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Important News You Need to Know About Medical Malpractice, Motor Vehicle Accidents and Serious Injuries in Virginia and Washington D.C.

New Virginia Law Seeks to Protect Student Athletes From Brain Injuries

Last month, Governor McDonnell signed a new bill into law.  The law, which was unanimously passed by the General Assembly, was created to protect student athletes from the serious and potentially long term effects of concussions.

A concussion is a brain injury that interferes with the way the brain normally works.  According to the CDC, even a slight concussion can be serious. 

Since concussions are one of the most common sports injuries incurred by student athletes, the new law sets forth specific steps that must be taken to protect our state’s school sports participants from serious harm.    According to the law, student athletes and parents must review information about concussions and sign a form that they are aware of the risks.  If a coach or team doctor suspects that a student may have suffered a concussion then the student must be immediately removed from the practice or the game and may not return until he or she has had a medical evaluation and has written documentation that he or she is cleared to play.

Students who continue to play sports after a concussion risk traumatic brain injuries and possibly death.

The first phase of the new law doesn’t take effect until the summer of 2011.  However, the Virginia brain injury lawyers of Shevlin Smith encourage school districts, coaches, parents and students to think about the long term effects of their actions and not to force or encourage students who’ve been hit in the head to continue to play.

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