Cincinnati, OH: Several fraud class actions filed in federal courts against National Football League ("NFL") on behalf of former pro football players have been centralized in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania before the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, In Re: National Football League Players' Concussion Injury Litigation (the "Action"). Causes of action in filed complaints include negligence, fraud, fraudulent concealment, negligent misrepresentation, and conspiracy.
The Action alleges that the NFL and other defendants knew about the debilitating and permanent effects of head injuries and concussions that occur among professional players, yet they "intentionally and fraudulently misrepresented and/or concealed medical evidence about the short-and long-term risks regarding repetitive traumatic brain injury and concussions and failed to warn players that they risked permanent brain damage if they returned to play too soon after sustaining a concussion."
The Action also focuses on the use of the anti-inflammatory medication Toradol, allegedly used to reduce on-field pain that can mask symptoms of head injury while inducing greater cerebral bleeding, greatly increasing the risk of long-term brain damage.
Former professional NFL players who experienced head injuries during play and now suffer from symptoms including severe depression, memory loss, headaches, anxiety, dizziness, trouble with concentration, short attention span, and mood swings may have a claim against the NFL and other defendants.
