Judge reminding NFL retirees of concussion settlement
PHILADELPHIA — A federal judge on Wednesday urged NFL retirees to register for a concussion settlement that could cost the league $1 billion over 65 years.
About 22,000 retirees are encouraged to get baseline neurological testing. The league expects more than 6,000 of them to eventually be diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
The deal approved by Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody resolves thousands of lawsuits that accused the NFL of hiding what it knew about the risks of repeated concussions in order to return players to the field.
At a hearing Wednesday in Philadelphia, lawyers reminded participants they must register for the settlement by Aug. 7, which could make then eligible for treatment and damage awards.