New Mexico theaters are set to debut a new film starring Will Smith called “Concussion.” In this biopic, he plays the scientist who discovered the link between repeated concussions and a form of permanent brain damage known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. This dramatization has touched a sensitive area for the American sports industry, and there are reports of controversy over the film and its contents among individuals who work for the NFL.
The film hopes to bring attention to a serious problem that the NFL has been struggling to address. The last decade has seen a growing recognition of the long-term trauma inflicted by brain injuries, and more than 40 changes to the rules have been made in an effort to shield players from concussions.
There has been a real effect. The NFL reports that concussions have decreased 34 percent since 2012. However, there are already countless players who have been injured and will require medical assistance.
Concussions and brain trauma such as CTE can often affect a person for their entire life and can cause death. If someone were to suffer such an injury while working and pass away, then their surviving family or their estate could contemplate filing a civil suit against the party that bore responsibility for this injury. An attorney could be of assistance to anyone who wishes to approach such a complex legal action. The process of determining the precise ramifications of the injury and exactly how much the person’s life has been economically impacted by it would almost certainly benefit from the assistance of those knowledgeable about the law.
Source: CNN, “Will Smith: Movie ‘Concussion’ Touches Raw Nerve for NFL”, Motez Bishara, Dec. 18, 2015
