As much as scientists around the world have studied brain injuries the last several years, there is still so much we do not know. The way the human brain reacts to trauma is still a mystery in many ways. This is especially true regarding the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Still, what researchers have discovered suggests that head injuries sustained during your working years can affect your health in your senior years. For example, repeated concussions as a teen or young adult seem to lead to chronic traumatic encephalogy (CTE). This usually occurs to athletes and others who experience frequent blows to the head.
The effects of TBI, decades after it occurs
Most jobs do not carry that risk. But head injury is a real risk in many jobs, including construction. A moderate to severe TBI is dangerous enough on its own in the short term. But TBI at these levels of severity has been associated with Parkinson’s disease, Parkinson’s-like symptoms, and dementia.
To be clear, there is no evidence suggesting that a serious TBI causes dementia or Parkinson’s. But the apparent association between brain trauma and these devastating illnesses appearing decades later suggests that a TBI can increase your risk of developing one later in life.
Workers’ compensation cannot protect you from the long-term effects of a TBI suffered on the job. But it can help you pay your medical bills and other expenses until you recover. Brain injuries can be serious, and you could be entitled to substantial workers’ comp while you are healing. However, employers and their workers’ comp insurance companies often try to deny legitimate claims. The help of a workers’ compensation attorney can make a great difference in these cases.