Author: Tom Yost

Attorney

Recent Study Finds Medical Errors are Third Leading Cause of Death in the United States

Posted on by Tom Yost

Even though medical professionals strive to provide the highest standard of care to their patients, thousands of medical mistakes take place every day in the US. Medical mistakes occur regularly due to communication breakdowns, diagnostic errors, poor judgment, and inadequate skill. These mistakes can directly result in patient harm and death, and are not identified on a person’s death certificate.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) compiles an annual list of the most common causes of death in the United States. The list is created using death certificates filled out by physicians, funeral directors, medical examiners, and coroners. However, a major limitation of the death certificate is that it relies on assigning an International Classification of Disease (ICD) code to the cause of death. As a result, causes of death not associated with an ICD code, such as medical error by a healthcare professional or medical equipment failure or hospital system failure, are not captured.

A new study published in a respected medical journal finds that hundreds of thousands of patients are fatally injured every year due to preventable medical mistakes. This study estimates that patient harm caused by medical errors is responsible for more than 250,000 deaths every year.

To put this figure into perspective, it would mean that medical care itself is the third leading cause of death in the United States, with medical errors accounting for nearly 1 out of every 10 fatalities in the U.S annually.

The doctors who conducted this study say that 250,000 patient deaths per year is actually a conservative estimate. The real number of patient deaths may in fact be much higher, due to the fact that medical errors leading to fatalities have been severely underreported for years.

If you or a loved one feel you are the victim of a medical mistake contact The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (800-967-8529). When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Medical Malpractice attorney absolutely FREE.

The attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced, caring professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. Call us today to receive a free, confidential consultation about your possible case.

At The Yost Legal Group, we will investigate every detail of your situation at no cost to you, and fight hard to ensure that your rights are protected.

We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and you owe us nothing unless we win your case.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Pulmonary Embolism is The Leading Cause of Preventable Deaths in Patients Hospitalized for Surgical Procedures

Posted on by Tom Yost

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is usually caused by a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis, or “DVT”) formed in the deep veins of one or both legs, although it is possible for DVTs to form in any deep vein in the body. Unless the DVT is discovered and treated, all or part of the clot will enter the bloodstream and travel into the lungs where it lodges in a pulmonary artery and blocks the flow of blood into the lungs. Because the oxygen-depleted blood is unable to reach the lungs, the body suddenly becomes starved for oxygen. Without immediate relief, the patient may suffer devastating injuries, including brain injury, permanent lung and heart damage or death.

DVTs are more likely to develop in your legs if you experience long periods of inactivity, such as being confined to bed, having a cast on your leg or being immobile during any type of surgery under general anesthesia. The risk of DVT and PE developing during surgery increases with the length of time the patient remains under general anesthesia. Although the patient’s surgeon and other health care professionals are responsible for taking the appropriate precautions to prevent the occurrence of DVT and PE, this devastating medical condition often takes place post-surgery, in a hospital environment.

Post-operative precautions to avoid venous thromboembolism may include the patient wearing compression stockings or pneumatic compression cuffs (to massage and squeeze the leg veins to improve circulation) or taking medication to prevent blood from clotting too quickly. If a DVT or PE is suspected, the patient will undergo testing, including blood sampling to determine how quickly the patient’s blood is clotting (PT, PTT and/or INR tests) and whether the blood shows evidence of clots (D-dimer test). Imaging studies may also be ordered, to view the patient’s deep veins (Doppler ultrasound), lungs (chest X-ray, CT, spiral CT and MRI), and pulmonary arteries (pulmonary angiogram test).

Treatment of DVT and PE is designed to prevent any existing blood clot from getting bigger and stop any new blood clots from forming and traveling to the lungs. Blood thinning medications (anticoagulants) prevent new clots from forming. Clot dissolving drugs (thrombolytics) break up clots quickly. Surgical procedures are also used to treat dangerous blood clots: large, life-threatening clots can be surgically removed from the deep veins and surgery to implant a vein filter can help trap clots before they reach the lungs.

  • As many as 900,000 people are impacted by DVT/PE every year.
  • Up to 100,000 of these 900,000 individuals die due to complications.
  • Approximately 33% of patients who have had DVT and PE will experience another DVT and PE within 10 years.

Pulmonary embolism is the most common cause of preventable death in patients hospitalized for surgical procedures. Recent studies have also recognized PE as one of the most frequently missed diagnoses in living patients. If you would like to discuss a potential claim arising from a DVT or PE, the attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. For a free consultation, please call us at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529).

HIE and Cerebral Palsy Impact Thousands of Infants Every Year

Posted on by Tom Yost

Birth injuries and birth trauma are far too common in the United States. Every year, thousands of infants will be born with life-threatening conditions that are the result of a medical mistake by a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional. The most serious birth injuries are caused when a lack of oxygen damages a child’s brain. At the Yost Legal Group, our legal team wants to educate people about the dangers of these injuries, as well as their causes, symptoms and treatments.

When a shortage of oxygen (hypoxia) also causes the fetal heart rate to slow (ischemia) the infant has suffered a hypoxic-ischemic episode. If the oxygen and blood flow to the baby’s brain are interrupted during labor and delivery, even if the interruption is only for a short time, the baby may suffer a type of permanent brain damage called hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE.

While HIE is the cause of many cases of cerebral palsy in infants, babies are often diagnosed with HIE years before a CP diagnosis is made. Here are some additional statistics about HIE which show how serious this problem is in the United States:

  • HIE caused by neonatal asphyxia is the leading cause of infant fatalities in the U.S.
  • Between 15-28% of all incidents of cerebral palsy are the result of HIE
  • The incidence rate of HIE among premature babies is as high as 60%

Cerebral palsy is one of the most costly neurologic disabilities in children because of its frequency (2 in every 1000 live births) and its lifelong disabling impact. Cerebral palsy cannot be cured but treatment will very often improve a child’s capabilities and in general, the earlier treatment begins the better chances are that children will overcome developmental disabilities.

If you would like to discuss your child’s potential claim arising from HIE or CP, the attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. For a free consultation, please call us at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529).

Understanding Kernicterus, a form of Brain Damage that occurs in Newborns as a Result of Jaundice

Posted on by Tom Yost

Many babies are born with the yellow-tinted eyes and skin indicative of jaundice. Jaundice is caused by high levels of bilirubin, which is the yellow substance created as the body rids itself of old red blood cells.

The yellow tint of jaundice can be harder to see in babies with darker skin color. The best way to measure bilirubin is to take a small blood sample from a baby’s heel. If the bilirubin level is high (hyperbilirubinemia), treatment will begin and repeat blood samples will usually be taken to confirm the bilirubin level is dropping with treatment.

The majority of infants with jaundice are treated quickly and easily, and the condition often resolves on its own. When left untreated, however, severe jaundice can lead to permanent neurological damage.

Kernicterus, a form of brain damage, occurs in some newborns as a result of severe jaundice. If levels of bilirubin are extremely high, the bilirubin begins to collect in a baby’s brain tissue, causing extensive and permanent brain injury.

Babies with kernicterus exhibit particular symptoms. They may alternately seem “floppy” or without muscle tone and then arch their backs or exhibit extreme muscle tone. They are excessively sleepy or lethargic, feed poorly or not at all, and may have a high pitched cry.

At the earliest stages, much of the damage caused by jaundice is reversible. As the condition progresses to include the above-mentioned symptoms, however, it can result in permanent hearing loss, athetoid cerebral palsy, severe brain damage and even death.

If your child is exhibiting any of these symptoms, you should treat the situation as a medical emergency and contact the appropriate medical professional.

Kernicterus is almost always preventable. Hospitals should have an established protocol for assessing newborns with jaundice and quickly providing the care they require. Treatment of infants with kernicterus includes phototherapy, feeding with formula, rehydrating with IV fluids and performing blood transfusions if necessary.

Phototherapy lights should be placed as close to the baby as possible with as much of the baby’s body as possible exposed to the light (with eyes covered), because blue spectrum light causes bilirubin to breakdown into a non-toxic form that dissolves into water which can be eliminated from the baby’s body.

Feeding babies, whether by mouth or using a feeding tube, is also extremely important in reducing bilirubin levels in infants. Bilirubin is eliminated from the body via stool and feeding infants formula, such as Nutramigen, gives their bodies a way to eliminate the bilirubin and prevent bilirubin levels from continuing to rise. Blood transfusions may be required to lower very high bilirubin levels in the most severe cases.

If bilirubin treatment protocols are not followed, or if there is a delay or interruption in treatment, a child’s life is endangered and permanent brain injury occurs.

Unfortunately, medical mistakes contribute to the incidence of kernicterus in newborn babies. Some of these preventable mistakes include:

  • Doubting the extremely high bilirubin level reported form the lab, and waiting to start phototherapy and other treatment until a second lab result either confirms or corrects the abnormally high bilirubin level first reported;
  • Removing the infant from the phototherapy lights and stopping phototherapy in order to transport the infant for testing; and,
  • Measuring the bilirubin level but not comparing to the correct normal values (for example, a 24 hour old infant with a bilirubin level of 8.5 would be in the high risk category, but a 47 hour old infant with the same, 8.5, bilirubin level would be in the low risk category).

Because kernicterus is preventable with early detection, the fact that cases continue to surface is particularly deplorable.

No baby should suffer brain damage from untreated jaundice. One of the only options for a grieving family seeking justice is to begin a medical malpractice case.

If you would like to discuss your child’s potential claim arising from kernicterus, the attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. For a free consultation, please call us at 1-800-YOST-LAW (1-800-967-8529).

Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury

Posted on by Tom Yost

Traumatic Brain Injuries can be life-altering events for both the individual and for the injured person’s family. These severe head injuries often result in permanent disability and a lifetime of medical care. While treating a Traumatic Brain Injury (“TBI”) is often difficult, the first and most important step is recognizing the signs and symptoms of a TBI and getting immediate medical attention.

Traumatic Brain Injuries can result from of a fall, a blow to the head, or any other concussive force that damages brain tissue. In more than 50% of TBI cases, a person will require surgery in order to repair brain tissue that was damaged due to either hematoma (bleeding inside the brain,) or contusions (bruising of the brain tissue.) Brain tissue is extremely sensitive, and even minor damage can have a devastating impact on a patient’s mental and physical well-being.

The symptoms of a TBI can be difficult to predict and may vary depending on what part of the brain was impacted, as well as whether the injury is qualified as mild, moderate or severe. In most cases, symptoms of a TBI will fall into one of four major categories:

  • Thinking/Remembering
  • Physical
  • Emotional/Mood
  • Sleep

Common signs & symptoms in these four categories that may be an indication of a TBI include:

  • Loss of consciousness
  • Difficulty concentrating, thinking clearly, or remembering new information
  • Grogginess or lack of energy
  • Headache, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting
  • Sensitivity to light and noise
  • Trouble maintaining balance
  • Irritability, extreme anxiety or depression
  • Changes in sleeping patters, difficulty falling asleep or sleeping more or less than normal

After a Traumatic Brain Injury, time is of the essence. If left untreated, even a mild TBI can lead to serious and permanent brain damage.

If you or a loved one has suffered a fall, blow to the head, or any other injury that may result in a TBI, watch carefully for these symptoms and seek medical treatment immediately. Only a trained medical professional can say for sure whether or not a patient has sustained a TBI. The most important thing you can do is see a medical professional as quickly as possible after a head injury.

If you or a loved one has suffered a head injury at work, at school, in a car accident, or due to any other circumstance that was not your fault, call The Yost Legal Group right away.

Our experienced Baltimore Traumatic Brain Injury lawyers have both the legal experience and medical knowledge necessary to defend your rights. Call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, no-obligation consultation.

At The Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee unless we achieve a recovery for you. If we take your case, we don’t get paid until you do. It’s that simple.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Tragedy Linked to Young Boy Suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury at School

Posted on by Tom Yost

On September 24, 2015 a third grade student at Gwynns Falls Elementary School in Baltimore was fatally injured after sustaining a severe head injury while at school. Details about the case are still emerging. Attorney Tom Yost, of The Yost Legal Group is investigating the case on behalf of the family. It is still unclear as to how a child who fell in a hallway could sustain a skull fracture. The timeline from when the trauma occurred and when the school assistant principal called the ambulance has not been explained. More details will become clear in the coming days and weeks. Click the link below to read the Baltimore Sun article.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE.

Understanding Cerebral Palsy and Birth Injury Claims

Posted on by Tom Yost

The childbirth process should be a joyous and memorable experience for all families; but, not when there is a birth injury or trauma.

At The Yost Legal Group, we represent families who have suffered a serious birth trauma or birth injury. We are committed to raising awareness about birth injuries in the U.S. One of the most common birth injuries we see is cerebral palsy.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a broad term referring to any number of neurological disorders that result in the impaired development of a child’s brain function, motor skills, muscle control and more. These impairments do not worsen over time, but the signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy do become more and more apparent as the child continues to age and grow into his body. Cerebral palsy can take many different forms and it can impact children differently. That said, almost all forms of cerebral palsy are the result of a birth injury or birth trauma.

Tragically, cerebral palsy is one of the most common disabilities affecting children in the United States. Here are some statistics that demonstrate the high occurrence of cerebral palsy in the U.S:

  • It is estimated that cerebral palsy impacts between 2 and 3 out of every 1,000 live births in the United States each year.
  • Approximately 10,000 babies born each year will develop cerebral palsy in their lifetime
  • Nearly 764,000 Americans currently live with some form of cerebral palsy
  • Between 1,200 and 1,500 preschool-aged children will be diagnosed with some form of cerebral palsy annually

How is it Caused?

Cerebral palsy is the result of brain damage suffered before, during, or immediately after the birthing process, when an infant’s brain is still developing. Symptoms and manifestations of cerebral palsy can vary greatly depending on the extent of a child’s injury, as well as when and how it was sustained.

There are four types of brain damage that can cause cerebral palsy:

  • Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL): Damage to brain tissue which impairs the brain’s ability to relay nerve impulses that control motor function. Symptoms most commonly associated with this type of damage are intellectual impairment, hearing and visual impairment, and stiffness in the muscles or limbs.
  • Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE): Oxygen deprivation to the brain resulting in the destruction of brain tissue. Symptoms that can result from this type of injury include epilepsy, cognitive and motor-skill impairment, and developmental delay. Signs and symptoms of this type of injury are usually not evident until a child reaches three or four years of age.
  • Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH): Severe bleeding inside the brain, sometimes resulting in a hematoma, a condition which can damage and kill the surrounding tissue. Depending on the location, duration and severity of the bleeding, the brain’s ability to control cognitive and motor function may be permanently damaged.
  • Cerebral Dysgenesis: This is not a brain injury per se, but rather in-utero brain malformation or abnormal brain development. This can occur at any time during fetal development and has a wide array of possible symptoms.

Protecting Your Rights as a Victim

At The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore Birth Injury and Personal Injury law firm, we are committed to protecting the rights of people whose babies were injured before, during or immediately after the birthing process.

If your child’s birth trauma or birth injury may have been prevented, we will investigate the facts, work to get to the truth and seek monetary damages for you and your family, to help pay for a lifetime of care for your child.

At The Yost Legal Group, our experienced Birth Injury and Cerebral Palsy lawyers will investigate every detail of your case to get to the bottom of how your baby sustained a birth injury.

At The Yost Legal Group, if we believe you have a case, you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front. We will take your case on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we achieve a recovery for you.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) to find out how we may be able to help.

Don’t fight this battle alone. Let The Yost Legal Group provide the answers you seek.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Important Facts About Cerebral Palsy: Signs & Symptoms

Posted on by Tom Yost

Every year thousands of expectant parents and new born babies suffer birth injuries that might have been prevented.

One of the most common birth injuries is cerebral palsy. At The Yost Legal Group, we want to help spread awareness about cerebral palsy by providing facts and resources to help families.

Does my Child have Cerebral Palsy?

It can be extremely difficult for parents and even for doctors to recognize the early signs of cerebral palsy in new born babies. Some children do not demonstrate the early signs of cerebral palsy until they are three or even four years old.

However, some early signs to watch for that may be evidence of cerebral palsy include:

  • In Babies Younger than 6 Months: Your baby feels either extremely stiff or extremely floppy when held. When picked up and cradled, your baby’s legs may become stiff and cross or scissor, and your baby’s head may lag.
  • In Babies Older than 6 Months: Your baby cannot roll over in either direction; cannot bring his or her hands together; or, your baby has difficulty bringing his or her hands to his mouth, and cannot reach out with both hands simultaneously.
  • In Babies Older than 10 Months: Your baby cannot crawl on all fours; or, your baby either crawls by reaching out with one hand and leg while dragging the other, or moves by either hopping on his knees or scooting on his buttocks.

Cerebral palsy can take many forms, meaning that a child may have cerebral palsy even if he or she does not demonstrate all of the above behaviors. One of the most reliable ways for you as parents to spot the early signs of cerebral palsy is to closely monitor your child’s development.

If you notice that your  baby is not reaching certain developmental milestones within your pediatrician’s timeframe, such developmental delay could be an early indication of cerebral palsy.

What is Developmental Delay?

All children will grow and mature at their own pace, but there are certain markers of movement and motor function that indicate that a child is developing at a normal rate. Developmental Delay occurs when a child fails to reach specific motor skill milestones in a timely manner. Below are some important milestones for motor-skill development, along with when they usually occur:

  • Around 6 weeks: Child can begin to smile
  • Around 3 to 4 months: Child can reach for toys and roll on to their back
  • Around 6 to 7 months: Child can sit up on their own
  • Around 10 to 14 months: Child begins to walk

It is important to note that if your child has not reached one or more of these milestones in the suggested time frame, it does not necessarily mean they have cerebral palsy; however, these milestones often offer a strong early indicator of the disability.

What are the Signs & Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

If you notice any of the above signs or early indications of Developmental Delay, it is important to see a doctor right away. When examining a child and attempting to detect cerebral palsy, doctors will focus on eight clinical signs related to:

  • Muscle tone
  • Movement Coordination and Control
  • Reflex
  • Posture
  • Balance
  • Gross Motor Function
  • Fine Motor Function
  • Oral Motor Function

Each one of these eight clinical signs has certain criteria and symptoms that doctors will closely monitor during an examination. Doctors will examine a child to see if there is evidence of developmental impairment in any or all of these categories.

Protecting The Rights of Families and Children

Cerebral palsy is a permanent injury that often requires a lifetime of medical care and therapy. The cost of care for a child with cerebral palsy or any birth injury can be astronomical. If your child’s injury was caused by a medical mistake, the experienced Birth Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group are here to help.

The Yost Legal Group’s Baltimore Medical Malpractice and Birth Injury law firm, will work hard to secure the justice and financial compensation you and your family deserve.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) to receive a FREE, confidential and no-obligation consultation about your birth injury case. When you call, you will speak with a Baltimore Birth Injury attorney with real experience absolutely free. If we take your case, our legal team will investigate every detail surrounding your child’s birth injury and will help provide the answers you seek.

At The Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee unless we achieve a recovery for you. We don’t get paid until you do.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Study Reveals 210,000 Americans Die Each Year Because of Medical Mistakes

Posted on by Tom Yost

Every year, millions of Americans rely on the skill and experience of surgeons, doctors and medical professionals to perform operations that can save, or at least greatly improve, their lives. Unfortunately, despite the high level of training and dedication exhibited by the majority of medical professionals, accidents do happen.

At The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore Medical Malpractice and Wrongful Death law firm, our attorneys are all too familiar with the risks and serious injuries that can result from even the most common and routine surgical procedure.

When patients suffer injuries or complications after undergoing surgery, the results can be catastrophic. Surgical error, wrong diagnosis, post-surgical complications and other types of medical mistakes affect thousands of Americans every year.

One 2013 study conducted by the Journal of Patient Safety estimated that as many as 210,000 Americans are killed every year from medical mistakes in hospitals that could have been prevented.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) ranked medical error as the third leading cause of death in the United States, behind only heart disease and cancer.

These statistics about medical mistakes in the United States are staggering. There is now some research that could provide patients with the information necessary to avoid risky surgical procedures or under-qualified doctors.

A new study from USA Today and the independent journal outlet ProPublica attempts to provide patients with data on how they can lower their odds of suffering complications, revision surgeries or other medical errors during common surgical procedures.

The study, known as the Surgeon Scorecard, examines complication rates associated with eight types of common elective medical procedures. This data is applied to over 16,000 surgeons from across the country, and determines what is known as an “Adjusted Complication Rate.”

This statistic allows patients to independently research the likelihood of suffering post-surgical complications when seeing a specific surgeon, or undergoing a specific procedure. ProPublica and USA Today state that they hope the end result of this effort will be to give patients more control over when, where and with whom their surgeries take place.

By giving patients access to more information, these journals hope that doctors and hospitals will be held to a higher standard of accountability, and rates of medical malpractice and surgical error will drop throughout the country.

Here are a few statistics that reveal how this study was conducted:

  • USA Today and ProPublica took their patient sample from Medicare billing records for in-patient hospital stays between 2009 and 2013.
  • The study examined eight common, elective surgical procedures including knee replacement, hip replacement, gallbladder removal, lumbar spinal fusion, prostate removal, and more.
  • During the course of this study, it was found that between 2009 and 2013, 63,173 Medicare patients were readmitted to hospitals with post-surgical complications.
  • These 63,173 re-hospitalizations cost U.S taxpayers an estimated $645 million.
  • Between 2009 and 2013, 3,405 Medicare patients died during a hospital stay for an elective surgery.

At The Yost Legal Group, we take patient safety and recovery extremely seriously. Our attorneys have years of experience fighting to defend the rights of innocent people who were harmed by all types of Medical Malpractice, including Wrong Diagnosis, Surgical Error, Defective Medications, Defective Medical Devices and more.

Common post-surgical complications can include:

  • Blood clots
  • Infection
  • Severe Pain
  • Less healing than anticipated
  • Revision surgery

If you or a loved one has been injured by a medical mistake contact The Yost Legal Group. We will speak with you and answer any questions you may have.

Call The Yost Legal Group right away at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) to receive a confidential and no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced Baltimore Medical Malpractice lawyers.  There is no fee or cost to you unless you receive a settlement or jury award.

If you have been injured through no fault of your own after undergoing a medical procedure, do not delay. Strict time limitations govern when claims must be filed.  Call The Yost Legal Group today. Our lawyers will fight to defend your rights as a victim and provide the answers you seek.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

National “Heads Up” Program Raises Awareness about Head Injuries in High School Sports

Posted on by Tom Yost

With another school year just around the corner, many high schools across Maryland have already begun summer training sessions for student athletes. Fortunately for parents, coaches and players, there will be an increased emphasis this year on preventing concussions and head injuries for high school athletes, specifically football players.

A new national initiative called “Heads Up Football” will help educate coaches on the best techniques and latest methods of protecting their players from sustaining serious brain injuries.

Heads Up Football will be running concussion-prevention workshops for coaches throughout Maryland this summer leading up to the 2015/16 high school football season. These workshops combine on-field training with classroom-style learning courses that will instruct coaches on new methods to teach and play the game in a safer way.

All coaches will be required to familiarize themselves with topics such as proper hydration and helmet fitting, as well as the Center for Disease Control’s Concussion Recognition Protocols.

One of the biggest points of emphasis of the Heads Up Football program is quick recognition of concussion-like symptoms in players, as well as on the need to remove any athlete from the field immediately if a coach or parent believes they may have sustained a head injury.

Heads Up Football warns coaches and parents to be on the lookout for the following symptoms, as they may be signs of a concussion or even a Traumatic Brain Injury:

  • Headache or “pressure” in head
  • Sensitivity to light or noise
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Dizziness or loss of balance
  • Blurred or double vision
  • Feeling confused, sluggish, groggy or hazy
  • Concentration or memory problems

Concussions and brain injuries are extremely dangerous, especially for young people whose brains are still developing. Traumatic Bain Injuries, which can be caused by extreme or repetitive head trauma, are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat, and may result in permanent disabilities and a lifetime of medical care. Tragically, it is estimated that millions of high school athletes across the country may be exposed to these types of serious head injuries every year.

The Center for Disease Control estimates that approximately 3.8 million athletes between the ages of 8 and 19 reported sustaining a sports-related concussion in 2012. This number represents a 50% increase in the amount of reported sports-related concussions compared to the same age group 10 years ago.

Part of this increase may be due to increased knowledge about the symptoms of concussions leading to more treatment and reported cases. However, it is also clear that many head injuries remain undiagnosed when players attempt to “play through the pain” and remain in a game after suffering a concussion.

At The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore, Maryland Brain Injury and Personal Injury law firm, we urge parents of high school athletes to take the time to familiarize yourself with the Center for Disease Control’s concussion fact sheet. No game is more important than a child’s long-term health, especially when it comes to head and brain injuries.

If you or a loved one has sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury, concussion, or any other type of serious brain or spinal cord injury in an accident that was not your fault, call the experienced Baltimore Brain Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group.

Call 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) to receive a FREE, confidential and no-obligation consultation with one of our attorneys. Our lawyers will work closely with you and your family to protect your rights, handle all of the details of your case, and seek the justice that you deserve.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

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