Unrecognized Traumatic Brain Injury Ends Policeman's Career

Ravenswood, VAFormer Police Officer John M. knows only too well how traumatic brain injury (TBI), the kind that isn't physically visible, can go unrecognized. In John's case, he sustained a TBI as a result of a high-speed car chase, but rather than get support from his employer, John's cop career was terminated.

"This brain injury ruined my career and I ended up having many problems down the road," says John. "I just hope my story can help other police officers…"

In February 2010, while on duty, John was involved in a high-speed car chase that resulted in an accident. "I performed a pit maneuver on the fleeing vehicle—I bumped the rear end of his car with mine to get him to lose control and end the chase," John explains. "My car smashed head-on into a guard rail and that's the last thing I remember. After I regained consciousness, the back of my head hurt and an ambulance took me to hospital." (The suspect was apprehended by another police unit at the scene.)

After a barrage of tests including X-rays, CT Scans and MRI's, John was told he had a concussion and was sent home with a list of do's and don'ts. "My wife was supposed to check on me if I slept too long and everything else was mostly common sense stuff—avoid alcohol and meds," says John. "It's been a while now so hard to remember…"

John suffered short-term memory loss, severe agitation and constant migraine headaches. "I would guess that my ability to reason wasn't the way it should have been," he adds. "People would explain something to me and I would have a hard time understanding little things. Frankly, it's hard to articulate the issues I had, and still have."

John's symptoms are typical of a closed brain injury. The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine says that a TBI is manifested by one or more of the following:

• loss of consciousness
• memory loss for events immediately before or after the accident
• alteration in mental state at the time of the accident (e.g., feeling dazed, disoriented or confused)

It would seem that John's employer doesn't recognize this type of brain injury. "One of the greatest tragedies about brain injury cases is how often they go unrecognized," says TBI attorney John Romano. Even though every 21 seconds someone in the US sustains a TBI, more than 50,000 people die of TBI each year, and some 5.3 million Americans who have suffered TBI will have life-long effects and need help performing daily activities—according to the CDC.

"My doctor wouldn't let me go back to work," says John. "I do remember that my employers had a hard time understanding why I was taking time off, even though my doctor diagnosed me with TBI. I eventually talked my doctor into allowing me to go back on the force but it was too soon. At that time there was a lot of controversial issues going on within city administration and, as a result of the TBI, I couldn't cope.

"I was still dealing with agitation and post traumatic stress from the accident. I couldn't explain what was going on with me because I didn't know—and I received zero help with my condition. We had a new police chief; he was on the force just two days when I requested a personal day to see my doctor—because of the accident. He denied me, an argument ensued and they began my termination process.

"I spent my entire adult life in the police department; I started out as a dispatcher at 18. Now I've been kicked to the curb and I'm just now starting to stop getting angry and move on. The police force used to be the best place in the world to work but not anymore…

"Anyway, I ended up collecting disability benefits. I am starting a new job full time next week driving a school bus, but my police career is over.

"I'm 47 next month and have a wife and three kids to support. This brain injury has also been unbelievable financially; fortunately I have some savings that will hopefully carry me through to my first paycheck. The school board is aware of my condition and they treat me really well. And I am seeing a psychiatrist who understands the ramifications of this TBI; he also diagnosed me with post-traumatic stress syndrome.

"My biggest issue with the police department was their lack of understanding—they didn't even try to understand. The only thing they did was get all over me for not being at work and accused me of abusing the system. They said I had the 'blue flu' [a sick-out or strike staged by police officers] but that wasn't the case.

"I think the police department owes me. I believe they discriminated against me because of my disability; they wanted me out because I wasn't functioning at 100 percent. They should take a crash course in recognizing and understanding traumatic brain injury."