I don't remember much about Thanksgiving 1993.

That day I was on the football field in New Jersey as a high school senior. At some point early in the game I was thrown a pass over the middle and I had to go up for it. A linebacker laid me out.

I am going to make a point here and say I actually caught the ball. And the same ego that pushes me to tell you this fact instantly made me spring up from the turf nearly 20 years ago—as if to give a signal to the truck that had hit me: You didn't hurt me! Better luck next time!

I had to stay tough. I had to show no weakness. I had to keep the edge. These principles were engrained.

But these cobwebs I was not shaking out.

Minutes later I struggled to keep my footing at my defensive position as linebacker. I couldn't stand up straight. I remember trying to talk myself out of it.

“You're fine. Take a breath. You're going to tell them you're fine.”

And that's about all I remember. I don't remember getting pulled from the field or the cold sweats and shaking in the locker room at halftime. I only remember bits and pieces of the ambulance ride and practically nothing of my short stay in the emergency room. I don't remember the rest of Thanksgiving—whether I had even a slice of turkey—at all.

Two days prior to Thanksgiving I was in a car accident with my girlfriend. We were both hurt. I banged my head pretty good, but I was more concerned with the fact she was hurt worse.

I don't remember whether I went to the doctor, or if I had to convince anyone I was fine to play on Thanksgiving. I don't think I did.

I can also tell you I don't remember many plays of the championship game we won a week later. This time I know I had to convince the team doctor I was good to go, but it didn't take much. I was the tight end and middle linebacker. I had to play. I wanted to play. It was my senior year. I just wish I had more of a memory of it.

I bring this up because insurers should get used to hearing stories like it.

Concussions are serious business. The damage of head trauma is more and more understood and concussion-related lawsuits are becoming more and more prevalent—prompting insurers (some big names in the industry) to ask judges as you are reading this to say there is no duty to defend or indemnify the leagues, the schools, the coaches—even the equipment manufacturers—who arguably knew or should have known what to do to protect players.

Leagues and coaches and schools allegedly should have done everything to prevent injuries and should have stepped in to say: No. You're not going back in. Not until we say so.

Concussions are a public health issue as science rapidly allows us to better understand damages from a blow to the head. Actions taken by leagues from the pros to youth levels are recognizing a need to do what they can to prevent head injuries. Look at how the National Football League has changed the way one guy can throw his body into another. Hockey has outlawed certain kinds of hits too. Youth leagues are concentrating more on technique. I even read one story that a youth soccer league is prohibiting headers.

Secondarily, these are steps to also prevent liability.

The issue has definitely grabbed our collective attention as a society—and it has landed in insurers' claims departments.

The NFL is asking for coverage from its insurers, who are scrambling to get cleared of any duty to pay. Thousands of former players have sued the league, alleging they suffered neurological damage due to fraud and negligence by the NFL. The multi-district litigation has been consolidated in federal court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Another group of consolidated cases has been filed against the National Collegiate Athletic Association, alleging the NCAA was negligent in protecting student-athletes from the risks of concussions in all sports.

(I could not keep up with all of this without Paul D. Anderson and his site, NFL Concussion Litigation, which keeps tabs on more than the NFL. I highly recommend it.)

The National Hockey League may be next. The family of a former professional hockey player has sued the league's players' union on grounds that are primarily not concussion-related. But the lawyer for the family of the now-deceased player says an examination of the player's brain found evidence of degenerative brain disease from repeated head shock.

A flood of concussion-related lawsuits has also been filed at the high school level, and an NU story from April reports concussions in youth sports are also on insurers' minds.

Hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars are at stake. To what extent insurers will be involved in litigation has not been decided, but this is potentially a very big deal, don't you think? These types of lawsuits aren't going anywhere. They are likely to increase in number from various levels of different sports as the courts decide who should get in line to pay potential awards or settlements.

Today I get terrible migraines I know I didn't suffer from before high school. They are absolutely sapping. I work with the lights off in my office and, more and more, I really hate driving at night. Certain smells are triggers too.

Also at an increasing rate, I don't remember things and sometimes I can't make my point during a conversation. The words don't come out right. I'm more anxious—maybe even a little bit easier to anger. Sometimes I feel I have sea legs.

And my playing days ended after my senior year of high school. My exposure to head trauma was certainly far less than a professional like former pro quarterback Jim McMahon, who has the onset of dementia.

It may be irresponsible of me to insinuate that my condition is related to the multiple concussions I know I've had in my life. After all, I admit I have not seen a specialist to make the specific connection, but I have seen multiple doctors about my migraines.

Consider this: I can't help but think there is a connection because of what I read now—because of all the new research and findings. How many others are doing the same? How many might look further into making a connection? How many are watching the litigation—wondering if others could be liable? How many will find class-action suits to join?

I am not sure how this will play out but I know I'll be watching what happens. And not just because it's my job.

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