As new information comes to light about the long-term risks of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), a new study has found that serious head injuries increase the risk of a person developing cognitive problems like Alzheimer’s disease and also suffering premature death. Although the study authors focused strictly on brain injuries among military veterans, TBIs can affect virtually anyone, resulting from motor vehicle accidents, sports-related incidents, or other head injury-causing accidents. If you have suffered a serious head injury or traumatic brain injury in Georgia, contact our reputable lawyers at Rechtman & Spevak today for legal help. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries, which our personal injury attorneys can help you pursue.
Link Between TBIs and Alzheimer’s
In the study, published in the medical journal Neurology on June 25, researchers followed 188,764 military veterans who showed no signs of dementia prior to the study, 1,229 of whom were diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. After keeping tabs on the veterans for a period of nine years, the researchers concluded that 16% of the study participants who suffered brain injuries developed dementia, while only 10% of the participants who were not diagnosed with a TBI developed the cognitive condition, which represents a 60% higher risk. The researchers also found that the study participants who suffered a TBI tended to develop dementia earlier than their counterparts.
Long-Term Effects of Brain Injuries
Early death also appeared to be a consequence of traumatic brain injury, according to the researchers, who found that those diagnosed with a TBI died at 77 years of age – two years earlier than their counterparts. “Our results suggest that TBI in older veterans may predispose toward development of symptomatic dementia and raise concern about the potential long-term consequences of TBI in younger veterans and civilians,” the researchers wrote. The study authors were unable to determine why exactly head injuries have an impact on the development of dementia, but have indicated that the more damage the brain sustains, the more vulnerable it may become to cognitive problems.
Our Skilled Brain Injury Lawyers Can Help
Approximately 5.3 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia and is characterized by a progressive decline in a person’s ability to reason and think clearly. If you have sustained a traumatic brain injury in a Georgia car wreck, or another type of injury-causing accident, consult our experienced brain injury attorneys at Rechtman & Spevak to discuss your legal options. You may have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit against the person found at-fault in the accident, in order to seek fair and timely reimbursement for your injuries, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.
