Nurses, social workers, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, and others, came together last week to learn more about concussion injuries. The summit, held at Ohio State’s Fawcett Center and sponsored by OhioHealth Rehabilitation Hospital and the Brain Injury Association of Ohio, hopes to shed light on an issue affecting thousands of people – roughly 100,000 Ohioans suffer traumatic brain injuries each year with as many as 750,000 people around the state being at risk of permanent disability.
During the event, attendees heard from 20-year-old Eve Adams, an OSU student and former soccer player who has experienced several concussions throughout her life. Due to these concussions, she often experiences severe headaches, sensitivity to light, and fatigue that requires her to spend hours in the dark and even causes her to miss class on occassion. In addition, she often suffers from confusion, fogginess, depression, irritability, memory loss, and loss of appetite.
Eve’s story was just one of many at this event providing real life examples of the effect prior concussions have had on their lives. Others detailed the difficulty in trying to accomplish ordinary everyday tasks. For example, those who suffer from post-concussion syndrome may have to limit how much time they can spend in front of a computer screen. Often times, patients suffering from prolonged concussion syndromes are unable to work or drive because of such restrictions.
The summit follows the recent implementation of a 4-year strategic plan designed to do the following:
- Increase reliable data about concussions;
- Better train people to become health care and social service providers in concussion protocol;
- Implement new procedures to recognize concussions in certain areas, such as education and behavioral health; and
- Increase awareness among the public and policymakers.
The diagnosis and treatment of concussion injuries is still a developing area of medicine and can often times be mismanaged. We have handled many cases resulting in permanent injuries due to concussions. We understand the difficulty in dealing with these injuries and have the experience to convey just how serious these injuries are to the tortfeasor and/or insurance company. If you or a loved one was injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, please contact our office today for a risk-free no obligation consultation to see if we can be of assistance to you.