Date: June 7, 2011By: Atlanta Brain Injury Lawyers

During this year’s SEC baseball tournament game between the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs, Florida pitcher Brian Johnson was knocked unconscious in a freak accident when he was hit in the head by a throw from his own catcher. While squatting to avoid the throw to second on a steal, catcher Mike Zunino tripped and the throw struck the back of Johnson’s head. After clutching his head, Johnson collapsed in front of the mound, unconscious. Thankfully, tests conducted at a local hospital showed no fractures, bruises or bleeding. 

Though concussions are a common occurrence in sporting and other accidents, there is hope for the future. Georgia Tech is experimenting with using a radar system to quickly screen patients for concussions. This new system utilizes radar similar to police equipment to assess whether a subject shows abnormalities in their gait while performing a multitasking challenge. This would be a breakthrough in the brain injury field, especially for athletics and combat. Theoretically, if accurate, this method could be used on the sidelines of an athletic event or on the battlefield in war to determine if a patient is capable of returning to action.

Concussions and traumatic brain injuries are a serious problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on average over 1.7 million people suffer a traumatic brain injury annually. These injuries can range from mild changes in the mental state to prolonged changes in consciousness. Brain injuries can have devastating effects on the victim, including lasting disabling changes to thinking, sensation, language, and emotion, as well as debilitating diseases like epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other brain disorders.

Brain injuries are difficult to diagnose, because they do not always result in extreme symptoms. With new advancements like Georgia Tech’s new radar screening method, we hope that head injury victims like Gators pitcher Brian Johnson will be able to be more quickly and accurately diagnosed to prevent further disability. 

Traumatic brain injuries are often the results of negligent actions of another, sports accidents, medical malpractice, or criminal actions. If you or a loved one has experienced a traumatic brain injury due to any of these, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses and suffering. Contact experienced Atlanta brain injury attorneys to pursue the justice you deserve.

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Keywords: Georgia Tech, brain injury, experiments, screening, Atlanta brain injury lawyers, Brian Johnson, news