Former players file another concussion suit against NFL
Yet another lawsuit has been filed in Philadelphia by retired pro football players against the National Football League. Nearly 200 former players are now involved in lawsuits against the league over brain injuries.
The latest suit alleges the NFL hid evidence linking concussions to permanent brain injuries. It joins at least 10 other similar suits filed across the country.
Attorney Larry Coben filed the first of these federal concussion suits in Philadelphia last year.
“They’ve all basically followed our approach to the lawsuit in terms of the claims,” said Coben. “They pretty much mirror each other.”
Coben plans to file additional lawsuits this week on behalf of deceased players believed to have died from ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“Turns out, they didn’t have ALS,” said Coben. “Their families donated their organs, including their brains, to the Boston University medical college. Analysis shows they suffered from what’s called CTE.”
That’s chronic traumatic encephalopathy — a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain found in athletes with a history of repetitive brain trauma.
On Thursday, a judicial panel will meet to consider consolidating all of the lawsuits into one that would be argued in Philadelphia.
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