NFL Head Injury Case

Professional Athlete — NFL Head Injury (Repetitive TBI)

Mechanism of Injury
A former professional football player with a history of repetitive subconcussive and concussive head impacts sustained over multiple seasons, including documented in-game concussions with premature return-to-play.

Clinical Presentation

• Progressive cognitive decline

• Executive dysfunction

• Mood lability and impulse control issues

• Memory impairment inconsistent with age and baseline education

Imaging & Diagnostic Workup

• Advanced MRI with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) demonstrating reduced fractional anisotropy in the corpus callosum and bilateral frontal white-matter tracts, consistent with traumatic axonal injury

• Volumetric analysis showing disproportionate frontal and temporal lobe atrophy

• Comprehensive neuropsychological testing revealing deficits in processing speed, working memory, and executive function, correlating with imaging abnormalities

My Role & Analysis

• Conducted a full causation analysis differentiating repetitive TBI from psychiatric or degenerative etiologies

• Correlated DTI abnormalities with specific neurocognitive deficits and on-field exposure history

• Reviewed league medical records, sideline protocols, and deviations from accepted concussion management standards

• Provided expert opinion on long-term neurological sequelae of repetitive head trauma, including future neurodegenerative risk

Legal Impact & Outcome

• Authored a detailed expert report integrating imaging, neuropsychology, and exposure biomechanics

• Provided deposition testimony clarifying the medical basis for permanent neurological injury

• Case resolved through multimillion-dollar settlement, with my opinions cited as central to establishing causation and damages

Car Accident with Head and Spine Injury

Motor Vehicle Collision — Severe Spine Injury with Neurological Sequelae

Mechanism of Injury
High-speed motor vehicle collision resulting in flexion-extension and axial load forces to the cervical and thoracolumbar spine.

Clinical Presentation

• Persistent axial pain with radiculopathy

• Progressive weakness and sensory changes

• Cognitive complaints following associated acceleration–deceleration head injury

Imaging & Diagnostic Workup

• MRI of the spine demonstrating multilevel disc disruption, ligamentous injury, and spinal canal compromise

• MRI brain with DTI showing diffuse white-matter tract disruption, consistent with traumatic brain injury

• EMG/NCS confirming chronic radiculopathy

• Formal neuropsychological evaluation revealing attention, memory, and processing speed deficits

My Role & Analysis

• Integrated spinal pathology with co-existing traumatic brain injury rather than treating injuries in isolation

• Differentiated traumatic findings from age-related degenerative changes using imaging pattern recognition and clinical correlation

• Analyzed timing and adequacy of diagnostic workup and whether delays worsened neurological outcome

• Provided opinions on future care needs, surgical implications, and permanent impairment

Legal Impact & Outcome

• Assisted counsel in clearly articulating the combined brain–spine injury burden to the jury

• Prepared demonstrative explanations of DTI findings for non-medical audiences

• Case resolved with a multimillion-dollar settlement, reflecting both immediate injuries and long-term neurological disability

Gunshot Wound to the Head

High-Profile Gunshot Wound to the Head with National Media Coverage

Mechanism of Injury
Penetrating ballistic injury to the cranium with secondary blast and cavitation effects on surrounding brain tissue.

Clinical Presentation

• Focal neurological deficits

• Cognitive impairment and personality change

• Seizure risk and long-term neuropsychiatric complications

Imaging & Diagnostic Workup

• Acute CT and MRI demonstrating penetrating tract injury, hemorrhage, and secondary edema

• Advanced MRI with DTI revealing extensive disruption of white-matter pathways remote from the projectile tract, consistent with blast-related axonal injury

• Serial imaging showing evolution of injury and gliosis

• Comprehensive neuropsychological testing documenting deficits not explained by focal injury alone

My Role & Analysis

• Explained the distinction between focal ballistic damage and diffuse traumatic axonal injury to the brain

• Correlated DTI findings with cognitive and behavioral changes that were otherwise minimized by opposing experts

• Addressed standard-of-care issues in acute neurosurgical and critical care management

• Provided expert testimony on permanent neurological impairment, future seizure risk, and reduced life expectancy

Legal Impact & Outcome

• My analysis reframed the case from a “survivable gunshot wound” to a catastrophic diffuse brain injury

• Assisted counsel in overcoming defense arguments focused solely on focal injury

• Case resolved for multiple millions of dollars, with settlement driven by the clarity of imaging-based causation and prognosis