The recent NFL concussion lawsuit settlement covers over 20,000 former players and the agreement would provide payments of up to $5 million to players if they exhibit one of a few specific neurological disorders.

This fund entitles all qualified retired NFL players to financial compensation based upon playing time, age and concussion-related neurological problems. While this may seem straightforward, the registration process and required baseline neurological testing is complicated.

Working with a NFL concussion lawyer can help retired players and families maximize their potential financial awards and also helps ensure that the complex registration paperwork is properly submitted so that disqualification does not occur.

NFL Players and CTE

Retired NFL players diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, ALS, Alzheimer’s, or Dementia stand to potentially make the most from the NFL concussion settlement. These players may be suffering from long-term effects of repeated concussions from playing in the NFL, a condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE.

In fact, researchers from both Boston University and the Department of Veterans Affairs have identified chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in 96 percent of the deceased NFL players whom they examined.

It is believed that CTE stems from repeated head trauma and can lead to depression, memory loss, and dementia. More specifically, 40% of the brains that tested positive for CTE once belonged to offensive and defensive linemen.

This fact supported the theory that it was not the violent collisions which lead to concussions that posed the most danger to the players, it is instead the repetitive minor head traumas that NFL players suffer on every play.

The director and chief of neuropathology of the VA Boston Healthcare System, Dr. Ann McKee, stated that these research statistics are “remarkably consistent” with past research done by those who have suggested that that there was a link between football and long-term brain disease.

CTE can only be officially diagnosed posthumously. However, a common symptom can include a gradual deterioration in mental capabilities. Additionally, there is the chance that symptoms of Parkinson’s disease could appear as well as dementia. Other severe neurological disorders as a result of repeated blows to the head include Alzheimer’s disease and ALS.

A NFL Concussion Lawyer Can Help With Your Settlement Claim

The NFL concussion settlement allows players to make an appeal if and when they suffer from worsening or new symptoms of neurological damage associated with concussions and head trauma.

However, all qualified players need to register now to protect themselves, their families and their future financial health. It is important to register quickly and utilize a NFL concussion lawyer, as soon as possible.

There are many reasons for this urgency but the primary one is that, once the final appeal has been completed, all retired players that have not yet registered must see a NFL-approved doctor for both their baseline neurological testing as well as any other additional neurological tests that need to be ordered.

This may have a direct impact on the compensation that players receive in the future.

Hiring a NFL concussion lawyer to help you throughout the settlement claim process could potentially mean the difference between receiving your just compensation or having your claim denied.

The strenuous process of filing the NFL concussion lawsuit settlement claim involves detailed paperwork, specific deadlines, and specific document requests. Hiring a NFL concussion lawyer will help to ensure that you gather all of the necessary information and that it is all filed on time.

If you miss deadlines or submit incomplete paperwork, you are at the risk of either a delay in receiving your compensation or a denial of your claim.

A NFL concussion lawyer can also help you get credit for the correct number of NFL seasons you can report from your career, and help to see the most qualified physicians in order to get an accurate, qualifying diagnosis.