NFL $1B Concussion Settlement Begins

During the first three days of registration, over 3,000 NFL retirees signed up as a part of the $1 billion concussion settlement.

U.S. District Judge Anita Brody, a Federal judge overseeing the case, spoke from the National Constitution Center and addressed players watching a live streaming broadcast. She urged the up to 20,000 former NFL players to register their claim before the August 7, 2017 deadline.

Approved by Judge Brody in 2015, the payout addresses lawsuits purporting that the NFL hid knowledge of the long-term health repercussions to players of repeated concussions.

There is no official cap on the total amount of money that the NFL may pay out over the next 65 years, although it has been estimated that the total could reach $1 billion or even more.

Maximum awards of $5 miliion dollars are resticted to the sickest players. Auditirs believe that 6,000 or more retirees could qualify to collect payments of $190,000 for dementia, Alzheimers disease, and other related conditions.

Some health professionals are concerned that the settlement may not provide enough aid to those suffering from less obvious conditions including mood disorders and depression. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is one of the common results of repeated concussions with far-reaching health implications. That damage, too, may be undercompensated.

Terms of the settlement provide compensation to retired players on a sliding scale. Factors include age and seasons played. Also considered will be whether post-career injuries have contributed to the resulting injury diagnosis.

Fewer than 160 eligible players have to-date opted out of the settlement agreement and pursue individual lawsuits against the NFL.