A study published in the American Academy of Neurology on April 18, 2018 assessed the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD) following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study used a sample of 325,870 patients in the Veterans Health Administration.
The authors identified all patients diagnosed with a TBI in Veterans Health Administration databases from October 2002 to September 2014. The study found that compared to no TBI, those with TBI had higher incidence of PD. The authors concluded that mild TBI (mTBI) was associated with 56 percent increased risk of PD.
Half of the original patients had TBIs, and 1,462 were diagnosed with PD during follow-up examinations. The study highlighted the importance of preventing TBIs and the need for long-term follow-up for veterans. It also emphasized a need to determine mechanisms and modifiable risk factors for post-TBI PD.
What is a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury?
An mTBI diagnosis does not sound as severe as many other more serious TBIs, but the term mild does not necessarily mean a person’s life is not impacted. In fact, mTBI victims often face many of the same challenges as those who have incurred more serious brain damage.
A person who suffers an mTBI in any kind of accident may be evaluated and told that he or she is fine. In truth, the victim can still suffer any one of a number of possible cognitive or physical challenges.
In some cases, mTBI symptoms can be quite debilitating. In other cases, victims may not even feel compelled to seek medical care.
The psychological effects of an mTBI are extremely complicated and difficult to understand. If anything, an increased risk of Parkinson’s only further complicates potential recoveries.
An mTBI is precisely the type of injury that an insurance company will usually seek to dramatically underpay damages for. Again, the term mild will be used by insurers as evidence of the injury not being particularly serious and, thus, not deserving of significant compensation.
In truth, mTBI victims can have a lifetime of financial difficulties because of medical expenses and frequent inability to maintain regular employment. It is critical for any person who has suffered any degree of TBI to immediately retain legal counsel for assistance obtaining fair and full compensation.
Find a Brain Injury Attorney in Georgia
Did you or your loved one suffer a TBI in Georgia as the result of another party’s negligence? You will want to contact the Nye Law Group as soon as possible.
Try not to speak to any insurance company about your case until you have legal representation. Insurers know victims can be talked into accepting settlements that are much less than what they are actually entitled to because people will be tempted to believe they are gaining more by not paying a lawyer.
In truth, an attorney will be able to get you compensation for all of your past, present, and future needs. Furthermore, the Nye Law Group represents clients on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay our firm nothing unless you receive a monetary award. Call 855-636-9277 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.