Last fall, David Bressman of Bressman Law, a personal injury firm in Columbus, OH, got creative.
In an effort “to heighten public awareness of the challenges American youth face following traumatic brain injuries,” he began offering a $1,000 scholarship to worthy student, who has suffered severe head trauma.
“The applications I received all expressed the same sentiment,” he said. “They thanked me for offering what many with TBI really need — financial assistance for their education.”
Exhibiting passion for those, who have suffered concussion is hardly new for Bressman. And that’s one of the reasons we invited him to participate in a recent Q&A.
Question: What factors led you to become a lawyer?
Answer: I wish I had some great backstory of some “aha” moment in my life that catapulted me to a career in law. I don’t have such a story. I’ve known since I can remember knowing that I was going to be a lawyer. My elementary school aptitude tests all pointed to law. As I grew, I argued with everyone about anything thus leading to the confirmatory “You ought to be a lawyer” comments. In high school, I was fascinated with the litigation process and watched and read anything involving trials. Ditto for my undergrad. I cannot imagine doing anything other than being a lawyer. I cannot imagine doing anything other than helping the injured. My oldest son just completed his first year of law school and wants to join my practice. I hope to create a legacy of Bressmans dedicated to assisting the injured.
Q: Concussion litigation in professional sports has gotten a lot of attention. What kind of impact has that had on high school and youth sports?
A: I think the trickle down effect has been tremendous. I believe football in particular but many other high school and youth sports are suffering from attendance issues as parents become more aware of the head trauma dangers and refuse to enroll their children in such sports. I also think, having been on a school board for 12 years that the concussion litigation has made school districts more proactive in obtaining safer equipment.
Q: Are school districts and youth organizations doing enough to address the problem?
A: Almost impossible to assess. Having been on both sides of the issue, I know school districts are aware of head trauma issues, have instituted concussion protocols, have upgraded equipment and have promulgated head trauma aware and education programs. However, school districts are always budget-constrained and, as such, both children and parents have a shared responsibility to become educated about head trauma and recognizing the symptoms.
Q: Do you think we will see more litigation or less over the next few years?
A: I think we will see an uptick in such litigation. The good part of this is that the injured will be compensated and the financial burdens that often mitigate against getting treatment will be lessened. Another upside is that there will be motivation to develop safer equipment and to develop safer rules of conduct for sports with a high potential for head trauma. The potential downside is that several sports that cannot, by their very nature, be made safe will be phased out due to declining participation, increased costs of buying equipment and increased costs of obtaining insurance due to litigation.
