Raizner Slania filed a lawsuit on behalf of a former University of Idaho football player against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Sun Belt Conference (Sun Belt) for failing to adequately protect student-athletes from the long-term consequences of repeated concussions.
The plaintiff played college football for the University of Idaho as a cornerback from 2000 to 2003. He also played on the Idaho Vandals special teams. The plaintiff remembers suffering at least five concussions during his time playing college football. In particular, he suffered one concussion so severe he needed to be hospitalized.
During the plaintiff’s time playing Idaho college football, there were no adequate concussion management protocols or policies in place to address and treat concussions sustained by student-athletes during practice and in games.
Even though the plaintiff suffered repeated concussions and sub-concussive hits, the NCAA and Sun Belt failed to adopt adequate concussion management protocols or return to play guidelines. Not only was the plaintiff returned to the field of play every time he suffered a concussive or sub-concussive hit, the NCAA and Sun Belt also deprived him of the medical treatment needed to protect student-athletes from the long-term risks associated with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
As a result of his time playing football for the University of Idaho, the plaintiff now suffers from dizziness, fatigue, headaches, memory loss, sensitivity to light, and other debilitating issues.
The Effects of CTE
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative disease caused by repeated impacts to the head. Each time a person receives an impact to the head, it shakes the brain inside the skull. This movement can cause damage to the brain, and even cause brain cells to die. When brain cells die, they release a protein that can cause cell death in other brain cells.
Many football players with CTE do not begin to experience symptoms until many years after they have ceased playing the sport. Symptoms like rage, impulsivity, and depression can be among the first symptoms a person with CTE experiences. As the condition progresses, individuals will begin to suffer from memory loss and confusion and can eventually develop dementia and/or suffer from other cognitive dysfunctions.
Raizner Slania: College Football Concussion Injury Attorneys
The lawyers at Raizner Slania are leading the college football concussion lawsuits, helping college athletes from around the nation recover damages for head injuries suffered during sports play. If you or someone you know played football in college and suffered concussions, contact us today for a confidential free consultation.