Chartis Starts Educational Program On Sports Concussions

Chartis insurance has launched a new website to enhance public awareness on how to identify the warning signs of sports concussions and the proper response. Their website includes a number of good educational materials for coaches / athletic directors, parents / teachers, and athletes. The materials include fact sheet, clipboard sheet, tip sheet on baseline testing, tip sheet on signs and symptoms, concussion Q&A, etc.

According to Sadler Sports Insurance’s injury statistics, concussions account for about 5% of all reported injuries under youth tackle football Accident insurance. Due to the potentially catastrophic nature of concussions, this topic deserves long overdue attention.

Chartis is one of many Accident insurance carriers that Sadler Sports Insurance represents and makes available to it’s clients.

Information Link

PA School District Sued By Ex-Football Player Over Concussions

A Pennsylvania school district is being sued by a former student who received three concussions in games during the 2007 football season. Zachary Alt, 19, has to deal with symptoms, including memory problems and nausea, stemming from brain injuries after being told by the coaching staff to continue in games without being properly diagnosed. He was never removed from the games, but after the last concussion, he was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury at a hospital.

Source: Insurance Journal, April 4, 2011.

Cumulative Concussions And California Workers’ Compensation

Under California’s liberal Workers’ Compensation code, NFL players from any franchise can file claims for cumulative trauma injury even if they merely played a single game or practiced in the state. Workers’ Compensation attorneys representing players from the 1960′s to present are forum shopping these claims to the tune of $150,000 to $200,000 per claim. Since 2008, 1600 claims have been filed in California at a cost of $375 million. The projected cost is expected to exceed $1 billion.

These cumulative trauma concussion claims will cost NFL teams big time on their Workers’ Compensation premiums thanks to California. Other states don’t cover cumulative trauma claims under their Workers’ Compensation codes.

Source: Risk & Insurance, Nov. 2010

Oversized Baseball Helmets Being Used In Minor Leagues

The new helmets are not popular with players, but they can withstand pitches up to 100mph.  A must-use equipment in the minors this year, the Rawlings S100 helmet includes an expanded liner made of polypropylene for more protection. 

“I don’t even look in the mirror,” said Justin Turner, an infielder for the Norfolk Tides, The Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.  “I think they’re ridiculous.  I’ve been hit in the face in the College World Series.  There’s got to be a way to put more protection in the helmet and not have them look that atrocious,” he said. 

“New York Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli is the only big leaguer wearing one on a regular basis.  He’d already sustained a couple of concussion when manger Joe Girardi persuaded Cervelli to pick safety over style.  “It’s ugly,” Cervelli said in spring training, adding, “It’s not about how it looks, I’ve got to take care of myself.” 

It will be interesting to see how the new helmets are accepted in minor league baseball and their impact on concussions.  If favorable, the trend could spread to the major leagues, colleges, and high schools.  Its not clear if the pitch speeds in youth baseball justify the extra protection at this point.

Source:  Insurance Journal, May 28, 2010  

Rawlings S-100

Concussion Risks For Cheerleaders

“Much of the concern for young athletes at risk for concussion goes to the obvious heavy-hitters:  football, soccer, basketball.  But an expert who studies the injury in youth sports say one major activity is being overlooked: cheerleading.”

 “Female athletes may be at even higher risk for suffering a concussion than their male counterparts, Strickland said.  Girls’ neck muscles are generally weaker than boys’, making them more susceptible to dangers that come from rapid acceleration or deceleration, and whiplash.”

Source:  MSNBC

Head Injuries and Concussions in Youth Sports

All types of sports carry some type of inherit risk. But what are these risks? For contact sports, a very common occurrence is the concussion (defined by Websters as “a stunning, damaging, or shattering effect from a hard impact; a jarring injury of the brain resulting in disturbance of cerebral function.”) According to the CNN report below, there is increasing evidence that brain damage actually occurs during a concussion.

Participation Question: What are some ways that your local organization has been pro-active in preventing head injuries or putting measures into place to nurture the injury, or prevent further injury, once it has occurred?