Three years after the NFL and a group of over 1,000 former players agreed to a settlement in a class action lawsuit regarding concussions, the settlement still won’t be finalized after action taken today.
Contrary to earlier reports, the Estate of Cookie Gilchrist, who played six AFL seasons prior to the merger, filed a petition just before the deadline that attacks certain scientific aspects that underpin the settlement.
Gilchrist’s son Scott called it “irrational” that the federal judge from Philadelphia who presided over the settlement excluded future potential CTE payouts from the $1 billion settlement as science continues to evolve on the issue. Other members of the class action suit have gained more time to appeal the ruling as well.
With the petition, the settlement now gets sent to the US Supreme Court.
“While we are pleased several appellants have decided against petitioning the US Supreme Court, it is clear the few lawyers still objecting to this settlement have motives other than what is in the best interest of the retired NFL player community,” said Christopher Seeger, a lawyer for the majority of players who agreed to the settlement.
“We hope the court will reject this appeal and affirm the settlement so former players can finally receive the care and support they urgently need.”
Alan Faneca spoke to the New York Post earlier today, and when he said that the issue was dropped, apparently he was referring to only his case.
Now it’s up to the Supreme Court to decide what they want to do next with the settlement, as they can hear the case or send it back down to lower courts to be adjudicated on once again.
[ESPN/ProFootballTalk/New York Post]
