June 15, 2021
A federal magistrate judge overseeing mediation between the NFL, concussion class counsel Chris Seeger of Seeger Weiss LLP and former player attorneys from Zuckerman Spaeder LLP to end the controversial use of race-based norms in cognitive testing in the NFL concussion settlement said in an update on the status of those talks that the parties could agree on a new testing program "before summer's end."
June 03, 2021
The federal judge in Pennsylvania overseeing the NFL concussion settlement is allowing two former players and their attorneys from Zuckerman Spaeder LLP who alleged the settlement discriminates against Black former players to join court-ordered talks between the NFL and concussion class counsel over race-based norms used in cognitive testing.
June 02, 2021
The NFL said Wednesday it will push to end the use of "race-norming," which assumes Black former players start with lower baseline cognitive test scores, in assessing claims for payouts from the more than $1 billion concussion settlement amid allegations that it is discriminatory.
April 08, 2021
The Pennsylvania federal judge overseeing the NFL concussion settlement Thursday told a pair of former Pittsburgh Steelers players who alleged the "race-norming" settlement process discriminates against Black players that she is awaiting a report from mediation between the NFL and class counsel Seeger Weiss LLP before allowing them to intervene.
March 22, 2021
Seeger Weiss LLP on Monday tore into a pair of former Pittsburgh Steelers players' request to intervene in mediation between the National Football League and a settlement class of players over "race-norming" allegations in the landmark concussion settlement, telling the Pennsylvania federal court that the intervention bid is "based on a web of distortions."
March 15, 2021
Two former Pittsburgh Steelers who filed a recently dismissed discrimination suit alleging the use of "race norming" in cognitive tests for NFL concussion settlement payouts are seeking to intervene in related proceedings, arguing class counsel for that case, Seeger Weiss LLP, cannot adequately represent their concerns.
March 08, 2021
The Pennsylvania federal judge overseeing the NFL concussion settlement on Monday tossed a discrimination lawsuit that claimed the use of "race norming" to adjust cognitive tests of Black former players seeking concussion settlement awards made it more difficult for those players to qualify for payouts, but ordered the NFL and counsel for the concussion settlement class members to address those concerns.
January 27, 2021
The NFL concussion settlement has approved $819 million in claims and paid out $760 million as of the beginning of 2021, the settlement claims administrator told the Pennsylvania court overseeing the settlement administration in a status report this month.
January 14, 2021
Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Billy Ray Smith Jr. was ordered Thursday to pay a portion of his $1.8 million award to both his current and former counsel for their work in representing him in an ongoing concussion class action against the NFL.
December 07, 2020
Former Dallas Cowboys safety Michael Downs has been ordered to pay some of his more than $500,000 award to his former attorneys, Langfitt Garner PLLC, for representing him in an ongoing concussion class action against the NFL.