More current and former players have filed lawsuits against the NFL for purportedly negligent and fraudulent actions regarding the research, handling, and treatment of concussions, according to CBS News. Lawsuits of this nature have already been filed in New Jersey, New York, Georgia, and Florida. The players and former players allege that repeated concussions caused them to have current memory loss, depression, and even degenerative brain disease. The NFL is attempting to have the lawsuits both consolidated and then dismissed, arguing that the players are barred from suing the league under their collective bargaining agreement.
The lawsuit, filed in Philadelphia, stated that “rather than warn players that they risked permanent brain injury if they returned to play too soon after sustaining a concussion, the NFL actively deceived players, by misrepresenting to them that concussions did not present serious, life-altering risks.” The league has fought back, claiming that “the NFL has long made player safety a priority and continues to take steps to protect players and to advance the science and medical understanding of the management and treatment of concussions. The NFL has never misled players with respect to the risks associated with playing football.”
Brain injuries sustained while playing sports are a very serious problem in the United States. Estimates by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other organizations hypothesize that between 1.5 and 3.8 million people suffer a sports-related traumatic brain injury each year. Research has shown that concussions and other relatively minor injuries can lead to far more serious problems like depression, decreased mental capabilities, loss of memory, degenerative brain disease, sleeplessness, post-concussion syndrome, persistent headaches, second-impact syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, and many other devastating injuries.
Traumatic brain injuries can prove to be extremely debilitating for victims, rendering them unable to work, play, and function as they previously could. As a result, individuals who sustain brain injuries due to the fault or negligence of another may be able to pursue legal recourse. If you or a loved one has sustained a brain injury, contact a dedicated brain injury attorney to see if you may be entitled to seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and the loss of future earning capacity. Contact us today.
comments