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Summary: A Philadelphia appeals court upheld a decision for the NFL to compensate former players for concussion-related injuries.
The NFL got hit hard on Monday when an appeals court affirmed that they would have to compensate retired players for concussion-related injuries. According to The New York Times, the settlement states that the National Football League may have to pay up to $5 million per player for hiding the dangers of repeated head trauma during the sport. Individual payments are based on factors such as how long a player was in the league and the severity of his injuries.
The three Philadelphia appellate judges who ruled on Monday said that this deal was for the greater good of all players.
“This settlement will provide nearly $1 billion in value to the class of retired players. It is a testament to the players, researchers and advocates who have worked to expose the true human costs of a sport so many love. Though not perfect, it is fair,” the court said.
Nearly three years ago, hundreds of individual concussion cases against the NFL were consolidated, and almost a year ago, United States District Court judge Anita B. Brody of Philadelphia approved the settlement. The case then went on to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The appellants, players who wanted terms of the settlement changed, can still take their case to the Supreme Court; but legal experts say the settlement would still most likely stand as is, citing the overwhelming majority of support for the deal at the Third Circuit.
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Michael Kaplen, a plaintiffs lawyer and critic of the settlement said,“They don’t care that large numbers of players weren’t compensated, only that this was the best deal that their lawyers could make.”
More than 98 percent of retired players approved of the settlement when it was first presented in 2013. In the deal, the NFL included all retired players, not just the 5,000 who sued, and they admitted to no fault.
The New York Times writes, “The emphatic decision by the appeals court on Monday moves the NFL a step closer to ending one of its most contentious, embarrassing and expensive legal challenges.”
The lawyers for the retired players has also asked the NFL to pay their fees, totally to $112 million.
Source: New York Times
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