Sporting Injuries, Head trauma and planning for the worst.
Great steps have been taken in recent years regarding the diagnosis and treatment of concussion amongst professional sports people in recent years.
Gone are the days where someone was told to ‘get on with it’, if they suffered a knock to the head during competition, which rendered them dazed and confused. We have seen prominent AFL, NRL and former Socceroos in recent times dealing with head trauma and concussion. However, head trauma and concussions are not exclusive to these sports. In February 2019 a position statement was released under an initiative by the Australian Institute of Sport, the Australian Medical Association, the Australian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians and Sports Medicine Australia, called “Concussion in Sport Australia – If in Doubt, Sit them Out”. This position paper sought to highlight the problems associated with the diagnosis and treatment of head injuries in all forms of sport, which makes for concerning reading. These sorts of injuries can lead to a loss of capacity in young people being able to make financial and medical decisions for themselves at a very young age. Unfortunately, such injuries tend to happen at an age where most participants tend to think they are ‘bullet-proof’ and immune to injury.
If you play competitive contact sport on either an amateur or professional level, you should take steps to plan your affairs to cover you in the event of such an unfortunate situation occurring. Contact us to discuss how we can assist you in this regard.