The families of debilitated former N.F.L. players say the league is obstructing their access to an estimated $1 billion settlement over concussions by reflexively rejecting valid claims and bogging down the process with unreasonable demands.
The families and their lawyers describe a succession of roadblocks as they try to claim payouts, from as little as a few thousand dollars to potentially several million dollars, to help thousands of retired players left mentally infirm, in some cases severely, from years of hits and tackles on the league’s fields.
When the league agreed to the settlement several years ago, retired players were told that they could expect speedy payouts, assuming the diagnoses for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other ailments covered in the settlement were in order.