NFL Concussion Lawsuit Update - Opt-Out Deadline

    SECAUCUS, NJ, October 14, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Today marks the deadline for former NFL players suffering from concussion-related injuries to opt out of the proposed class settlement in the NFL concussion litigation to pursue individual lawsuits against the NFL. The NFL agreed to $765 million in settlement funds over 65 years, and more, if needed, to injured players and their families. These funds will cover nearly 20,000 former players.

Three NFL Lawsuit Settlement Classes Based on Player Diagnosis

The settlement is separated into three tiers, or settlement classes, based on the diagnosis the player has received:

a.) Retired players that have concussion-related symptoms such as depression, mood changes, sleep disorders, etc., who have not been diagnosed with clinical Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
b.) Retired players that have been given a diagnosis of Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease or ALS.
c.) Players who have died and received confirmation of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).

"Today is the final day for former players to decide whether they'd like to be a part of the settlement that the NFL has agreed to," said Jeff Kahn, managing partner at Atlas Legal Funding. "If former players do not opt-in, but still want to pursue a lawsuit against the NFL, they will need to pursue an individual lawsuit that's specific to their situation."

Next NFL Concussion Lawsuit Milestone: Fairness Hearing, November 19

If everything moves along as scheduled, U.S. District Judge Adrian B. Brody will oversee the fairness hearing set for November 19. This is a critical hearing where objections to the settlement will be entertained and Judge Brody will decide whether to approve the NFL settlement, or to send parties back to the negotiating table to come up with a solution to the objections.

If the settlement is approved on November 19th, it will move into the claims process and monetary compensation will be disbursed. It's important to note that there may be several months of waiting time until players receive compensation for their injuries.

Legal Funding Available Now

If you or a family member is in involved in the NFL concussion lawsuit and is suffering from an NFL-related injury, Atlas Legal Funding provides no-risk legal funding to families that have immediate needs; funding can be received in as little as 48 hours. If you are a member of the settling class, and are in need of your funds right away, request a no-risk, low interest advance, or contact us to speak with one of our staff members about your options at 1-877-635-4037.

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