US judge expects July 22 ruling on NFL concussions
US judge in Philadelphia expects to issue key ruling on NFL concussion lawsuits on July 22
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A federal judge in Philadelphia plans to rule next month on whether former players can sue the National Football League over concussion-related injuries.
The NFL wants the complaints handled in arbitration, not in court.
Lawyers for more than 4,200 players say in their lawsuits that the league hid the known risks of concussions and rushed players back into the game.
Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody says she expects to issue her ruling on whether the lawsuits can go forward on July 22.
Brody heard brief arguments in early April from a pair of nationally prominent lawyers, David Frederick for the players and Paul Clement for the league.
Many former players say they suffer from dementia, Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions and believe they stem from on-field concussions.
