Traumatic Brain Injury May Heighten Risk of Dementia Later in Life

Every year, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) affect millions of Americans of all ages. Brain injuries can have immediate and dramatic impacts on your cognitive health, and they could increase your risk for some neurological disorders later in life. Recent research has linked instances of head trauma with a higher chance of developing dementia, a serious condition that impairs the ability to think, remember, and reason.

 Can Head Trauma Cause Dementia?

Two recent studies have shown strong links between sustaining traumatic head injuries and developing dementia later in life. A study conducted by Swedish researchers examined three million subjects aged 50 or older who had received a TBI or dementia diagnosis. The researchers compared those who had experienced head trauma to those who hadn’t, as well as siblings who had had TBIs to siblings who hadn’t. A similar study in Denmark examined another 2.8 million dementia patients and patients with previous TBIs. 

The results were striking. Both studies found that those who had suffered TBIs were about 25 percent more likely to develop dementia later in life than those who had not. These links remained strong even after researchers adjusted for differences in the subjects’ family histories, early lives, and education. 

The risk of dementia was also reportedly higher for patients who experienced severe or multiple TBIs. Danish researchers found that the risk of dementia from a severe TBI is double that from a mild TBI. The risk of dementia also increased by 33 percent after two or more TBIs, 61 percent after four, and 183 percent after five. 

Both research teams noted that their findings do not explain how head trauma contributes to dementia and recommended further study. One researcher also suggested, “If you’ve had a TBI, it’s worth paying attention, so you don’t have another one.”

It is important to know and understand the cause of your TBI because you may have legal rights to sue for a settlement or award you money for your pain, suffering, mental disability, and loss of income. To understand your options, you need to consult with a personal injury lawyer who specializes in traumatic brain injury cases and is an expert in brain injury lawsuits. The partners and Lawyers at Davis, Saperstein, and Salomon, P.C., have over 25 years of experience in representing people who have suffered a brain injury due to accidents and other causes. They know how to test and prove the extent of the injury, how to set up the right cognitive therapy, and how to use the wrongdoer for the injuries they caused.

Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Thousands of people suffer traumatic brain injuries every year throughout New Jersey and New York. Some of the leading causes of TBIs include:

• Slip-and-falls
• Car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents
• Physical assaults and other intentional acts of violence
• High-impact sports and recreation accidents 
• Accidents on unsafe properties
• Injuries from dangerous drugs or other unsafe products
• Preventable injuries from medical malpractice incidents
• Nursing home neglect or physical abuse

 Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Every TBI case is different, and the symptoms of each unique TBI differ depending on the circumstances. For instance, the following symptoms are common in patients with relatively mild brain injuries:

• Loss of consciousness that lasts a few seconds to a few minutes
• Feelings of disorientation or confusion
• Unusual problems with memory or concentration
• Changes in mood or unusual depression or anxiety
• Headaches, dizziness, and loss of balance
• Nausea, vomiting, and an unpleasant taste in the mouth
• Fatigue, difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much
• Changes or difficulties with speech
• Sensory issues, such as ringing in the ears
• Unusual sensitivity to lights or sounds

Patients who suffer moderate to severe TBI might experience more pronounced symptoms, such as the following:

• Loss of consciousness that lasts several minutes or hours
• Disordered consciousness or the inability to wake from sleep
• Persistent headaches or headaches that worsen over time
• Persistent nausea or vomiting
• Convulsions and seizures
• Persistent dilation of one or both pupils
• Clear fluid draining from the nose or eyes
• Weakness or numbness in the extremities
• Unusually poor coordination or slurred speech
• Severe confusion, agitation, or other unusual behavior

Long-Term Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injuries

The human brain is a complex organ, and there is still much to learn about the long-term health implications of traumatic brain injuries. However, the personal injury attorneys at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. see that those who suffer TBIs often experience the following financial losses:

• Expensive appointments with neurologists and other healthcare specialists
• The costs of prescription medications and specialized medical devices
• Expenses for physical therapy sessions or rehabilitative surgeries
• The costs of paying for at-home healthcare aides or housekeeping services
• The costs of modifying homes or vehicles to make them patient-accessible
• Income losses due to missed time at work during recovery
• Projected losses in future earning capacity due to permanent impairments
• The loss of employment and inability to perform their job

Many traumatic brain injuries cause permanent effects, both for the individual and their family. With the help of an experienced brain injury attorney, you can seek the money required to cover these ongoing expenses, modifications, and losses.

Head Trauma Prevention Strategies

Sustaining a TBI doesn’t necessarily mean developing dementia later in life. But regardless of your medical history, you should consider the following risk-reduction strategies to lower your chances of future TBIs:

• Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a vehicle
• Never get behind the wheel if you have been drinking alcohol
• Avoid distracted driving behaviors like texting while driving
• Make sure children have appropriate safety restraints in vehicles
• Wear a protective helmet during high-impact recreational activities
• If you are over 60, talk to your doctor about fall prevention 
• Check your medications for side effects like drowsiness or dizziness
• Get your eyes checked yearly and update prescriptions as needed
• Make sure children are supervised and in safe play areas at all times

While there are no proven approaches for preventing dementia, you can lower your risk by taking care of your health in the following ways:

• Participating in regular physical activity
• Managing your blood sugar appropriately
• Preventing and managing high blood pressure
• Preventing and correcting hearing loss
• Limiting alcohol consumption and quitting smoking
• Seeking psychological treatment for depression

Contact a Lawyer to Learn About Recovering Money for Your Traumatic Brain Injury

The personal injury attorneys of Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. are dedicated to exploring new studies concerning the link between TBIs and dementia. We understand how devastating traumatic brain injuries can be and how they affect entire families. Steven Benvenisti, a partner at our firm, sustained a TBI in his early 20s. He thankfully recovered and dedicated the rest of his career to helping people who sustained traumatic brain injuries. We have recovered over $1 billion in our fight to help the injured recover from devastating accidents caused by negligence. 

To learn more about your legal options following a TBI, contact our brain injury lawyers to schedule a free case review. There’s no charge to meet with us, and we don’t get paid unless we recover money for you.

This post was originally published in May 2018 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness in April 2025.