Next Wave Of College Football Concussion Lawsuits Begins Against Colleges, NCAA
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- As many as 50 class-action lawsuits contesting how the NCAA, major college football conferences or individual schools handled concussions will be filed in the coming months by former players seeking damages for lingering brain injuries and ailments.
The first batch of six lawsuits was filed Tuesday. Chicago-based attorney Jay Edelson says the next wave will likely be filed within the next two weeks.
The first six lawsuits were filed by players who played for Georgia, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Oregon, Utah and Penn State. The former football players claim problems ranging from loss of memory and cognitive function to dementia.
"The goal of the suits is to get people who are injured financial compensation -- something that hasn't happened as of yet," Edelson said, as reported by CBS Sports.
Edelson says so many cases are being brought because the NCAA successfully argued that the issues can't be handled in one big case.
"We thought the most efficient case was to file one large suit against the NCAA, and they blocked that and said in order to proceed, we have to file on behalf of classes only comprised of one school and one sport," Edelson said. "I think they were betting we didn't have the resources to do that. We do. We sue Facebook and Google. The NCAA isn't any more intimidating than those companies."
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