You’ll likely find most Illinois residents cheering on the Bears on any Sunday autumn afternoon. Fans want to see their team win, but nobody wants to see an NFL player injured, especially if it’s a blow to the head.
The average number of concussions in the NFL was 219 in 2023. Some players have experienced approximately 1,000 head injuries throughout their playing careers.
The main causes of TBIs
A TBI occurs when the head receives a sharp blow or jolt to the head and disrupts normal brain function. Some of these injuries result in a mild concussion, while others can cause severe brain damage. In recent years, there have been several studies that show a correlation between TBIs and the risk of developing dementia later in life.
Dementia is an umbrella term covering various neurological conditions that affect memory, thinking and behavior. Eventually, it becomes hard for a person with dementia to engage in daily activities.
One study of 353 retired NFL players showed they had a cognitive decline decades after playing. Furthermore, TBIs might be linked to conditions like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a form of dementia often seen in athletes who have had repeated head injuries. Unfortunately, CTE can only be definitively diagnosed after death. However, it was found in the brains of 92% of NFL players after they died.
It’s not just NFL players who are at risk for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Falls and motor vehicle accidents are two of the leading causes of TBI. In 2020, there were over 214,000 TBI-related hospitalizations in the United States. Someone with a severe TBI has twice the risk of being diagnosed with dementia later in life than a person with a mild brain injury.
Early diagnosis of a TBI is crucial for a positive prognosis. If you received a TBI due to the actions of another person, it’s imperative that you receive compensation so that you can make a full recovery.