Dispelling the Myths around Concussion

The most common type of injury sustained after a blow to the head is concussion.  Concussion can range from being a minor incident which requires rest and observation at home, to a severe, life-threatening injury.

As an example of this latter scenario, in April 2014 a coroner ruled that a 14 year old boy died as a result of “second impact syndrome”.  The boy was participating in a school rugby match when he suffered two concussive type injuries in quick succession which saw him collapse to the ground and tragically never regain consciousness.

Listed below are some of the myths surrounding concussion that need to be dispelled in order to protect people from more serious injury.

Myth number 1.  You have to be knocked out to receive a concussion.

You do not have to be knocked unconscious for concussion to occur. It happens when a blow to the head or body, or a fall or other injury shakes and jars the brain inside the skull.  This affects the reticular activating system in the brain which controls your sense of awareness and consciousness.

If you suspect you or a person you are with has concussion, look for the following signs:

• Headache or a feeling of pressure in the head
• Temporary loss of consciousness
• Confusion or feeling as if in a fog
• Amnesia surrounding the traumatic event
• Dizziness or “seeing stars”
• Ringing in the ears
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Delayed response to questions
• Appearing dazed
• Fatigue

Some symptoms of concussions may be immediate or delayed in onset by hours or days after injury, such as:

• Concentration and memory complaints
• Irritability and other personality changes
• Sensitivity to light and noise
• Sleep disturbances
• Psychological adjustment problems and depression
• Disorders of taste and smell

Children

Head trauma is very common in young children. If your child has received anything more than a light bump on the head, the American Academy of Paediatrics recommends you should seek medical advice.  Nonverbal clues of a concussion in children may include:

• Appearing dazed
• Listlessness and tiring easily
• Irritability and crankiness
• Loss of balance and unsteady walking
• Crying excessively
• Change in eating or sleeping patterns
• Lack of interest in favourite toys

Myth number 2.  Players can carry on playing after a severe blow to the head if they feel up to it.

One of the most common situations for concussion to occur is on the sports field.  Players are particularly vulnerable in contact sports such as rugby, boxing and football.

Following recent high profile cases, sporting associations have put more emphasis on alerting players to the dangers of multiple concussions over a lifetime.

Symptoms of concussion may not appear immediately after an accident.  Therefore, if a player has experienced a severe blow to the head and concussion is suspected, they should be taken out of the game immediately.  If they continue to play there is a real risk of becoming concussed for a second time causing “second impact syndrome” which can lead to long-term, serious brain damage or death.

Myth number 3.  Concussion can only be caused by a direct blow to the head.

Concussion can be caused by a sudden violent movement of the head caused by an external force applied to the body, for example, a rugby tackle or a car accident.

Myth number 4.  A little concussion is no big deal.

A concussion is considered to be a mild traumatic brain injury.  If it is not treated properly it can lead to long-term disability or even death.  Your brain needs time to heal and rest before you return to normal, day-to-day activity.

A brain injury is always serious and should be treated as such.  If you have suffered from a concussion, or suspect someone close to you has it, seek medical advice straight away.

If you have suffered an injury which could have been avoided, you could be entitled to make a personal injury claim, for more information visit our personal injury page. If you would rather speak to someone now about your claim, call us in complete confidence on 0845 345 4444, or fill in this contact form and we’ll get straight back to you.

UK’s most dangerous sporting activities

Brits are a nation of sports lovers.  Whether it is watching a game of football on the TV or participating in one of the hundreds of different games played across the nation every Saturday and Sunday, we are addicted to the excitement of a great match.

Although most games are incident free, personal injuries can occur and sometimes these can be serious.  So which sports are the most likely to cause trauma?  Here is a list of the top five sporting activities most likely to see you visiting the Accident and Emergency department of your local hospital.

Cheerleading

Figures released by the Department of Education in 2010 showed that 37% of British schools now offer Cheerleading as part of their physical education curriculum.  Although some may perceive this sport as fluffy, competitive cheerleading is one of the fastest growing sports in the world.

It is also highly skilled and very dangerous.  According to research from the United States, 66% of catastrophic sporting injuries (meaning injuries resulting in permanent disabilities or medical issues) amongst females are caused by cheerleading, making it by far the most dangerous sport for women.

Rugby

In 2010 the Edinburgh University’s Centre for International Public Health Policy, released findings of a study concerning 193 rugby matches at five schools between January and April 2009.  The matches resulted in 37 injuries, of which 20 were seen at A&E and one resulted in an overnight stay in hospital for a spinal injury.  One of the study’s authors, Professor Allyson Pollock, called for the banning of high tackles and scrums in rugby played at junior level because of the high risk of injury.

At premiership level, in the 2008/09 season, 769 match injuries were reported, which is an average of two injuries per club per match.

The most common type of injury sustained in rugby is concussion.  In 2012, research from the United States found that former National Football League (NFL) players had higher incidences of early onset dementia. The link between later cognitive problems and multiple-concussions was inconclusive. However, genetics and sub-concussive injuries may play a part in the onset of cerebral problems.  In November 2013 the British Rugby Football Union set up a working group to examine the link between multiple concussions and dementia to further investigate the issue.

Motorbike Racing

The Isle of Man TT race has claimed 240 lives in its 106 history.  It is without a doubt the most dangerous race on the planet.

Motorbike racing is a very injury prone sport, because let’s face it, if you hit the ground at 200mph the chances of you receiving a serious injury is high and there is very little you can do to prevent it.  However, many participants say the extreme danger is just part of the thrill.

Cycling

This may surprise you but cycling is one the most dangerous sports you can participate in.  Each year thousands of cyclists are injured on British roads and in 2012 over one hundred cyclists lost their lives.  You can read about how cyclists can stay safe on the road here.

Cave Diving

Officially the most dangerous sport in the world cave diving is considered so risky that many articles have been written examining the psychological effects of this incredibly dangerous activity.

One of the reasons this sport is so perilous is that even years of experience can count for nothing if you find yourself in difficulties.  In dark, enclosed spaces a person’s vulnerability to panic, anxiety and disorientation is amplified to an extreme degree and it becomes very easy to make disastrous mistakes. There is no light, limited oxygen and your exit route can be cut off in an instant.  This is not a sport for the faint of heart.

If you have been involved in a sporting injury, you may be able to make a claim. To take the first step, call Injury Lawyers 4U on 0333 400 4445 today, or fill in this form to arrange a call-back.

Why you shouldn’t suffer in silence following an accident injury

Accidents can occur at almost any time and in almost any situation. For those who are the victims of these incidents, knowing what to do can be difficult and a number of people wrongly suffer in silence.

Not only does this put you at greater risk of developing further complaints but it also means the cause of your accident is not clearly identified. Whilst individuals who have sustained a personal injury may simply want to forget the incident, this can often do more harm than good and contacting accident injury lawyers or services will enable you to take the necessary steps to protect yourself, and others, in the future.

How to protect yourself and others

Whilst it may seem a strange concept, considering claiming compensation following an accident could actually help to protect yourself and others. This is because claims of this nature help others to identify security risks in certain establishments or situations. This in turn leads to a more accurate risk assessment and allows the necessary safety measures and procedures to be put into place.

This is true for all types of accident – irrespective of where they occur. Even workplaces can be held responsible for an accident if the environment was unsafe or if those involved in the incident were not given the necessary tools or training to complete the task at hand.

In these situations it is important that you consider taking legal action as it will prevent the same mistakes from being made again. Unfortunately, a number of businesses only pay attention when their finances are affected and that means claiming for compensation is the quickest and easiest way to get them to pay attention.

Can claiming compensation have a negative effect on you?

A common misconception of compensation claims, especially when they involve your workplace or individuals whom you are associated with, is that it will negatively affect your future dealings with them. This couldn’t be further from the case and in the rare event that you are treated negatively because of an injury claim you could be entitled to take further legal action against your employment.

This is because such action would be classed as a type of discrimination – a practice that is understandably frowned upon within the corporate world.

As a general rule, businesses will accept their responsibility for your safety and that means that if you do have an accident they will be more than happy to compensate you for your discomfort. This will give you the recompense you deserve whilst giving them the opportunity to review their current safety procedures.

Who should you contact about making a claim?

If you feel you are entitled to lodge a claim it is vital that you speak to the right people. As a specialist accident claim firm, InjuryLawyers 4U offer professional and personal advice to help you understand your entitlement and the process involved with claiming compensation. We also operate on a no win no fee basis to provide you with the financial security you need when making your claim.

A guide to personal injury claims

For those of us unlucky enough to sustain an injury as a result of an accident, claiming compensation is often the last thing on our minds. However, every injured party is entitled to be compensated for the discomfort which they have experienced and understanding how the claims system works will enable you to handle these procedures with greater ease.

Safety first
The first thing that you should focus on after an accident is naturally your safety. However, what you do immediately after an accident can also affect the claims process you undertake in the future so it is important that you follow these steps:

•Always seek medical attention, irrespective of how severe you feel the injury is. Even if you are not experiencing any direct symptoms of injury you should have a thorough medical examination. This is because the shock of an accident can disguise symptoms potentially causing problems later on. Having a professional check you over will also ensure there is a formal record of your injuries should you decide to pursue a claim later on.

•After the accident, make sure you monitor your health and any injuries which you have sustained closely. This is important as some symptoms can present themselves hours or even days after the incident. Always have any new symptoms or changes to your injuries checked by a health care professional and ensure that a formal record of them is kept to aid with an accident compensation claim – should you choose to make one.

• Remember that injuries are not only physical, but can be emotional too. It is therefore recommended that you seek professional services which deal with this sort of trauma to ensure all aspects of your health is monitored. Once again, formal records of this should be kept.

Speak to professionals
Once you have taken care of your health, the next thing you need to do is consider whether or not to lodge a claim for compensation. If you have sustained injuries through no fault of your own then you are entitled to be recompensed for your discomfort and inconvenience.

Whilst this may not be your first thought after an accident it is important that you give it thought as quickly as possible as this is when information about the incident will be freshest. Always note down any important information about the event as soon as you can and speak to a professional service to establish whether you are entitled to a claim.

Injurylawyers4u offer professional and personal consultations to provide you with the support and assistance you need and will explain the claim process to you, and as we specialise in claims of this description, that makes us the best people to speak to. We can advise you on the best method of proceeding with you claim and, as we operate on a no win no fee basis, you can make your claim with financial peace of mind in tact.