The National Football League (NFL) has reportedly agreed to pay 765 million dollars as compensation to retired football players who sued the league over head injuries that they claimed they had gained while playing professional football.
According to ABC News, although the league settled the lawsuit, which was brought by more than 4,500 retired players, it did not admit responsibility for the players' injuries.
The report further said that a total of four million dollars would be divided among the 4,500 members of the class action to be paid over 20 years, adding that more than 18,000 former NFL players would be eligible for the benefits won in the settlement.
According to the suit, players who show evidence of severe cognitive impairment, dementia, Alzheimer's or Lou Gehrig's disease will qualify to receive money from the 675 million dollar-injury compensation fund, along with families of injured players.
The report further said that the terms of the settlement includes the NFL paying for medical exams for the players, capped at 75 million pounds, 675 million-dollar injury compensation fund and a research and an education fund of ten million dollars.
Judge Layn Phillips, who oversaw the proceedings, said that that the settlement does not represent an admission of guilt by the NFL that it ignored long-term effects of head injuries from league play.
Phillips further said that the settlement avoided years of litigation in which all the members would have had to individually prove that their medical conditions were related to their play in the NFL.
