Judge: NFL concussion settlement offer may be too small

A federal judge denied preliminary approval of a $765 million settlement of NFL concussion claims, fearing it may not be enough to cover 20,000 retired players, the latest in an ongoing legal battle between former NFL athletes and the league over the extent of head injuries and whether protections in place are sufficient.

U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody asked for more financial analysis from the parties, a week after players' lawyers filed a detailed payout plan.

"I am primarily concerned that not all retired NFL football players who ultimately receive a qualifying diagnosis or their (families) ... will be paid," Brody wrote in a 12-page opinion issued Tuesday.

The proposed settlement, negotiated over several months, is designed to last at least 65 years.

The awards would vary based on an ex-player's age and diagnosis. A younger retiree with Lou Gehrig's disease would get $5 million, those with serious dementia cases would get $3 million and an 80-year-old with early dementia would get $25,000. Retirees without symptoms would get baseline screening, and follow-up care if needed.

Some critics have argued that the NFL, with more than $9 billion in annual revenues, was getting away lightly. But the players' lawyers said they will face huge challenges just to get the case to trial. They would have to prove the injuries were linked to the players' NFL service and should not be handled through league arbitration.

Sol Weiss, a lead lawyer for the ex-players, remained confident the class-action settlement will ultimately be approved.

"I am very confident that the (actuarial) people we used are right, and that there will be enough money to cover these claims for 65 years," Weiss said.

More than 4,500 former players have filed suit, some accusing the league of fraud for its handling of concussions. They include former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jim McMahon, who suffers from dementia.

Layn R. Phillips, a former federal judge from California hired by Brody to lead settlement negotiations, had called the deal fair.

The settlement would include $675 million for compensatory claims, for players with neurological symptoms; $75 million for baseline testing for asymptomatic men; and $10 million for medical research and education. The NFL also would pay an additional $112 million to the players' lawyers for their fees and expenses, for a total payout of nearly $900 million.

With the preliminary rejection in hand, the two sides could try to assure the judge the money will last or raise the fund amount to ease her concerns. They also could try to start over.

Brody is expected to hold a hearing sometime this year at which critics could challenge the settlement terms. She would then decide whether or not to grant final approval. Retirees could opt out of the settlement and sue the league individually, but there is no guarantee they would ever get to trial or see any money.

The players' lawyers filed a few hundred pages of documents and exhibits last week, but Brody asked for more analysis to bolster their claim that the money won't run out.

"Unfortunately, no such analyses were provided to me in support of the plaintiffs' motion. In the absence of additional supporting evidence, I have concerns about the fairness, reasonableness and adequacy of the settlement," Brody wrote.

The newest development is part of a broader trend scrutinizing the impact of head injuries in sports, as scientists discover more about the negative impact of full-contact athletics on the brain.

Part of that scrutiny has revolved around the case of former players, like Junior Seau, who may have committed suicide as a result of injuries suffered during their playing days.

And the evolving scientific consensus on head injuries has coincided with a number of additional legal battles beyond the outstanding $765 million NFL settlement.

In December, five former football players filed a lawsuit against the Kansas City Chiefs, claiming that the team’s management hid information and lied to players about the risks of head injuries.

While in November, 10 former National Hockey League (NHL) players said in a class-action lawsuit that the league hasn't done enough to protect players from concussions.

Al Jazeera and The Associated Press. With additional reporting by Tom Kutsch.