Lawsuits Against The NFL

[ScriptOhio]

Ex-NFL players say in lawsuit league used painkillers to mask injuries

A lawsuit filed by retired National Football League players says that league illegally used painkillers to mask injuries, the Associated Press reports.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, says the NFL obtained and administered the drugs illegally without prescriptions and failed to warn players about potential side effects, all in order to expedite the return of injured players to the field and generate the highest possible profits.

Players say they weren’t informed about broken legs and ankles and were given pills to alleviate the pain instead.

The lawsuit names eight ex-players, including three members of the Super Bowl champion 1985 Chicago Bears: Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Dent, offensive lineman Keith Van Horne and quarterback Jim McMahon. Six of the eight players involved in this litigation also were plaintiffs in a previous concussion-related lawsuit. The other players in the lawsuit are Jeremy Newberry, Roy Green, Ron Stone and Ron Pritchard and J.D. Hill.

In the concussion suit, the NFL was sued by more than 4,500 former players who said that the league knew about the risks of head injuries and did nothing to inform the players.

Last August, the league agreed to a settlement totaling $760 million, but in January, Judge Anita Brody denied preliminary approval for NFL concussion settlement, saying she was not “satisfied that the Settlement has no obvious deficiencies, grants no preferential treatment to segments of the class, and falls within the range of possible approval.”

Entire article: http://tracking.si.com/2014/05/20/ex-nfl-players-league-used-painkillers-to-mask-injuries/?eref=sihp

 

[alexhortdog95]

I don't dare defend the NFL, but maybe, JUSSSSSST maybe, the NFL thinks that it might be a little bit of common sense that if you strap your head into a helmet made of plastic and steel - then basically ram that same head into a brick wall at 25 mph - you won't be the same ever again.

Funny thing is this - show me the player that has ever said, "I have all these injuries from my playing days and I regret every moment. If I had to do it over again, I'd have done something different."

 

[ScriptOhio]

Appeals court reinstates collusion case

As it turns out, Wednesday’s ruling from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office could be the least problematic litigation outcome for the NFL.

By far.

Per a league source, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has overturned a decision by Judge David Doty dismissing the NFLPA’s effort to claim collusion against the NFL made in the wake of the salary-cap penalties imposed on Dallas and Washington in 2012.

The case is now expected to proceed to the discovery process, which will force the NFL to disclose information about whether and to what extent teams were told to treat the uncapped year of 2010 under the prior labor deal as something other than, you know, an uncapped year.

That was the gist of the $46 million in cap penalties. Dallas and Washington were penalized for contracts in the uncapped year that nevertheless complied with the language of the CBA and that nevertheless were approved at the time by the NFL.

The league argued, and the supposedly player-friendly Judge Doty concluded, that it was too late for the players to argue collusion for things happening before the signing of the current labor deal because the agreement included a settlement of all legal claims that were or could have been made. The notoriously business-friendly Eighth Circuit reversed Judge Doty’s ruling.
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Entire article: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/20/appeals-court-reinstates-collusion-case/

 

[ScriptOhio]

NFL, concussion plaintiffs announce revised settlement

The NFL and the lead attorney for thousands of players suing the league over brain damage suffered on the field have agreed to a revised settlement that does not put a limit on the NFL’s monetary obligations, ensuring that money will be available to all retired players who qualify.

Judge Anita Brody rejected the first $765 million settlement because she was not convinced that the money would last long enough to satisfy all potential claims. Now the NFL is agreeing not to cap its contribution to the fund.

“Today’s agreement reaffirms the NFL’s commitment to provide help to those retired players and their families who are in need, and to do so without the delay, expense and emotional cost associated with protracted litigation. We are eager to move forward with the process of court approval and implementation of the settlement,” said NFL Senior Vice President Anastasia Danias in a statement released by the plaintiffs’ attorneys.

Entire article: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ssion-plaintiffs-announce-revised-settlement/