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Rutgers student faces assault charges for allegedly kicking man

Brain injuries are still among the least-understood kinds of traumas that a person can experience. In many cases, all doctors can do is hope for the best; things may be touch-and-go for hours, days, weeks or longer. And the true extent of any brain damage might not be known for a long period of time, if ever.

While the causes and prognoses for brain injuries can vary greatly, one thing they have in common is the potential for explosive medical costs. People who suffer a brain injury might be in line for a lifetime of rehabilitation and physical therapy; in many cases, they never fully recover.

So far, it isn’t known how a man who was allegedly kicked in the head by a New Jersey college student will fare; according to neurosurgeons, he might not survive at all. The 24-year-old man was injured in a confrontation with the student, who had recently transferred to Rutgers to play quarterback from Minnesota, where the incident occurred over the weekend.

According to reports, the two men — formerly high school rivals — once dated the same woman, which may have led to their confrontation. Security footage showed a skirmish with the victim and another man trading punches; the punch to the victim’s head apparently rendered him unconscious immediately. He was seen on the security video going limp and hitting the ground. That’s when, according to charges, the Rutgers student kicked the victim in the head at least once.

The student has been charged with assault, and could face decades in prison. The victim, meanwhile, continues to fight for his life; one side of his skull was fractured. Only time will tell how much damage the alleged assault actually inflicted.

Source: NJ.com, “Ex-Rutgers quarterback Philip Nelson and victim once dated the same girl, source says,” A.J. Perez, May 13, 2014

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