If you watch the news, you’ve likely seen plenty of coverage of concussions and traumatic brain injuries caused by sports. In particular, the news tends to focus on contact sports such as soccer and football. While we at Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn know that it’s important to raise awareness of the dangers in these sports, we’d also like to point out that a study recently published in a respected journal called Neurological Focus discovered that the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries for adults is actually equestrian accidents.
These are generally acute rather than chronic injuries
The accidents that generally lead to significant injuries typically involve falling from a horse. As a result, they usually just happen once. This is very different than in soccer and football, where the main issue is that the blows to the head happen over and over again. However, this just goes to show that even a single injury can have significant and long-lasting consequences. One doctor quoted in the article even said that he’d be more afraid of a single fall then he would of bleeding in the brain.
Just how many TBIs are caused by equestrian accidents?
The study went from 2003 – 2012 and it found in that period that more than 45% of adult traumatic brain injuries were caused by equestrian accidents. This may surprise you, but we’ll bet you’ll be even more surprised to learn that contact sports caused less than half of that amount.
Note that these results don’t apply to children
It’s important to note that this study is only referring to adults. In children, it’s true that injuries from contact sports are the leading cause of head injuries. Number two is roller skating or skateboarding, and horseback riding accidents came in at number three.
The permanent consequences are still being studied
A traumatic brain injury can cause permanent changes to the human brain. For example, contact sport athletes may have CTE, which stands for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which can cause a host of problems. It generally happens to people who’ve had one very serious head injury or multiple semi-serious head injuries. No matter the cause, head injuries can be life changing.
Equestrians can protect themselves
The good news is that there are steps equestrians can take to protect themselves. For example, they can wear proper safety gear at all times, including helmets. That said, if someone is injured in an equestrian accident, they may have a personal injury case. If you’re wondering if your situation may qualify, then we encourage you to call Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn at (310) 209-1600. We offer a free case evaluation and can give you more information about your options. Call today!
