Professor Delman Discusses Sports Injury Issues at AAN Annual Conference

March 22, 2013

TJSL Professor Joy Delman brought her expertise on medical legal issues to the 65th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) on Sunday, March 17.  Professor Delman participated in a patient safety colloquium and spoke on Current Trends in Neurology Malpractice Litigation:  Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury.

The AAN, established in 1948, is an international professional association of more than 26,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. The AAN Annual Meeting is the world’s most important annual event for neurologists and neuroscience professionals and about 12,000 of them attended this year’s meeting at the San Diego Convention Center from March 16 – 23.

Asked by the AAN to speak at the meeting, Professor Delman talked to the hundreds of attendees in the audience about medical and legal issues in concussion assessment and management.  She specifically addressed:  current NFL litigation at the professional sports level for chronic and long-term brain injury while playing; injuries in school sports and the lawsuits against the NCAA;  and grave concerns about injuries in contact youth sports.  She also reviewed state laws requiring medical releases for youth athletes to return to play following a concussion or sub-concussive event.

“The public lack of awareness of the severe consequences of concussions, particularly in children, poses a dire risk in youth sports,” explained Professor Delman.  “Parents, coaches, and primary care physicians need to understand and appreciate these risks, and the culture of youth contact sports may have to change.”

Professor Delman’s research into this topic has escalated since she moderated a panel discussion on sports injury issues at the “Gladiators in the 21st Century: Violence and Injuries in Athletics” conference hosted last November by TJSL’s Center for Sports Law and Policy.