NFL Lawsuit Settlement Delayed Due to Appeals

    SECAUCUS, NJ, July 28, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Atlas Legal Funding, today announced that the NFL lawsuit settlement is on hold, pending appeal of the settlement reached between the NFL and the Class Counsel for the NFL retired players. Many were under the impression that the legal work on this case was finished when the Court granted Final Approval of the settlement on April 22, 2015. However, with the Final Approval, retired NFL players and their attorneys were given 30 days to appeal the Court's decision. Due to the appeals that were filed thereafter, the entire settlement is now on hold until the appeals are heard and resolved by the US Court of appeals for the Third Circuit.

Expedited Briefing Motion Denied; Appellate Process Will Take Months, Perhaps Years

The appellate process can take anywhere from eight months to several years, depending on the court calendar and what happens at the hearings. There was an attempt to have the appeal fast-tracked to speed the process up, but the motion for an expedited briefing schedule was denied by the Court in June.

The Court ordered that all Appellants file their briefs no later than August 15, for Class Plaintiff Appellees and NFL parties no later than September 15 and that Appellants file their response briefs no later than September 30 of 2015. As it currently stands, the settlement cannot become effective unless, and until, the Appeals are ruled on and resolved in favor of the current settlement agreement.

Delay of Settlement Source of Frustration for Former Players

This delay, after years of litigation and settlement discussions, has many retired NFL players frustrated since they will now have to wait longer for compensation. If no appeals had been filed, the claims disbursement process would have started as soon as the end of summer 2015.

"We are extremely disappointed and perplexed that an objector would file a notice to appeal the Court's final order, even though this decision means thousands of retired NFL players suffering from devastating neurocognitive injuries, and those concerned about their future, will now be forced to wait many months for the immediate care and support they deserve," said Christopher Seeger and Sol Weiss, co-lead counsel for retired NFL player plaintiffs.

Many Retired NFL Players Currently Suffering; Settlement Funding is Available Now

To qualify for monetary compensation, a retired player must have a diagnosis of dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS or CTE. Settlement values range from $25,000 to $5 million, depending on the age the player was diagnosed, what their diagnosis is and how long they played in the NFL.

"Many retired NFL players, due to their neurological diagnosis and problems, are currently suffering from the effects of the concussions and have trouble supporting themselves and their families," said Jeremy Fink, Esq., chief operating officer of Atlas Legal Funding. "These players have been waiting for and counting on the money they are expected to receive from the NFL Concussion settlement to take care of their financial needs."

Atlas Has Provided Funding to Dozens of Retired NFL Players

Some retired NFL players have found a bit of financial relief while they wait for their settlement funds by receiving non-recourse cash advances, also known as legal funding, on their potential settlement funds. Legal funding is not a loan; we will work with your lawyer to get you an advance on your legal funds. Plaintiffs involved in the NFL lawsuit settlement will not be required to pay any funds back that are advanced to them.

Atlas Legal Funding, www.AtlasLegalFunding.com, has been following the NFL Concussion lawsuit closely and has provided advances to dozens of retired NFL players while they wait for the legal process to run its course.

If you or a family member is involved in the NFL Concussion lawsuit and need money now while the legal process runs its course, contact Atlas Legal Funding to find out more about an advance on your NFL Concussion claim. You can get in touch with us by clicking here to fill out a form on our website, or by calling us toll-free at 1-877-635-4037 to speak with an Atlas representative.

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