NFL Head Trauma Litigation - Types of Injuries

One might think that the National Football League (NFL) would do everything within its power to protect the players who have made football Americas most popular sport. After all, these players are among the hardest-working, highest-profile athletes in the nation, watched by millions of fans over the course of the football season. Football is a contact sport and is therefore inherently dangerous; however, measures can and should be taken to help protect players from severe head injuries – measures that, many believe, the NFL has failed to take.

The Pennsylvania and New Jersey personal injury attorneys of the Locks Law Firm are among the first lawyers to pursue legal action against the NFL on behalf of players, having filed both class-action and individual lawsuits. The NFL has been negligent in its obligation to players; the league has concealed vital information regarding the connection between repetitive traumatic brain injury and latent brain disease. Hundreds of players have joined actions against the NFL, bringing the problem at last to the attention of the media and fans.

Our Pennsylvania and New Jersey football brain injury lawyers are eager to fight for justice on behalf of injured football players and their families. If you or a member of your family suffered a brain injury while playing in the NFL, we invite you to contact the Locks Law Firm today for further information about your legal rights and options.

Common NFL Head Injuries

Professional football players are at risk for a variety of head injuries, both short- and long-term. Among the most common NFL head injuries are:

- Concussion: A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that occurs when the brain is jarred or shaken by a sudden impact to the skull. In isolation, most concussions are not dangerous and do not produce lasting effects. However, repeated concussions can lead to impairment of basic functions such as speaking, moving, and retaining and processing information. There is evidence that repeated concussions may lead to permanent brain disease.

- Dementia: Multiple studies have demonstrated a connection between traumatic brain injury and dementia; in fact, a recent study of 300,000 war veterans showed that those who had suffered traumatic brain injury were twice as likely to develop dementia as those who had never suffered such an injury.

- Alzheimers Disease: Some researchers have likewise suggested a link between repetitive traumatic brain injury and the development of Alzheimers Disease later in life. Alzheimers Disease is a form of dementia that gets worse over time, affecting memory, perception, and personality.

- Wrongful Death: Autopsies of players who died prematurely – such as Mike Webster, Terry Long, Andre Waters, Justin Strzelczyk, and Chris Henry – revealed brain damage. Dave Duerson, Ray Easterling, and Junior Seau all recently committed suicide, with brain damage cited as a probable contributor to their decisions.

The NFL must be called to answer for the suffering of these players and their families. According to a 2006 report in the St. Petersburg Times, an NFL player’s life expectancy decreases by three years per season; with the average male living to 75 years of age, that puts the life expectancy for a professional football player who plays for at least five seasons at 60 years old. Simply stated, our Pennsylvania and New Jersey brain injury attorneys believe that this is intolerable.