired players from the NFL.

The lawsuits assert that the NFL knew in the 1920s about the dangers of concussions but did not begin warning players about those risks until 2010. Additionally, the league is accused of financing studies based on junk science that downplayed the risk of concussions.

A spokesperson for the NFL said the league would vigorously contest the allegations.

The risk of concussions is not limited to professional athletes. Young athletes are also at risk of brain injury and the consequences for them can be devastating. Statistics from the US Department of Health and Human Services (as cited by the Chicago Sun-Times; 07/29/11) show that children make up approximately 90 percent of hospital emergency room visits for sports-related concussions.

The parents of a teenage football player who suffered a concussion and, two days later, committed suicide say that the concussion caused his suicide, and donated their son's brain to research. According to The Associated Press (08/30/11), concussion awareness in sports is on the rise, but the medical knowledge hasn't made its way to the high school level.

The young athlete, Austin Trenum, may have suffered up to four different concussions during his time as a football player. Researchers studying Austin's brain said he had structural damage to his brain, including the area that affects judgment and impulse control.

Some youth sports organizations are making changes, including ensuring that coaches, trainers, parents and students have a better understanding of concussions. That is good news for new athletes, but it comes too late for those who have already suffered the devastating consequences of a brain injury caused by participation in sports.