Concussion Plaintiffs Seek Class Action Certification in Person in Suit Against NCAA

Few things could be more thrilling in a college student’s life than playing a college-level sport. The respect of peers, the fun of the game, and the never ending team spirit are the makings of classic American college-level sports players. One thing stands in the way of many professional sports hopefuls, however-traumatic sports injuries. When college-level sports result in massive head injuries, the results for the team, the player, and the sport, are not good.

The proliferation of serious head injuries in college sports has recently spurred action in federal court. According to Mercurynews.com, attorneys for several former athletes have brought suit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) over player safety in the competitive world of college-level sports. The original suit was brought two years ago in a Chicago U.S. District Court, on behalf of a number of former college athletes, including Adrian Arrington, a former football player for Eastern Illinois. Mr. Arrington claimed in his original complaint that lack of safety measures and enforcement on the part of the NCAA caused him to suffer severe and repeated concussions to his head. He is seeking monetary damages to compensate him for the injuries, as well as a court order for the NCAA to adopt policies that would monitor medical conditions of players and guidelines for concussion injuries.

Mr. Arrington and his fellow college-athletes’ suit does not stop there, however. At the end of July this year, Mr. Arrington and the other plaintiffs’ attorneys made a motion to the federal court judge to certify the suit as a class action lawsuit. If class-action status were to be granted by the judge, the plaintiffs could expand the lawsuit to include thousands more injured former college-athletes.

In fact, CBSsports.com reports that if the federal judge does grant Mr. Arrington and the other plaintiffs class-action certification in this case, the suit could be astronomically expensive for the NCAA. Already, the NCAA demonstrated that it is making efforts to get on board with concussion research. Before the motion, the NCAA stated that it is putting $399,999 into research that would delve into concussions and long-term head injury effects. Additionally, in response to the suit, the NCAA claims that it has already altered rules and equipment regulations in order to prevent head injuries.

The plaintiffs, however, are seemingly undeterred, and claim that whatever the NCAA is doing, it is certainly not enough to keep players safe. Head injuries can be very serious, and even lethal in some cases, and that fact bolsters the plaintiffs’ claims that the industry must change.

Mr. Arrington and the plaintiffs must still wait to learn of the outcome of their motion. However, even if their motion is denied, the plaintiffs have a story to tell that America should hear. Traumatic head injuries can be serious and life-threatening and should be taken very seriously. Furthermore, dangerous behavior that poses risks of serious head and brain injury should be avoided at all costs. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic head injury or brain injury, you should immediately seek out the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney. An experienced attorney can help you get compensation for your pain and suffering, and can help improve the quality of your life through accessing justice and reimbursement of medical expenses. The attorneys at Brod Law Firm have successfully advocated for numerous plaintiffs who have suffered from traumatic head injuries and brain injuries, and may be able to help you too.