New Jersey’s Atlas Legal Funding, a company that provides funding to personal injury plaintiffs and victims, recently announced that it will provide pre- and post-lawsuit settlement advances to injured former National Football League (NFL) players who participated as plaintiffs in one of the lawsuits against the organization. The advances came after a federal judge gave preliminary approval in a settlement agreement between the NFL and many of its former players. 

More than 4,500 former pros have filed lawsuits against the NFL, seeking compensation for the lasting effects of concussion-related injuries they suffered during their careers. Most notably, former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon and Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett have filed suits over health complications from head injuries.

The settlement is being called a landmark decision. Consider the following details:

• Attorneys representing the NFL players say the compensation awarded will benefit former players and their families who are currently suffering or have fear that they may develop health problems in the future.
• Many retired NFL players are struggling, both financially and physically, to cope with their concussion-related conditions and have trouble earning incomes sufficient to meet their everyday needs.
• This is the second attempt at a settlement agreement between former players and the NFL, made possible when the organization agreed to relinquish its $675 million cap on damages after a judge found the initial proposed amount insufficient.

The ruling finds the NFL negligent for its role in players’ repeated head injuries and its failure to require adequate time for healing after a concussion. If you were injured recently in New Jersey and believe another party’s negligent error or oversight played a role, you, too, may be entitled to compensation. Consult a qualified attorney for help filing a personal injury claim or taking other appropriate legal action.