On April 11, the House Bill 281 was signed into law and became effective immediately. Under the new Kentucky law, all interscholastic coaches will have to complete a sports safety course that teaches them how to recognize head injuries and concussions.
The law also bars a student athlete who’s deemed to be concussed from returning to participate in any athletic practice or competition until being cleared by a physician.
Concussions occur when the brain is fiercely shaken back and forth or rotated inside the skull that resulted from a blow to the head or body. Student athletes participating in contact sports, such as:
- football;
- basketball;
- rugby; and
- soccer are especially susceptible to these types of injuries.
Since a student with a concussion doesn’t necessarily lose consciousness, it’s critical for the coaching staff to receive special training. Unrecognized and untreated head injuries can lead to permanent disability requiring the services of an accident injury attorney.
House Bill 281 is the latest bill regarding sports injuries to be enacted by the General Assembly since 2009. The initial legislation mandated that high school coaches trained in heat illnesses and other medical conditions be present at all practices and games.
The 2009 law was introduced after the tragic death of high school football player Max Gilpin of Louisville, who died of heatstroke during a football practice.
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