Federal Judge Gives Final Approval To NFL Concussion Settlement

A federal judge today gave final approval to a sweeping class action settlement of concussion claims brought against the NFL. The settlement is financially uncapped, though the league's liability has been estimated at close to $1B over the 65-year lifespan of the settlement. U.S. District Judge Anita Brody rejected opponents of the deal, especially the argument that because it would not compensate for CTE after her approval, it was unfair.

Brody in her opinion wrote the science of CTE was still early, and that “the association between repeated concussive trauma and long term neurocognitive impairment remains unclear.” Some 208 former NFLers, or less than 1% of the class, opted out of the settlement and can still bring individual claims against the NFL. Existing class members can also appeal Brody’s decision, which would then hold up the payouts until a final decision from the appeals court.