Category: Class Action Litigation

Class action litigation involves multiple people who received the same or similar injuries caused by the same product or action. They seek justice as a group and sue the defendant for damages resulting from negligence. By proceeding as a group, the value of their claims increases, and the litigation process is more efficient as opposed to filing a claim for each individual. The experienced lawyers of Raizner Slania have filed class actions lawsuits on the behalf of numerous clients.


NCAA Concussion Lawsuits

Raizner Law Files Hundreds of Additional NCAA Concussion Lawsuits

Posted by Jeff Raizner on

Raizner Law has recently filed over two hundred additional lawsuits on behalf of former collegiate football players against the National Collegiate Athletic Association or NCAA. Players allege the NCAA did not educate them about the long-term effects of concussions sustained during play and failed to implement safety protocols that could have lessened the effects.

The lawsuits were filed in the Southern District of Indiana, where over 100 lawsuits have already been filed. Many of the plaintiffs involved haven’t been on the football field in years, but the effects of their time playing for universities continue to affect their lives. When a person sustains a concussive or sub-concussive hit, brain cells die. Anytime a brain cell dies, it releases a protein called a Tau protein (or T-protein) that can cause further cell death. Repeated impacts to the head cause a build up of T-proteins in the brain, which continue to destroy brain cells as the individual begins to suffer neurological impairment.

Unfortunately, there is no way to stop or slow down this process. The damage caused by repeated football concussions can lead to a wide variety of neurological conditions, like Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Parkinson’s, and ALS, among others. While these conditions develop over time, many former football players report experiencing anxiety, depression, mood swings, concentration problems, and poor memory just years after they’ve left the game.

Research on the effects of repeated concussions began in the 1920s with boxers who would suffer from “punch drunk syndrome.” Throughout the twentieth century, advances in medicine have helped physicians understand exactly what goes inside the head during and after a concussion. Unfortunately, medicine has not advanced far enough to completely and successfully treat neurological conditions caused by repeated concussions.

The NCAA is charged with overseeing and protecting the health and well being of over 300,000 student athletes. For years, the NCAA chose profits over players by failing to implement concussion protocols to protect college footballers. The NCAA has no right to make millions in profits each year off of college athletes who are sustaining permanent health damage.

Get Help With Your NCAA Concussion Lawsuit

Raizner Law is proud to help former collegiate athletes hold the NCAA responsible for their recklessness. Get help with your NCAA concussion lawsuit today by contacting us for a free consultation.

Concussion Lawsuit

Former Cornerback Files Concussion Lawsuit Against the NCAA

Posted by Jeff Raizner on

Raizner Law has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a former Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) football player against the National Collegiate Athletic Association for allegedly failing to protect him from the long-term effects of concussions. Our plaintiff played as a cornerback in 1999, but continues to suffer from neurological impairments to this day.

Since the inception of WPI’s football program through at least 2010, there were no adequate concussion management protocols or policies in place to address and treat concussions sustained by student athletes during practice and in games. When our client experienced a significant head injury or concussion, he would be quickly returned to the field of play or only be taken out of the game for an inadequate amount of time. During his time playing college football for WPI, our client sustained many impacts to the head. As a result, he currently suffers from depression, memory loss, and suicidal thoughts, among other mental issues.

Although the NCAA knew about the long-term effects of concussions, they kept the public and players in the dark and continued to profit off of college football players. Raizner Law is seeking compensation on our client’s behalf to cover the cost of past and future medical expenses, other out of pocket expenses, lost time and interest, and lost future earnings. While no amount of money can reverse the brain damage our client has suffered, it will help hold the NCAA accountable for its actions.

Thousands of Players Affected

Evidence linking concussions to long-term neurological impairment has existed for decades. Despite being charged with safeguarding the wellbeing of its student athletes, the NCAA did nothing to educate or protect college football players from the dangerous and lasting side effects of being hit while playing football. There have been thousands of collegiate football players over the past few decades, and according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 91% of former collegiate football players were diagnosed post-mortem with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE. CTE is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated impacts to the head.

Learn Your Rights Today

Former collegiate football players do not have to suffer in silence. Raizner Law is representing dozens of former NCAA football players and we can help you too. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys.

NCAA College Football

Childhood Concussions See Increase In Diagnosis and Treatment

Posted by Jeff Raizner on

Many boys grew up playing football, and the public is becoming aware of the dangers of the sport due to repeated impacts to the head. Although the link between football and the long term effects of concussions has long since been known to the medical community and sports organizers, the information hasn’t reach the wider public until recent years. Parents and coaches now have a much better understanding of concussions, and as a result, the number of childhood concussions has finally started to decrease.

According to data collected from Blue Cross Blue Shield Axis, the largest collection of health insurance claims data, the rate of concussion diagnoses is rapidly increasing. This suggests the public is finally aware of and understanding the dangers of head trauma sustained during play. Between 2010 and 2015, concussion diagnoses in patients between the ages 10 and 19 increased 71%. Additionally, the data indicated young males were significantly more likely to receive a diagnosis in the fall. The reason? Football season happens in the fall.

There is no doubt that the increased awareness of the dangers of concussions has changed the way people think of contact sports. Unfortunately, this change in thinking has come far too late for thousands of former football players now suffering from the long term effects of concussions.

Organizations like the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) have known for decades that repeated hits to the head could cause degenerative neurological conditions later in life. Despite knowing this, the NCAA concealed the dangers from players and failed to implement concussion protocols that could have lessened the damage to players. For decades, when players received sub-concussive or concussive hits, they were told to “shake it off,” but the dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s (among other conditions) that they developed later in life as a result can’t be “shaken off” as easily.

Getting Justice For Former NCAA College Football Players

The NCAA had a responsibility to protect players’ health and wellbeing. They decided to put profits above this responsibility, much to the detriment of student athletes across the country. If you played football for an NCAA regulated team and suffered injuries, you have legal options. The experienced trial lawyers at Raizner Law are representing many former football players in lawsuits against the NCAA. We offer free consultations and can explain your legal options. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

concussions

NFL Sees Fewer Concussions In 2018, But The Damage Is Already Done

Posted by Jeff Raizner on

Concussions have been plaguing the sport of football for decades. The concussive and sub-concussive hits sustained during play have given players long-term neurological conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s, among many others. It took years for the NFL to implement concussion management protocols that could lessen the effects of concussions, but once the league did so, the number of concussions finally decreased. Unfortunately, these concussion protocols come too late for hundreds of former athletes.

The NFL reported a 24% decrease in concussions in the 2018 season versus the previous year. In 2017, the league reported 281 concussions, but that number was reduced to 214 in 2018. On average, an NFL team could expect one concussion out of every four games. While this will certainly help mitigate the long-term effects of concussions for current football players, it comes far too late for many.

In 2017, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association led by researchers from Boston University and the VA Boston Healthcare System found 99% of former NFL football players had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE. CTE is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated impacts to the head. The study was the largest to investigate the link between brain trauma sustained as the result of playing football and CTE, with researchers examining at the brains of over 202 deceased football players.

NFL players aren’t the only athletes suffering from the long-term effects of concussions, however. The study also looked at the brains of former college football players and determined 91% had CTE. Collegiate football players later diagnosed with CTE and other sports related concussion injuries don’t receive the compensation that professional players do, which means when they begin to suffer serious side effects from concussions, many don’t have the financial means to receive the same level of care as their professional counterparts.

While there is currently no cure for brain damage caused by repeated impacts to the head, former collegiate football players can hold the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) responsible for failing to implement proper concussion mitigation protocols. Raizner Law is currently representing former NCAA football players in a lawsuit against the NCAA, certain universities, and athletic conferences for putting profits before players.

Contact Raizner Law Today For Help

Our experienced trial attorneys provide free consultations to former NCAA college football players. We can explain your legal options and pursue compensation on your behalf. If you choose to work with us, there is no upfront cost and you won’t owe us anything unless we help you recover financial compensation. Call us today to schedule an appointment.

Concussion Lawsuit Attorney

How Insurance Changes Could Alter The Sport Of Football

Posted by Jeff Raizner on

For years, organizations such as the National Football League (NFL) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) have been subject to lawsuits filed by players as a result of concussion injuries sustained during play. For decades, studies have linked the concussive and sub-concussive hits sustained while playing football to long-term injuries. The NCAA and NFL concussion lawsuits seek to hold the organizations responsible for not taking proper precautions and failing to warn players. The lawsuits are also affecting the insurance market; and, recent changes could dramatically impact the prevalence of the sport.

According to multiple sources, the NFL no longer has general liability insurance that covers head trauma. Additionally, there is only one insurance company willing to provide workers compensation coverage for the NFL. But the scarcity of insurance isn’t just hurting teams. Football helmet manufacturers are also struggling to find insurance companies that will issue policies without exclusions for brain injuries.

Jon Butler, the executive director of Pop Warner Little Scholars has said, “People say football will never go away, but if we can’t get insurance, it will.” Pop Warner is a non-profit organization that provides afterschool football programs to kids from five to sixteen years old. Dr. Julian Bailes, Pop Warner’s medical director and a member of the NFL’s Head, Neck, and Spine Committee, also warned, “insurance coverage is arguably the biggest threat to the sport.”

How Does Insurance Affect Football?

Like any endeavor that involves risk, organized sports need insurance. Injuries are highly likely, if not a large part of the game, so organizations need insurance to cover the cost of lawsuits that arise out of injuries sustained during play. With hundreds of lawsuits filed around the country against the NFL, the NCAA, and other sports organizations, offering insurance policies just isn’t worth the risk anymore. This means the organizations themselves would be on the hook for damages awarded in any lawsuits, but they are unable to cover those costs themselves. Without insurance policies available, some sports organizations have had to stop offering football.

Lawsuits against football teams and organizations are arising because these organizations were responsible for the health and wellbeing of their players. Football players were not warned that the hits they sustained during play could cause them to develop dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s, among other neurological conditions. For years, instead of implementing concussion protocols that could have protected players, these organizations told players to “shake it off,” an action that has now cost players dearly.

Concussion Lawsuit Attorney

The experienced trial lawyers at Raizner Law are representing former college football players in concussion lawsuits against the NCAA. If you or someone you love played for an NCAA regulated football team prior to 2010, you may be able to file a lawsuit to hold the NCAA accountable. Contact us today to learn your legal options.

Effects of Concussions

Former University of Iowa Football Player Describes Degenerative Effects of Concussions

Posted by Jeff Raizner on

Football has been one of America’s favorite sports for decades. Many young boys have eagerly played the game with hopes of playing at the collegiate or professional level. Unfortunately, players are now learning the concussions they sustained during play lead to long-term health consequences. Hundreds of former collegiate football players are suing the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for failing to protect them from concussions while playing. One such player is Marc Mazzeri who is a former University of Iowa football player.

Mr. Mazzeri played for the University of Iowa in the 1980s as a receiver and as a special teams “gunner.” Gunners are responsible for tackling the opposing team’s punter, which made it a particularly violent position. Mr. Mazzeri suffered many instances of “seeing stars,” and regularly received headaches from playing football but continued to play for fear of losing his spot on the practice squad. Mr. Mazzeri specifically remembers blacking out several times after hard hits he received in games. In these instances, he couldn’t remember what happened later, and in one instance, he woke up with vertigo and was unable to look up. While Mr. Mazzeri did see a neurologist for his symptoms, he still played for the university the following week.

When Mr. Mazzeri graduated in 1988, the damage was already done. His behavior had changed. He was often aggressive and irritable and suffered from pain in his neck, head, and shoulders. After years working in executive security, Mr. Mazzeri’s once impeccable memory was fading. A neurologist eventually tested him because the doctor believed his memory loss was consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

CTE is a degenerative neurological condition similar to dementia that has been associated with football players. Concussions sustained while playing football cause brain cells to die. When a brain cell dies, it releases a protein that can cause further cell death. This protein can build up and eventually lead to enough cell death to cause serious neurological impairment. Unfortunately, there is no way to stop the development of CTE.

The NCAA is responsible for safeguarding the health and wellbeing of student athletes. Even though the NCAA has known for decades that the concussions sustained while playing football can cause long-term damage, the organization failed to warn players or implement any concussion protocols to mitigate the effects until 2010. The NCAA had no right to profit off of collegiate football players at the expensive of their health.

Raizner Law Is Representing Former Collegiate Football Players

If you are a former collegiate football player, Raizner law can explain your legal options and hold the NCAA accountable for the injuries you suffered. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.