BIAA Calls on NFL to Release Details of TBI Settlement with Players
Vienna, VA (PRWEB) December 02, 2013 -- The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) released a statement today calling the National Football League (NFL) settlement with players a “bandaid for traumatic brain injury (TBI).” Questioning the fairness of “secret settlements,” BIAA is calling on the NFL to release the details of the settlement.
Over the past few years, the issues of TBI and concussion have permeated the NFL as well as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). These institutions are a multi-billion dollar consortium of owners, athletic directors, and university presidents who are desperate to preserve their never-ending income at the expense of their greatest assets: the players.
Brain injury statistics are sobering. More than 2.4 million Americans suffer brain injuries each year, resulting in a cost to society of more than $76 billion per year. Brain injury can affect anyone, anytime, and anywhere, including on the playing field.
In a series of lawsuits filed against the NFL, NCAA, and football helmet manufacturer Riddell, players allege that the institutions that make so much money from the sports were or should have been aware of the inherent dangers of TBI, multiple concussions, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
In July, the NFL launched an aggressive publicity campaign touting a "revolutionary" payout of a record $765 million to settle a suit brought on behalf of former pro football players. The pool of potential beneficiaries consists of 4,500 players, however many of those players will not qualify for compensation or will realize no financial benefit as a result of the settlement.
BIAA believes that, at a minimum, the NFL should provide a copy of the settlement agreement to the players who were injured and to the media in order to ensure transparency. To date, the NFL and player representatives have negotiated in back rooms. They have failed to provide the details of the proposed settlement and to divulge whether it is in the interest of a vast majority of players who may qualify for compensation under the terms of the agreement.
The full statement can be found on BIAA’s website at http://www.biausa.org/NFL.
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The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) is the country’s oldest and largest nationwide brain injury advocacy organization. Our mission is to advance brain injury prevention, research, treatment, and education, and to improve the quality of life for all individuals impacted by brain injury. Through advocacy, we bring help, hope, and healing to millions of individuals living with brain injury, their families and the professionals who serve them.
Rob Traister, Brain Injury Association of America, +1 (703) 761-0750 Ext: 628, [email protected]
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