A settlement the NFL reached to resolve thousands of lawsuits from former players accusing the league of hiding information about the risks of repeated concussions took effect in January of 2017.
Under the terms of the settlement — which awards players who develop Lou Gehrig’s disease, dementia or other neurological problems caused by concussions from their pro careers as much as $5 million — the NFL believed it would be paying out about $400 million over the first decade.
Well, it’s a good thing the league has deep pockets. According to one of the firms that repped the plaintiffs in the concussion litigation, the settlement fund distributed more than $500 million in only 16 months.
Given that amount, the total settlement payouts are expected to reach as much as $1.4 billion — almost a half billion more than the NFL first estimated.
“The fact that $500 million in claims have been approved in less than two years proves that this settlement is fulfilling its promise to former NFL players and their families,” said co-lead class counsel for the former NFL players Christopher Seeger. “We will continue to hold the NFL accountable and ensure every former player receives the benefits they deserve.”
About 2,000 claims have been filed in less than two years and many more are expected.
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