Former football players who kill themselves after suffering from brain injuries continue to make headlines and have resulted in lawsuits. There has even been a movie devoted to suicide after a brain injury.
These players were diagnosed with the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy, thought to be caused by repeated blows to the head. Players and former players suffering from this condition often commit suicide.
Earlier this year, former NFL star Aaron Hernandez committed suicide in jail.
Boston University researchers are to study his brain after his death to look for evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
The former New England Patriots tight end may join the ever-growing list of former professional football players diagnosed with the brain disease. There is a correlation between the disease and suicide.
In a study released in 2017, all but four of 91 former NFL players who donated their brains to science were found to have CTE.
Researchers have found some positions on the football field pose a greater risk for head trauma but no position is immune.
Not all of those who have died were retired from the game and some have been student athletes.
The Kansas Star noted the death in 2013 of Michael Keck, a former star at Harrisonville High. He was just 25-years-old and never played pro football.
The NFL’s so-called “concussion problem” was highlighted in the 2015 film Concussion featuring Will Smith.
The movie followed close on the heels of the NFL agreeing to pay $765 million to settle a lawsuit brought by 4,500 players alleging that the league concealed the dangers of head trauma in football.
Unlike many other types of injuries, you may not make a full recovery from a brain injury, which could be sustained from sports, a car wreck, a fall or another type of accident. Often the sufferer is left with expensive, long-term medical needs and may no longer be able to hold a job.
If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to the fault of another person, please call the Law Offices of Michael West at (404) 913-1529.