Is there a Relation between Sports and Traumatic Brain Injuries?

The human brain, excessive amounts of force, and a lot of physical contact are all specific characteristics of many sports; namely football and boxing. Can an abnormal amount of brain injuries be traced back to these physically stressful sports? Ask most people who’ve been around for a while and they’ll tell you that boxing is a surefire way to catch a right hook laced with brain damage. Muhammad Ali was a legendary boxer in his prime—undoubtedly unforgettable—and his permanent, life-changing health defects are contributed directly to boxing, but does that mean by playing sports you’re more likely to suffer a brain injury?

I suppose that raises the question “when compared to what?” Drinking water makes you an unlimited amount of times more likely to drown than breathing air, so we must have some guidelines here to pull in any statistics. Realistically speaking, when compared to your everyday activities, participating in sports ‘technically’ does ‘increase’ your chances of receiving a traumatic brain injury, but that doesn’t mean you’re very likely to get one. After all, purchasing 10 lottery tickets makes you 9 times more likely to win when compared to purchasing one, but your chances of winning are still a dream. Instead, let’s focus on known statistics.

Brain Injury Statistics

According to one website, it’s estimated that 52,000 American’s lose their lives as the result of a traumatic brain injury. Males are more likely to receive a TBI than females—around 1.5 times—, and about 1.7 million head injuries occur every year in the U.S. in total. How many of those 1.7 million are related to sports? According to a study which recorded 23,566 head injuries over a course of 3 years, 1,219 were directly related to sports, and 773 of those 1219 were related to football. While being a large number, it’s also a very small portion of the annual cause, bringing us the agreeable conclusion that sports, while certainly being a notable cause, is certainly not the most serious.

With that said, does that answer our original question? Well, yes; there is a relation between sports and TBIs, however; not all athletes receive TBIs, and not all TBIs are related to sports. Actually, both of those numbers are very small. Think of how many athletes participate in sports over a 3-year course, and for only 1,219 of those athletes to receive a traumatic brain injury means that whoever is enforcing safety is doing a decent job. This is not to make light of the victims though, it’s simply to point out the fact that your chances of receiving a TBI from playing sports is smaller than your chance of dying from operating a vehicle.

If you have, however, received a TBI due to someone else’s negligence, it should not go unnoticed, and no amount of statistics should come into play to decide whether or not you deserve compensation for the damage you received. If you were injured because someone’s care—or lack thereof–, then you should seek immediate medical attention if you haven’t already, and then take steps to get the settlement you’re entitled to if someone else was at fault. The same goes for a loved or anyone you know. If they’re currently suffering with any form of TBI and you’re paying for it, everything is backwards and opposite of what it should be. Step up and take control of the situation or you could severely pay for it.

Contact Dolman Law Group

Here at Dolman Law, we strive to find victims of these cases the compensation they deserve and are owed. If you or someone you know has suffered from losses—be it emotionally, physically, or monetarily—, experienced a loss of enjoyment of life, or has died as a result to someone else’s negligence, you may be in line for a settlement. Don’t wait another minute to start your case; Dolman Law Group offers a free consultation and case evaluation, giving you the risk-free opportunity to learn your rights and options. Call us today at 727-451-6900 or use our quick and easy online form to speak with an experienced traumatic brain injury attorney and get started on your case today!

Dolman Law Group
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33756
727-451-6900

Practice Area: Traumatic Brain Injuries