The NFL and the lawyers representing more than 4,000 former players struck a deal more than eight months ago to settle the concussion litigation. Judge Anita Brody has yet to give preliminary approval to the deal, which means that the time hasn’t yet come for retired players to challenge the settlement or to opt out of the deal.
Nevertheless, seven of them have filed paperwork opposing the settlement.
Via ESPN.com, Sean Morey, Alan Faneca (pictured), Ben Hamilton, Robert Royal, Rock Cartwright, Jeff Rohrer, and Sean Considine contend that they are suffering from the early symptoms of brain disease, and that the proposed settlement will not properly compensate them or other players who currently have serious brain-related diseases.
The proposed settlement pays benefits only to players with serious cognitive impairment. The seven players opposing the settlement contend that they suffer from noise sensitivity, visual impairments, chronic pain, depression, insomnia, memory loss, and other problems that may not rise to the level of severe cognitive impairment.
The development won’t do much to persuade Judge Brody to approve the settlement, which could send the parties back to the drawing board and/or set the stage for further litigation, with many weeks and months wasted.