A former AFL participant has taken authorized motion towards the Australian Football League, his former membership — and their medical doctors — over the sequence of concussions he suffered throughout his profession.
Western Bulldogs 2016 premiership participant Liam Picken performed 198 video games for the ‘Scray before he was ultimately forced to retire in 2019 because of ongoing concussion symptoms.
Now 36, Picken has claimed, in documents filed with the Supreme Court of Victoria, that despite suffering multiple concussions he was given the all-clear by doctors — and resumed playing not long after.
His lawyers have added he returned multiple irregular cognitive test results during his career but was never informed of it.
The former footballer now has an aversion to bright light which has been attributed to suffering from photophobia.
Principal lawyer from National Compensation Lawyers Michael Tanner, mentioned that his consumer was unaware of the extent of his head accidents.
“From Liam’s perspective, he was never made aware of his failings in any cognitive assessment he ever underwent,” he advised The Age.
“Further to that, he did not necessarily understand the full extent of his injuries or his symptoms.
“What he did was voice his concerns about his symptoms.
“The medical advice given to him at the time was that he was still fit to play.”
The AFL updated its concussion guidelines in 2021, meaning any player deemed to be concussed would sit out the next 12 days instead of six days.
Picken brought attention to two concussions in particular that caused him extreme grief.
A 2017 incident when former Fremantle footballer Tommy Sheridan landed on Picken’s head is alleged to have left him with a “clear diagnosis of brain injury or concussion”.
And once more in a 2018 preseason match towards Hawthorn the place he was concerned in a nasty head conflict.
The customary observe for treating a participant for potential concussion is assessing them based mostly on the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool — third (SCAT-3) Edition pointers.
The pointers have been endorsed by FIFA, World Rugby and the Olympic Games.
It was claimed that he was not examined for a concussion and 5 days after the primary incident, Picken was returned to full coaching following a Digital Cognitive Assessment — a sensible neurological take a look at additionally used for dementia and Alzheimer’s sufferers.
The advice following a DCA was to attend for signs to resolve however Picken alleges he was not supplied with outcomes.
Picken’s spouse — Annie Nolan — in 2018 defined how the concussions had impacted her.
“The worst thing for me is that when he actually had the knock, I wasn’t there, but all three of our kids were in the cheer squad, so I’ve heard the story through the cheer squad,” she mentioned.
“Mally knew straight away, and apparently he was saying, “Get up Dad, get up Dad,” however the cheer squad members all circled the women to guard them from seeing it.”
“The girls didn’t see it was Liam, but then as Liam got carried off Delphi asked, ‘Where are they taking that dead man?’
“It sounds so dramatic, but it made me cry when I heard that because she didn’t realise that was her dad.”
Picken is claiming a lack of earnings and ongoing medical exams which led to his early retirement.
It comes as former Collingwood AFLW vice-captain Emma Grant launched a civil go well with following her untimely retirement from soccer after struggling a concussion within the 2020 pre-season.
The concussion combat has gone international, even reaching the shores of the UK the place motion was taken towards sporting our bodies there.
Earlier this 12 months 55 UK former novice Rugby gamers started authorized motion towards the Rugby Football Union, the Welsh Rugby Union and World Rugby, who they accuse of negligence of their failure to guard them from mind accidents throughout their taking part in careers.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
