Head injury help

[RedFive]

Hey guys, in Jan 2007 I fell 8m and among other things bruised both frontal lobes of my brain. (other injuries sustained didn't seem to cause any concern from CASA's view.) CASA informed me I would have to wait five years before I could reapply for a Class 1 medical. The five years have now passed and as well as the actual medical I have seen a CASA approved neurologist, a Neuropsychologist and had a sleep deprived EEG.
My previous confidence, off the back of positive doctors reports, that I would be reissued with a class 1 has eroded now that CASA has had my medical for the best part of two months and it has now gone to complex case management.
Has anyone else had any experience with anything like this and knows what I should expect or not expect from this point?

[mad_jock]

In the UK its finding a suitably qualified medical type who is willing to put his signature on a bit of paper thats says in his opinion your fine.

Its basically bum covering. None of the doctors want to be the one that signs you off. So they just keep on asking for tests which they hope your going to fail.

You just have to wait until they run out of excuses not to sign it. But you may have on going additional checks for years until they get bored of them as well.

Be warned though any hint of any type of fit or period of unconsiousness even with a valid excuse will make them pull you medical even if it happens 20 years after the event.

The trick is to find a rugby playing Neurologist they seem to have a slightly different view on concusions to ones that don't play contact sports.

[RedFive]

Ah it seems I was slightly impatient, plus you were right about the bum covering. After it went to the Complex Case Management team and a couple doctors had a look at it I was passed and given a class one with no restrictions. Happy days.

[mad_jock]

It will have found its way to a rugby playing medic who will have said I have been knocked ****less xx amounts of time and I am fine so you will be as well. It s the football playing docs that stuff up a nice simple concusion.

[gingernut]

Well done Red and thanks for the posting.

As Mad Jock rightly observes, there is always some degree of variance in medical opinions.

Which is why it's called an opinion.

[Mac the Knife]

Realistically, if at one or two years there are no detectable neurological abnormalities, no fits/absences and you pass an extended sim/checkride I'd be happy for you to fly me.

Waiting another 3-4 years is most unlikely to add anything more than random noise.

Mac :ok:

[Fostex]

I hold a JAR Class 2 and had a subdural haematoma in 2005 after a severe head injury. I shortly hope to apply for a Class 1 and my AME doesn't think I should have any issues.

However when applying for my Class 2 I had to get a neurosurgeons report that my risk of PTE ( post traumatic epilepsy ) was now in line with that of the general public. This was despite the fact I had never had a seizure.

My current Class 2 currently has no restrictions.

The key is getting a clear and authoritive specialist report from a highly respected consultant/surgeon. Expensive but it can make the difference.