Workers Compensation Claims Hit the NFL

Call me naïve, but when I watch a football game, the main point seems to be to knock the guy with the ball down.  Hard.  Yes, I am sure there is a lot more to football, but every time I see a linebacker pile into a running back, it makes me cringe a little thinking about the amount of pain all the players endure both in practice and on the playing field.           

It should come as no surprise then that at some point or another, there would be a lawsuit relating to football-related of injuries.  Injuries, that often do not surface until years after the initial problem.  And here it is: former national football league players are filing workers compensation claims for the neurological damage suffered during “butting heads on the gridiron.”          

More specifically, while many of the approximately 700 former NFL players are claiming to suffer from more orthopedic-based injuries, the wife of a former NFL football player claims that her husband developed dementia during his 8 year professional football career. 

Workers compensation is a state-mandated insurance program that provides coverage and compensation for on the job injuries.  California has an interesting workers’ compensation scheme as it relates to retired professional athletes.  In order to be eligible to file a claim, an athlete needed to have played only 1 professional game in the state to be eligible to receive lifetime medical care.

A recent LegalMatch study revealed interest in workers compensation issues on both the employer and employee side in the more “traditional” work situations.  Because there can often be a grey area relating to injuries (i.e. the how, when, and where they occur) issues relating to workers compensation claim can become quite litigious.          

It is funny how often sports intersect with the law.  From contract issues, to negotiations, to workers compensation claims, the law permeates the almost every facet of many sports.  This is a particularly interesting case because, in my opinion, I am not sure how much a player should be compensated when he has already made millions in his lifetime.  Aside from the assumption of risk argument, there is also the notion that the high salaries should suffice for the medical problems that undoubtly result from such a heavy-contact sports.  In other words, this is not a situation where major injuries are unexpected or unanticipated.  

By: Violet Petran

Comments

[abhishek]

Great and interesting blog.Injuries on body during sport is common.Players often get injuries.They should be entitled for compensation.
i appreciate former national football league players for filing workers compensation claims for the neurological damage suffered during “butting heads on the gridiron.”
http://www.workinjuryie.com/work-injuries-claim/

[Web Master]

Its s very good provision to have a compensation claims for workers. Workers use to hard work, both physically and mentally especially farm workers sometimes meet to death during working, they have all the rights to have a farm death compensation claims.To more about this visit:

http://www.farmaccidentsie.com/farm-death-compensation-claim

[abhishek]

Sports man always suffers from injury.Inspite of this they never stop to play.But team coach should take care of them and must provide them injury compensation.They are not only physical injured but also mentally.

http://www.betterinjuryclaims.com/claims-for-injuries/

[Compensation Claims]

The injury was sustained in the work accident. Work accident insurance is the most important for employees working in dangerous that surroundings. This work place accident to that insurance can cover all your expenses related of the to your accident at work.You may not be the able to attend work due to the injury incurring loss of the pay.

[Ross Morse]

I do believe that a country should have workers compensation law where an athlete should have a compensations and health benefits during and after his sports career. Sports were created to entertain us but sometimes sports can trigger injuries, accidents and worst --death. But have you notice, that it is not just football game causes many injuries but I think all the sports are dangerous and should be well studied by the Congress about having a worker’s compensation law to all athletes in the United States. Workers compensation should be imposed and be practice to preserve health safety to all athlete professionals in the United States. Thus, if a country will practice workers compensation benefits to all athletes this; I think would be the start of an effective manifestation of sports career to all individuals who would like to be a professional athlete.

http://www.workerscompensationclaim.com.au/

[Aussie Law]

If its all about money, then seeing that these guys are getting beating up for the purpose of advertising ratings, big football contracts, big stadiums, big everything, then, if they do genuinely get injured (hard to believe that they don't get injured) and they are man enough to say it, then even these poor chaps deserve compensation. See http://www.claims.com.au/ for more compensation claims information.