Chicago Accident and Injury Lawyer Blog

Football season will be upon us soon. In the meantime, many young people have already begun one- and two-a-day practice sessions. While the parents and coaches of these young athletes must immediately be concerned with the threat of heat exhaustion -- especially due to the extreme heat wave we are experiencing -- children must also be closely monitored to prevent head trauma at all costs. The National Institute of Health has stated that "we are in the midst of a 'national epidemic' of concussions and other head injuries, especially among the young." This season, the NFL is taking great precaution to prevent and treat players' head injuries. The hope is that colleges, high schools and even grade school folks follow suit. For more information, see Dan Rather's article Kids, Head Injuries and the NFL.

In football, concussions can easily go undiagnosed and untreated. Studies indicate that memory-related diseases are much higher in former football players than in the general population. The signs of a concussion include confusion, memory loss, headache, dizziness, problems with balance, a sensation of things spinning around (vertigo), and nausea and vomiting. Anyone who experiences any of these symptoms after a head injury must immediately consult a physician.

Spinal cord trauma, paralysis, concussion, traumatic brain injury, headaches and head trauma are all types of injuries caused by cheerleading accidents listed in the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Data Tables. The data was collected between the Fall of 1982 and the Spring of 1998 and contains summaries of the injuries. While the report contains many guidelines and suggestions for improving cheerleading safety, the sad statistic is that cheerleading injuries resulting in hospital emergency room visits have increased to nearly 30,000 in 2008, which is almost six times the number of injuries in 1980, according to the Chicago Tribune who cited a report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Continue reading "CHEERLEADING INJURIES ON THE RISE: CHICAGO SPORTS INJURY ATTORNEY URGES IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY MEASURES AND TRAINING" »

With the Chicago Marathon closely approaching, many runners are training for the big event. It is scheduled for Sunday, October 11, 2009 and we wish the participants success!

Tragically, two years ago, a 35-year-old Michigan police officer died during an unusually hot and humid Chicago marathon. An autopsy revealed that the officer's heart condition caused his death. Since the effects of marathon running on the heart has become a popular topic among researchers, The New York Times explored the issue in a recent health segment.

The Times article discusses a controversial study published last year in the European Heart Journal. In that study, scientists scanned the hearts of 108 experienced, male distance runners in their fifties, sixties and seventies; all had completed a minimum of five marathons in the prior three years. After studying the scans, the researchers found that more than a third of the men showed evidence of significant calcification or plaque build-up in their heart arteries.

Since the release of that study, researchers worldwide have attempted to clarify the issue. In one recent study, Canadian researchers examined 129 non-elite runners in Winnipeg, testing their blood just before and after running a half or full marathon. When runners reached their finish line, blood tests revealed that most of the half marathoners and even more of the marathoners displayed elevated cardiac troponin, a substance in the blood that usually suggests cardiac injury, and other blood markers of heart damage. When the runners were tested again after an hour, even more showed blood indicators of cardiac damage.

Although running is an excellent way to stay physically healthy, if you have ever experienced any heart problems, you should consult a doctor before attempting long distance or marathon running. If while training for or actually running a marathon you have any heart-related symptoms, such as shortness of breath or chest pains, stop running and see a doctor immediately. We know that heart attacks can and do happen during marathons, and those with a history of heart disease are particularly at risk.

I am a Chicagoland personal injury attorney who has successfully represented student athletes for injuries they received while involved in high school sports. I feel strongly about making safety a top priority in high school sports.

The online addition of the Los Angeles Times recently posted an article stating that injuries in high school football occur most frequently during the middle of games. The statistics cited by the L.A. Times comes from an analysis by the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital of data from the 2006 National High School Sports Injury Surveillance Study.

The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that 54% of injuries occur during the middle of a game. Thirty percent of injuries occur at the end of the game, including overtime, and the beginning of the game accounted for 16% of injuries. The study found that injuries are most severe in the beginning and middle of the games during kickoff and punting.

Cheerleading causes more serious injuries than other sports.

Researchers have long known how dangerous cheerleading is, but historically, records were poorly kept. An update to the record-keeping system last year found that between 1982 and 2007, there were 103 fatal, disabling or serious injuries recorded among female high school athletes, with the vast majority (67) occurring in cheerleading. The next most dangerous sports: gymnastics (nine such injuries) and track (seven).

Recently, the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill released its 26th annual report on the topic. The latest figures are from the 2007-2008 academic year for college and high school sports, male and female. The report defines catastrophic injuries as any severe or fatal injury incurred during participation in the sport.

The new numbers are for the 26-year period from the fall of 1982 through the spring of 2008:

- There were 1,116 direct catastrophic injuries in high school (905) and college sports (211).
- High school sports were associated with 152 fatalities, 379 non-fatal injuries and 374 serious injuries. College sports accounted for 22 fatalities, 63 non-fatal injuries and 126 serious injuries.
- Cheerleading accounted for 65.2 percent of high school and 70.5 percent of college catastrophic injuries among all female sports.

Fortunately, the number of cheerleading injuries fell slightly in the 2007-08 academic year. Hopefully, an increase in awareness and safety measures will continue to decrease the number of injuries related to cheerleaders and high school and college athletes, in general.

Continue reading "CHICAGO SPORTS INJURY ATTORNEY CAUTIONS CHEERLEADERS TO INCREASE SAFETY IN THEIR SPORT" »

Baseball is the time-honored American pastime. It's a sport that everyone of every age can enjoy and playing in a little league is almost a rite of passage. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that nearly 6 million children ages 5 to 14 participate in organized leagues and a whopping 13 million children participate in non-league play. With all this baseball playing, however, comes loads of injuries.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), hospital emergency rooms and clinics treat an estimated 500,000 children for baseball-related injuries each year. In response to this statistic, the CPSC collected and analyzed date to determine how these children were injured and what equipment could prevent such injuries. The CPSC ultimately concluded that baseball protective equipment may prevent, reduce or lessen the severity of more than 58,000 injuries occurring to children each year.

The CPSC and the AAOS recommend playing with softer-than-standard balls to prevent, reduce or lessen the severity of ball impact injuries to the head and neck. Batting helmets with face guards may prevent, reduce or lessen the severity of facial injuries and safety release bases that leave no holes in the ground when the base is released may prevent, reduce or lessen the severity of base-contact sliding injuries.

Protective equipment is one of the most important factors in minimizing the risk of injury in baseball. The AAOS offers these helpful tips:

* Remember your equipment must fit properly and be worn correctly.
* Wear a batting helmet at the plate, when waiting a turn at bat, and when running bases.
* Facial protection devices that are attached to batting helmets are available in some youth leagues. These devices can help reduce the risk of a serious facial injury if hit by a ball.
* The catcher must always use a catcher's mitt. If you play another position, ask your coach about specific size requirements for your mitt.
* Catchers should always wear a helmet, face mask, throat guar, long-model chest protector, protective supporter, and shin guards.
* Most youth leagues prohibit the use of shoes with steel spikes. Instead, wear molded, cleated baseball shoes.
* Inspect the playing field for holes, glass, and other debris.

Have fun, but play safe. Many injuries are preventable with the proper equipment. Don't ruin your fun in the sun with a preventable injury. Play ball!

Each year, more than a quarter of a million children are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to skateboarding, scooters and biking. If you add into the mix, baseball related injuries or other activities that require helmets, it is obvious that wearing a helmet shows you are using your head.

For many sports related activities, a helmet can reduce the risk of serious head injury and even save lives. If you are wearing the appropriate helmet during a fall or collision, the impact energy will be absorbed by the helmet, rather than the head and brain.

It is important to note that all helmets are not created equal. There are different helmets for different sports. While some can be worn for multiple sports or activities, each helmet is designed to protect your head from the impacts common to that particular sport or activity. Common sense will dictate that a baseball helmet is different than a bike helmet. Bicycle helmets manufactured after 1999 must meet the Consumer Protection Safety Commission’s Bicycle Helmet Standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission does produce a guide, “Which Helmet for Which Activity,” which can assist you in choosing your helmet.

Continue reading "HELMETS PREVENT HEAD INJURIES TO CHILDREN" »

I remember watching the news and learning of the tragic death of actress, Natasha Richardson. After hearing of her death, I kept asking myself the same question: do all head injuries need medical attention, even ones that seem minor?

In most cases, it is pretty clear when someone needs medical attention after a head injury. They are often confused, they are extremely agitated. They may be dizzy. Some could have even been unresponsive. The scarier scenario is what doctors call the “talk and die” scenario, where someone seems fine, only to die hours or days later. The "talk and die" scenario occurs with various kinds of brain injuries. In the case of epidermal hematomas, blood pools in the area between the lining of the brain and the skull. This fluid continues to build up in a contained space, creating pressure. In that scenario, essentially, something has to give. Unfortunately, it turns out to be the brain. If you do not get that person to the hospital immediately to have the appropriate surgery to drain the fluid, it will most likely be fatal. So what should be done for someone suffering from a head injury?

1. Look for dizziness, vomiting, confusion or headaches. If an injured person has one of these signs, take them to the emergency room.

2. Look for changes in the person’s behavior. If a person suddenly becomes sleepy within the first 8 to 12 hours following trauma to the head, it may mean that parts of the brain responsible for staying awake are experiencing pressure from a bleed.

3. Vigilance. Keep an eye on someone that has hit their head. This is especially true even if they have not lost consciousness.

4. Be on alert if someone has been drinking, is elderly or young. It could be difficult to distinguish brain-injured behavior from drunken behavior. Similarly, you need to be extra vigilant when dealing with an elderly person or young athletes.

5. Go to an emergency room. You want to go to a trauma center that has a neurosurgeon present or on call. One can find this out by looking on the map from the American Trauma Society.

When in doubt, err on the side of being conservative and seek treatment.

Continue reading "CHICAGO ACCIDENT LAWYER ANSWERS THE QUESTION: WHEN SHOULD YOU GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM " »

On January 17, 2009, a 6-year old boy died in the stands of a monster truck show in Tacoma, WA. Feld Motor Sports, based in Aurora, Illinois, organized the event and released a statement stating, "Feld Motor Sports is looking into the accident. The safety of our customers is our top priority." Apparently, Feld placed safety barriers at both ends of the arena floor.

However, these measures were insufficient as it was reported that debris was flying 30 to 50 feet into the grandstands from the truck. The mother of the boy described the debris as "a metal ring... roughly the size of a Frisbee and about three-quarters of an inch thick, weighing between 7 and 12 pounds."

This incident raises the question of whether enough is done to prevent injury to spectators at sporting events, auto races and monster truck shows. Here, it is evident that there was a lack of sufficient protection in place to prevent the fatal injuries sustained by this little boy.

Continue reading "MONSTER TRUCK SHOW SITE OF FATAL ACCIDENT" »