A settlement was reached with the NFL that could provide eligible retired injured NFL players with a monetary award of up to $5 million each as a result of their NFL injury.

Judge Anita Brody issued final approval the class action settlement last year that resolved claims in a multidistrict litigation against the NFL alleging that the league failed to protect players from the chronic medical issues that resulted from repeated head injuries.

According to the approval order for the NFL concussion settlement, Judge Brody stated, “MDL plaintiffs allege that head injuries lead to a host of debilitating conditions, including Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, depression, deficits in cognitive functioning, reduced processing speed, attention and reasoning, loss of memory, sleeplessness, mood swings, and personality changes.”

Repeated injury to the head can also lead to a condition known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, chronic degeneration of brain function.

This can result when concussions to the head caused symptoms as well as when such concussions are asymptomatic. This condition that causes dementia and depression can also lead to an increased risk of suicide.

In approving the NFL injured players class action lawsuit settlement settlement, a determination was not made that the NFL engaged in any wrongdoing or broke any laws, but was entered into by both parties to avoid the cost, risks and delays of further litigation.

Benefits of the Retired Injured NFL Players Settlement

The settlement includes the following to be provided to eligible injured NFL players:

• Cost of baseline neuropsychological and neurological examinations, additional medical testing is warranted, counseling and or appropriate treatment.
• Monetary awards for the following conditions: ALS (amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease), Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Level I.5 and Level 2 Neurocognitive Impairment (i.e. early dementia and moderate dementia, respectively) and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.
• Education of retired injured NFL players regarding medical programs, disability programs and other educational programs and initiatives that would impact the players.

Additionally, the settlement will provide for education programs that will promote safety and injury prevention for football players at all levels, including any youth football.

Retired Injured NFL Players Can Consult with an Attorney at No Cost

Because the potential settlement for retired  injured NFL players includes such a large financial payout and because the settlement document is 150 pages long and complicated, it is recommended that a potential settlement claimant consult with an experienced NFL settlement attorney to navigate the process.

An attorney experienced with working with retired injured NFL players to fully participate in the NFL concussion settlement can assist former players in receiving the maximum years of credit for eligible seasons, help players connect with qualified physicians to receive an eligible diagnosis and assist with submitting detailed paperwork in line with strict deadlines.

An experienced NFL concussion attorney can review your case for free to help determine your eligibility and can help you understand how partnering with a legal professional can make the difference in receiving a maximum payout versus being denied as eligible to collect a settlement payment.