According to a study published this week by the Boston University School of Medicine, researchers have discovered more evidence affirming a causal connection between repeated head injuries and chronic brain disease. The findings can be found in the journal Brain and will likely provide support for brain injury lawsuits filed by numerous professional football players who claim that concussions that they sustained during their career caused them to develop permanent brain damage or injuries.
One need only look to recent headlines to read about how Kansas City Chiefs’ Jovan Belcher shot his girlfriend and then killed himself in front of his coach and general manager. Family and friends believe his inexplicable actions were due to head injuries he had sustained while playing the game.
Researchers examined brain samples from 85 deceased people ranging in age from 17 to 98 who had suffered from concussions and other types of mild TBIs, including well-known professional athletes such as running back Cookie Gilchrist. They compared these samples with those of other people who didn’t have the same brain injury history.
About 80% of the samples from those with brain injuries showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which leads to the brain tissue’s eventual degradation. CTE symptoms can range from attention problems and headaches to dementia, aggression, and depression. 50 football players, including 33 that had played in the NFL, all exhibited signs of CTE.
In the last couple of years, there has been a growing outcry from pro football players and also younger players claiming that their concussions while playing the sport are the cause of serious and permanent brain injuries. Many professionals have filed lawsuits against the NFL, claiming the league knew about the serious ramifications yet kept this information from players.( Instead, they contend, many of them were encouraged to play again soon after recovering from a concussion. Also the target of products liability lawsuits is Riddell, the official maker of NFL helmets. Plaintiffs say that contrary to its claims, the company failed to make helmets that actually protect the head during game impact.
Massachusetts Brain Injury Lawsuits
Brain injuries can also occur during traffic collisions, fall accidents, assault crimes, or any other incident involving impact made with the head. You want to work with a Boston brain injury lawyer that knows how to determine not just what caused your injury but also understands the serious consequences this can have on your life. You may be entitled to Massachusetts TBI damages.
Evidence Mounts Linking Head Hits To Permanent Brain Injury, NPR, December 3, 2012
Friends: Possible head injury, personal problems may have led to murder, suicide by Belcher, Bangor Daily News, December 4, 2012
More Blog Posts:
NFL Players Linked to Greater Risk of Dying from Alzheimer’s, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, September 6, 2012
Massachusetts Head Injuries Sustained by Almost 3,000 Students Involved in School Sports Last Year, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, October 29, 2012
Worcester County Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed By Family of Dudley Boy Killed in Massachusetts Escalator Accident, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, June 10, 2011