In a recent lawsuit, former NFL players sued the league for concealing the dangers of concussions and forcing injured players back onto the field despite the injuries. The athletes claimed that the NFL failed to adequately monitor the risks of head trauma and failed to make rules that protect players from repeated concussions. They further allege that the league profited from bone-jarring hits by pushing them back on the field without the proper precautions.
The NFL’s response to these claims has been controversial.
While the NFL has acknowledged the risk of concussions, critics have called the committee a hollow gesture and said that it did nothing to reduce the severity of the effects of head injuries. Former players, including Junior Seau, have described the committee as “a joke” that prevented them from seeking independent medical advice. These players are now facing a battle to win compensation from the NFL.
The NFL has been heavily criticized for its handling of concussions. Some players have even filed a lawsuit against the organization for failing to protect them from serious injuries. In one such case, a former player named Derek Owens sought to recover millions from the NCAA over a lack of protection for student-athletes. As a result, the Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference have begun to make strides to protect student-athletes. Chancellor Dan Jones appointed a committee composed of doctors and experts who studied past analyses and research on concussions.
The NFL has faced criticism for its handling of the concussion lawsuit.
In 2011, it settled a class-action lawsuit by former players, agreeing to institute new safety protocols and spend up to $70 million to pay for medical screenings for former college players. However, the settlement did not include any payouts to individual players. The class-action suit against the NFL has also included several other schools, including Auburn, Georgia, Oregon, and Utah.
The NFL has also been targeted in another football concussion lawsuit, filed in the federal court in Illinois. Several former players have also sued the league for not protecting them from concussions. The NFL has resisted the settlement and has withheld payouts to injured players. The lawsuits in both cases are ongoing and may involve the NFL. This is an important area for lawyers in football concussion litigation.
The lawsuits against the NFL are not limited to high school players.
Traumatic brain injuries have serious consequences for professional football players. According to the Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and post-traumatic brain syndrome are two types of concussions. Symptoms include persistent pain, memory loss, and emotional distress. The plaintiffs’ attorneys should have access to trained expert witnesses to explain the implications of concussions in detail.
In 1994, the NFL established a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury committee to address the problems of football concussions. Despite the committee’s creation, critics have described it as a hollow gesture and a threat to players. In another lawsuit, the NFL and former players sued the NFL after discovering the association’s inaction in a report. They are also suing the NFL for negligence related to the NFL’s failure to disclose the dangers of concussions.
In another recent article in Sports Illustrated magazine, Arthur W. Hankin discussed the Onyshko et al. v. NCAA.
This lawsuit was the first of its kind in the country, but other lawsuits were dismissed or settled. In addition to the Onyshko et al. v. NCAA, the NFL has also been sued by former players. However, the NFL’s settlement with the plaintiffs’ lawyers in the case is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The NFL has settled a football concussion lawsuit worth an undisclosed amount. This lawsuit was filed by Joseph Chernach, a former Pop Warner player who played football for four years. In 2010, he committed suicide after being diagnosed with CTE. A year later, he was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and a lowered IQ. The NCAA’s settlement reflects the growing public’s concern over the issue.
