Personal Injury Law

Brain Damage Found in 6th Former NFL Player

By Bruce Stern

 An article in yesterday's New York Times reports that doctors at the Boston University School of Medicine have found a 6th former National Football League player with a brain injury most commonly linked to former boxers. Doctors studied the brain of Tom McHale, who played in the NFL from 1987 - 1995, and who recently passed away last May at the age of 45. 

Doctors found a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy in McHale's brain, which is a progressive condition resulting after repetitive head trauma and can lead to the early onset of dementia for people in their 40s or 50s. McHale makes the 6th former NFL player out of 6 that were tested who has been diagnosed with having chronic traumatic encephalopathy between the ages of 36 and 50.

I've written several times before on the devastating and deadly effects injuries on the field can have on players long after their seasons have ended. These findings only further the evidence that the dangers and injuries suffered in football, specifically to the brain, are too easily ignored. 

Full post as published by Traumatic Brain Injury Law Blog on January 28, 2009 (boomark / email).