Muhammad Ali's head trauma may have led to Parkinson's

Over the past few days, people all over the world have been mourning the death of iconic boxer Muhammad Ali. Ali passed away at the age of 74 after a 30-plus-year battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Ali, like many other professional athletes, took many blows to the head during the course of his career. A neurologist at New York University believes that head trauma may be a risk factor in the development of Parkinson’s. Dr. Douglas Smith, Director of the Center for Brain Injury and Repair at the University of Pennsylvania, finds that many brain diseases are not evident until after death. It has not been reported whether Ali’s family will donate his brain to science for further research on the subject.

This isn’t the first time that contact sports have been associated with brain disease. One common discussion is whether multiple concussions can cause future psychological and neurological issues in football players.

Whether it is caused by a contact sport or a car accident, any kind of head injury can severely impact your future. As researchers continue to study the consequences of such injuries, many people will continue to suffer. The families of brain injury victims may also be worried about being able to afford all of the medical treatment and rehabilitation costs that come with these severe injuries. Filing a lawsuit against those negligent individuals and/or organizations responsible for your accident may be your best chance at recovering damages and paying off some of these medical expenses. While nothing can undo the damage that has occurred, having some financial support can be helpful during such a difficult time.

Source: New York Daily News, “NYU neurologist: Head trauma likely led to Muhammad Ali developing Parkinson’s disease,” Dustin Foote, June 6, 2016