Concussions & Head Injuries In Sport

Injuries when participating in a sporting activity are nothing out of the ordinary but when it comes to head injuries, it is important to be fully aware of the risks of injury, such as concussion, and take the necessary precautions.

Recently there has been a lot of media coverage relating to concussions in sport and the precautions being taken, including this year’s cricket World Cup and during various football tournaments last season. It is likely that the subject may crop up again at the forthcoming rugby union World Cup in Japan.

What is a concussion? How to detect it?

A concussion is an injury to the brain which temporarily effects how it functions. Concussion occurs because of an impact to the head and can cause symptoms that include:

  • Dizziness
  • Nausea or sickness
  • Confusion or trouble processing or keeping hold of information
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Eyesight being distorted
  • Loss of consciousness

In many instances identifying whether you or another person has a concussion can be tricky to identify. This is due to the fact that the symptoms can often develop over time and worsen after the incident. This is why, when it comes to sport, if there is any doubt then a participant should not continue to take part until they are fully assessed and, if required, treated.

Head injuries in sport – recent examples

Following several recent instances of players sustaining concussions in various sports, there has been debate about whether sport bodies are cautious enough with regards to the rules that are in place in relation to head injuries.

Cricket

During this year’s Ashes series, Australian batsman, Steve Smith, was hit on the head with a ball travelling at 92.4mph whilst batting in the second test at Lord’s. Despite looking disorientated as a result of the delivery, he returned to the field after being assessed by the team’s doctor. The following day his condition worsened and he took no further part in the test.

Rules in relation to temporary substitutions for concussions in English cricket matches were introduced in 2018 and apply to County Championship, One-Day Cup, T20 Blast and Women’s Super League fixtures.

When a player has been hit on the head there is a five-minute on-field assessment. If the player needs to leave the field, a decision is made by their team as to who bring on as their replacement.

Football

There were numerous incidents during the 2018/19 football season where footballers were involved in injuries to the head, including defenders Jan Vertonghen and Fabian Schar – who was knocked out during a match. Both were allowed to return to the field after suffering their injury.

The rules in relation to head injuries in football are covered under the UEFA protocol and state that referees should stop a match for up to three minutes to allow a player to get treatment. That player will only be allowed to “continue playing on specific confirmation by the team doctor to the referee of the player’s fitness to carry on.”

Rugby Union

Over the last couple of years, World Rugby has looked to address and deal with the recurring problem of concussions in the sport by taking a zero tolerance approach to players targeting the head of an opponent.

Additionally, since the 2015 world cup, professional rugby union teams have been able to make a temporary substitution for players who have sustained head injuries. This is so that the player can be assessed by the team doctor. If the player is not able to return to the field then the temporary substitution becomes permanent.

In non-professional levels of the sport, teams have adopted the “recognise and remove” programme. With this programme the injured player is immediately taken off the pitch, provided with medical attention, and must be cleared to play in writing by a qualified medical practitioner.

However, despite these implemented rules, concussions in rugby still remain one of the biggest player welfare issues in the sport and the problem hasn’t diminished.

American Football

The debate regarding head injuries in American football has been hotly contested for a number of years now, following a string of personal injury claims from retired players.

The National Football League (NFL) have introduced a protocol entitled “play smart, play safe” which looks to reduce the number of concussions. It includes having medically qualified professionals in the stand who watch player’s behaviour using video equipment to assess if they might be suspected as having a concussion. If the medical professional deems that the player does have a concussion then they are taken off the field and cannot return during the match.

Sport head injury claims

Head injuries, such as a concussions, and other injuries sustained whilst participating in sport can have life altering consequences for a person.

Generally, when you take part in a sport you are doing so being fully aware of the risks of sustaining an injury. As a result, to make a sport injury compensation claim, a victim must provide proof that:

  • There was a reckless disregard for their safety and well-being;
  • That there was a deliberate intention to injure them; or
  • That the injury was worsened by poor protocols/practices for assessment, treatment, removal from the field, and care.

If you or a loved one have suffered a head injury whilst participating in a sporting activity that was not your or their fault, then you may be able to make a sport head injury claim.

How Nelsons can help with sport head injury claims

At Nelsons, we have an in-depth understanding of the needs of our clients with brain and head injuries. We have close contacts with medical and brain injury rehabilitation teams and have a strong track record of achieving substantial compensation for those with brain and head injuries.

We also have a long standing connection with Headway, the brain injury association, and are on their approved solicitors’ list and working within the Headway Personal Injury Solicitors Code of Conduct. We are assessed each year by Headway to ensure we have the required level of knowledge and experience to handle these specialist claims.

If you have any questions in relation to sport head injury claims or other related subjects, please contact a member of our specialist Personal Injury team in Derby, Leicester or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.

Contact us today

We're here to help.

Call us on 0800 024 1976

Main Contact Form

Used on contact page

  • Email us