Difference between NFL and DOD TBI

There has been a fascinating study on TBI being done but apparently few noticed. The study is on how two very different organizations view traumatic brain injury connected to professions.

First we have the NFL and football players.

The NFL proposed a settlement in a lawsuit filed for 4,500 football players connected to traumatic brain injury.

$765 million would cover the potential costs for 18,000 retirees over the 65-year life of the agreement.

The judge rejected it.

One of the critical questions Golkin must consider is if there is enough money set aside not just for retired players with injuries, but also for players whose conditions worsen in years to come. The provisional settlement includes at least $675 million to pay monetary awards, $75 million for medical testing and monitoring, and $10 million for research.

But the science related to traumatic brain injuries and illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease is still evolving, so it is far from clear how many players might have significant issues in the coming years, and how many of those can be eligible for payouts of up to $5 million, as is stipulated in the proposed agreement with the N.F.L.

Then we have the DOD and TBI

Moderate to severe TBI linked to increased risk of early death
Stars and Stripes
By Matt Millham
Published: January 15, 2014

People who survive six months or longer after suffering traumatic brain injuries continue to remain at risk for premature death long after their injury, according to a study published Wednesday by the American Medical Association.

The study, led by Dr. Seena Fazel at the University of Oxford in England, used data from Sweden going back to 1954. With data from such a long time period, the research team was able to draw conclusions about the long-term consequences of moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries, Fazel said.

“One of the bottom lines is thinking about this as a chronic illness, a chronic disease,” he said.

His team found that while traumatic brain injuries, or TBI, tend to be one-off events, they have chronic, long-term consequences, he said. “And one of the consequences is premature mortality.”

The risk of premature death after a TBI is small — just 3.6 percent, according to the study. But among those who survived six months or longer after a TBI, there was a threefold increase in the odds of dying early when compared to the general population, according to the study. The odds of early death jump even higher for TBI patients also suffering from psychiatric illnesses, depression or substance abuse.
read more here

Seems that both groups are fighting the same war, compensation for the same injury however, the two causes of the injury are far, far different from the other.

One is about fame, fortune and sports. The other is about being willing to die for someone else and making a lot less than the other group.