Jovan Belcher exhumed for concussion exam

[Dr. Broncenstein]

http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2013/12/...ncussion-exam/

This is still a land of opportunity for litigators. There is gold in them there brains if you are willing to get your hands a little dirty. Chase that ambulance all the way underground and you might hit paydirt.

[BroncoMan4ever]

That's a great family there. Digging up a corpse just to line their pockets. ****ing pathetic. I don't care what is said, this is all about squeezing a payday from a corpse or the NFL.

[Dr. Broncenstein]

He had twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood at autopsy. He put a bullet through his brain. Said mangled and drunk brain has been decomposing for a year. But some lawyer will find an "expert" witness who will testify that microscopic evidence of CTE is present in the brain, and therefore entitled to monetary award. The new American Dream.

[OBF1]

This pisses me off. His family is a POS looking to profit from his death... That he caused.

[Hulamau]

He had twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood at autopsy. He put a bullet through his brain. Said mangled and drunk brain has been decomposing for a year. But some lawyer will find an "expert" witness who will testify that microscopic evidence of CTE is present in the brain, and therefore entitled to monetary award. The new American Dream.

So ridiculous and disgusting! blatant money chasing. Saul Goodman wouldn't even stoop this low.

Actually, Saul was a pretty good lawyer ... considering his 'specialty'

[Dr. Broncenstein]

How did the family come to the conclusion that they needed to dig up the decomposing corpse and have it re-examined? Might it have been suggested by someone who will take care of all the details in exchange for a cut of the payout?

[slick7]

How did the family come to the conclusion that they needed to dig up the decomposing corpse and have it re-examined? Might it have been suggested by someone who will take care of all the details in exchange for a cut of the payout?

Unlikely the family thought of it on their own.

[Kid A]

Or a family that suffered an incredibly painful tragedy wants all the answers and understanding of what happened that they can get?

If anything, the article sounds like the medical people involved ****ed up by not doing this the first time around, or at least offering the option.

Bennet Omalu, an expert on the destructive brain condition, said that he “would bet one month’s salary that (Belcher) had CTE” and that the local medical examiner should have performed a test for it.

Belcher’s brain also could have been donated for research, but Vandever said Belcher’s family wasn’t contacted about such a donation.

Just like any case like this, the victims and families deserve to have all causes investigated. With all the mitigating factors, I doubt they'd get a "big payday" out of this.

The knee-jerk hatred of any investigation that might lead to a billion dollar sports league (that has profited greatly on guys destroying their brains) having to pay out something is weird to me. Whether the NFL is or isn't held responsible in court is another thing, but without the recent legal backlash over CTE, I don't believe the league would be stepping up concussion safety like it has. If Belcher had CTE, his family fully deserves to know and be part of the ongoing discussion surrounding it and the NFL.

[ColoradoDarin]

He had twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood at autopsy. He put a bullet through his brain. Said mangled and drunk brain has been decomposing for a year. But some lawyer will find an "expert" witness who will testify that microscopic evidence of CTE is present in the brain, and therefore entitled to monetary award. The new American Dream.

So that's what John Edwards is up to these days!

[Dr. Broncenstein]

I'm sure they are digging up the corpse of their loved one just to answer all questions. Specifically unaddressed questions that keep them up nights like: how can we shift the blame from a drunk idiot to a wealthy entity, and how much might that be worth?

[Dr. Broncenstein]

Unlikely the family thought of it on their own.

If you've ever been injured by another insured person or entity, you know what it's like to be hounded by unsolicited lawyers just aching to help you out. I can only imagine what it's been like for this guy's family.

[slick7]

If you've ever been injured by another insured person or entity, you know what it's like to be hounded by unsolicited lawyers just aching to help you out. I can only imagine what it's been like for this guy's family.

I got hit by a US mail jeep in San Antonio when I was a teenager in San Antonio in the 90's. There were probably 50 letters at my house when I got home from the hospital 3 days later so I can definitely relate.

Kid A made some good points a few posts back. At the end of the day, the Belcher family deserves to know even if it's some sleezebag lawyer behind it. It just sucks because this should have already been handled in the initial autopsy. Do you agree with that Dr?

[Dr. Broncenstein]

I got hit by a US mail jeep in San Antonio when I was a teenager in San Antonio in the 90's. There were probably 50 letters at my house when I got home from the hospital 3 days later so I can definitely relate.

Kid A made some good points a few posts back. At the end of the day, the Belcher family deserves to know even if it's some sleezebag lawyer behind it. It just sucks because this should have already been handled in the initial autopsy. Do you agree with that Dr?

An autopsy is an exhaustive and thorough invasive medical examination to determine the cause and manner of death. I'm pretty sure that was done. Death by suicide caused by close range firearm wound to the head. Toxicology also revealed serum ethanol levels twice the legal limit.

[slick7]

An autopsy is an exhaustive and thorough invasive medical examination to determine the cause and manner of death. I'm pretty sure that was done. Death by suicide caused by close range firearm wound to the head. Toxicology also revealed serum ethanol levels twice the legal limit.

Okay, my mistake. Autopsy is a simply a cause of death process. I think I understood that. I assume serum ethanol levels describe the alcohol level at the time of death. What kind of tests would need to be run to determine if Belcher suffered from some type of concussoon damage?

You might have to dumb it down for me a bit.

[swaiy]

The ME did his/her job. I don't get why people are saying otherwise.