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  1. #1
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    Default Depression as a result of Head Related Trauma

    I have done some research on this subject, but haven't found any answers to my questions. I was wondering if anyone here could help me? Okay here is my story.

    I got injured one day at wresteling practice, it wasn't like any other injury where I could just walk it off, or be hopping around on a sprained ankle for a couple of days. I got my head slammed pretty hard, I think I had a concusion, I'm not sure though. I passed out a couple of times and was seeing tripple vision and tracers for the rest of the day. For the following week I had a really bad headache too. I felt fine other than the injury for weeks after.

    Fast forward to about a month or two after the injury, I started getting depressed/axious about things that I was never worried or depressed about before. I didn't think anything of it at the time, it just made me feel a little worse at those times. Well two years later it had gotten a lot worse and I was at the point of suicide. Finally I said to myself something is not right, and had my father call a phyciatrist. I was admitted to a hospital and given anti-depressants. I was released about 3 days later.

    Anyway to make a long story short I went through 5 years of hell after that, I had a real hard time beating off the depression and still do to this day. Well just recently my current phyciatrist asked if I had any head related trauma when I was younger. He said that most people get better pretty soon and that my case wasn't an ordinary one. He also told me that that most people he sees that have head related trauma's have a life changing event (depression/anxiety) within a year of the incident.

    I read that the statute of limitations in Maryland was 3 years for negligent conduct, and was wondering if a legal exception may apply for my case.

    I was not admitted to a hospital after the incident and honestly I was really disoriented and really just followed what the coach told me. I guess my question is if there are any Maryland lawyers in here is if the school system is liable for my head injury or who would be, and if a legal exception may apply to my case? I am going to go to a lawyer about this but am wondering if it would be worth my while?

    It would really appreciate it if anyone could help me on this I have suffered a lot as a result of this and still am to this day.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Depression as a result of Head Related Trauma

    Has any doctor specifically connected the wrestling incident with your symptoms? Who are you alleging to have been negligent and how? What exception do you believe applies to your case, such that the statute of limitations might be extended?

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Depression as a result of Head Related Trauma

    Sorry for being such a newb at this I don't know the first thing about law. I appreciate any help you can give me. Basically I just want to know if this is worth persuing.

    To answer you questions. No, my doctor has not actually linked my depression to my head injury, my current phyciatrist recently told me that my depression is a little irregular and he may think my depression was a result of my head injury when I was 15. I don't have full medical insurance so it is a little hard for me to get this properly diagnosed (I guess by a nerologist). If this is a case worth persuing I could get a proper diagnosis.

    I would be alleging the school system for negligence, I forgot to include one detail. After my head injury my coach just told me to get right back into practice. I was 14 at the time so I didn't think much of it, he was an adult and he knew the best thing to do. I did not reallize that I might have a concusion or something and needed to a least see a doctor to make sure I was okay. It was a pretty serious injury I passed out twice after I got up and looking back on it now the coach should have at least called an ambulance or took me to a doctor. The reason I think they are liable is because if I had been taken to the hospital or given proper medical attention then I would have been under a doctor's care and I would believe they would have watched for anything abnomal after the incident.

    As for the statute of limitations being extended for my case, I only recently found out that my depression could have resulted from my head injury. I have seen many phyciatrists and phychologists since 2001 and just recently my current phyciatrist pointed this out to me. If I would have know within the 3 years after the incident then I would have started a case, but I didn't know until now (not for lack of trying). I don't know if this qualifies for an extended statute of limitations for my case I just wanted to know.

    Anyway I just wanted to know if this is anything worth persuing. If it is then I would definatly look into getting a proper diagnosis or whatever it would take for me to have a case.

    I live in Maryland if that helps at all.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Depression as a result of Head Related Trauma

    I doubt that you will get anywhere unless and until you find a doctor who will associate your injury from that incident with your current symptoms. Consult a local lawyer to discuss your circumstances, and your chances of prevailing.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Depression as a result of Head Related Trauma

    The area of closed head injuries is a fairly specialized area of litigation, so you will want to consult a personal injury attorney who is competent in this specialiazed area. Exactly when did you have your injury when did you reach majority? Depending on the statute of limitations, it may be possible to extend the SOL based on your minority and discovery. One aspect of CHI or any form of traumatic brain injury is the disruption of executive function a part of which is your ability detect abnormal behavior or connect it with the source. This is studied more in football and soccer injuries where there are reccommendations in place for how head injuries are handled by coaching staff, that is why the actual dates of your injury and these published reccommendations are important in establishing your case. SO when you find an attorney, it is likely they will send you to a neuropsychologist for evaluation to determine whether or not you have what is called Post Concussion Disorder. I am not going to suggest you research this matter further, please ask your psychiatrist for referals to a neuropsychologist or an attorney specializing in TBI litigation your researching this could influence future testing and the viability of any litigation.

    The short answer is, yes your coach should have not sent you back into practice without clearance by medical personel of some sort, there is a higher risk of sudden death upon reinjury or reattended head injuries. You don't just shake off head injuries. The effect of head injuries is accumulative over time and may be mitigated accommodated somewhat by neuro-rehab.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Depression as a result of Head Related Trauma

    Thanks, that cleared things up a lot. I am contacting my cousin who is a lawyer who could recomend someone that could effectively handle my case. To answer your question I had the injury when I was 14 and just now, I am 23 found out that my depression could have been a result of my head injury. This was the first phyciatrist that suggested it to me.

    So would it be safe to say that the 3 years in Maryland might be extended for my case?

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Depression as a result of Head Related Trauma

    I am also going to talk to my phyciatrist and ask him who I should see to verify if any of my problems were a result of my head injury.

    Also I remember that I started having trouble in school about 6 months to a year after my injury. Could have been as a result of the depression or some loss of cognitive ability from the impact. Anyway I'm gonna try to get someone to verify if anything resulted from the injury, and talk to a lawyer in the field. Thanks for all your help.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Depression as a result of Head Related Trauma

    Quote Quoting winx
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    I am also going to talk to my phyciatrist and ask him who I should see to verify if any of my problems were a result of my head injury.

    Also I remember that I started having trouble in school about 6 months to a year after my injury. Could have been as a result of the depression or some loss of cognitive ability from the impact. Anyway I'm gonna try to get someone to verify if anything resulted from the injury, and talk to a lawyer in the field. Thanks for all your help.
    You are welcome, also it is a good idea to write down what you can to ask in advance so you don't forget, same for a chronology of events as you remember them.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Depression as a result of Head Related Trauma

    Okay, one more question though, this one is kind of bugging me. I don't have full medical insurance so I don't want to invest any money going to a nerologist if I wouldn't have a case. Suppose I verifyify that my head injury resulted in some kind of loss of cognitive ability and or depression and that the law would extend the statute of limitations for my case. Would I have a fair shot at winning the case. I mean if lets say my current problems with schooling and depression resulted from my head injury. If my coach would have taken me to the hospital or given me some type of medical care I would have been under a doctors care and my resulted slipping grades dropping out of college and the pain and suffering I went through depression could have been prevented if I was propery diagnosed after the injury.

    and lets also say hypothetically that my school has a code of conduct to properly treat any kind of serious head injury.

    Anyway let me know rmet4nzkx, I'd appreciate it a lot.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Depression as a result of Head Related Trauma

    Quote Quoting winx
    View Post
    Okay, one more question though, this one is kind of bugging me. I don't have full medical insurance so I don't want to invest any money going to a nerologist if I wouldn't have a case. Suppose I verifyify that my head injury resulted in some kind of loss of cognitive ability and or depression and that the law would extend the statute of limitations for my case. Would I have a fair shot at winning the case. I mean if lets say my current problems with schooling and depression resulted from my head injury. If my coach would have taken me to the hospital or given me some type of medical care I would have been under a doctors care and my resulted slipping grades dropping out of college and the pain and suffering I went through depression could have been prevented if I was propery diagnosed after the injury.

    and lets also say hypothetically that my school has a code of conduct to properly treat any kind of serious head injury.

    Anyway let me know rmet4nzkx, I'd appreciate it a lot.
    These are things your personal injury attorney will help you with if you have a case, if not contact your state brain injury asociation.

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