Proposed Settlement Announced in NFL Concussion Litigation

PHILADELPHIA – Anapol Schwartz proudly announces a proposed settlement of the Concussion Class Action Lawsuit with the National Football League (NFL) on behalf of retired players and their families. Under the agreement, the League will contribute $765 million to provide immediate medical help and support to retired players in addition to funding new safety and research programs.

The agreement, which will need to be approved by the Court, is a victory for more than 18,000 former players who will now receive the care and security they urgently need. The subsequent research and programs funded by the settlement will also make football a safer sport by protecting and preventing future players from suffering the same fate.

“We are extremely pleased of the settlement outcome,” said attorney Larry Coben. “The retired players and their families who made football what it is today deserve the financial support this settlement provides. Their determination and patience to pursue a fair resolution of this litigation is the reason it happened.”

When the first federal lawsuit was filed by Coben and Sol Weiss of the Anapol Schwartz law firm, many former players were suffering from devastating neurological injuries such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease and severe cognitive impairment. Their futures were uncertain, and they were concerned for the well-being of future generations of NFL players.

This agreement provides immediate compensation to severely injured retired players that need help today, and provides baseline assessments and medical benefits to those who are symptom-free or beginning to show signs of neurocognitive deficit.

The settlement is projected to protect former players for nearly 60 years. Retired players who suffer severe neurological conditions in the future will also be eligible to apply for medical support. An additional $10 million will be devoted to brain injury research and player safety and education programs.

This case has always been about providing security and care to retired players and their families, with the goal to achieve these benefits as quickly as possible. The NFL expressed a genuine desire to help its former players, so this announcement comes today rather than years after the litigation.

About Anapol Schwartz

Anapol Schwartz is a national leader in product liability and pharmaceutical litigation, having successfully litigated thousands of cases in state and federal courts during the last 36 years. The firm has obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in successful verdicts, settlements and judgments on behalf of its clients.