NFL Concussion Case: Lawyers Blast Settlement For Not Covering CTE

Lawyers for retirees objecting to the preliminary settlement of concussion claims against the NFL blasted the deal today in federal court for not covering CTE. Counsel for the deal said it covers symptoms of the disease. Steven Molo, who is repping players opposed to the settlement, argued “compensation for dementia does not equal compensation for CTE,” and asked Judge Anita Brody to reject the deal. Thomas Demetrio, who represents the estate of Dave Duerson, said, "Say what they will, CTE is real … and there are 20,000 potential people who suffer from it."

There are more than 22,000 potential class members. CTE, thought to be linked to blows to the head, can currently only be diagnosed postmortem. The settlement would cover those who died of the disease before July 7.