Settlement Agreement Benefits - General Information
No. A Retired NFL Football Player can be a Settlement Class Member and receive Settlement benefits regardless of whether he is vested under the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan.
No. The Settlement benefits are completely independent of any benefits programs that have been created by or between the NFL and the NFL Players Association (for example, the 88 Plan or the Neuro-Cognitive Disability Benefit).
No. The criteria set by the Settlement Agreement for Qualifying Diagnoses are different from the criteria used to define the conditions eligible for benefits under NFL disability plans, like the 88 Plan, and other disability programs, such as Social Security, state-sponsored plans, or private programs. Your medical records must reflect a Qualifying Diagnosis under the Settlement Agreement’s criteria to qualify for a Monetary Award (click here for an FAQ about Qualifying Diagnoses). The fact that you have been found to qualify for disability benefits in another program does not mean you automatically qualify for a Monetary Award.
However, the employment and medical records found in your claim file for an NFL disability plan or other plan might be relevant to your Monetary Award claim if they relate to any of the elements of a Qualifying Diagnosis under the Settlement Agreement. You may provide your records from such a plan to the Qualified MAF Physician or BAP Providers you see for your Settlement Program evaluation if they relate to whether you have a Qualifying Diagnosis. In addition, if you require assistance requesting records for any NFL disability plan, the Claims Administrator can help you if you complete a separate HIPAA form. Click here for a copy of that form, fill it out and upload it through your portal or send it to the Claims Administrator by mail. The Claims Administrator will get the records and notify you when they are available.
The Claims Administrator cannot access your records from other disability plans not affiliated with the NFL.
It is important to note that if you receive benefits under an NFL disability plan (such as the 88 Plan), Social Security, or any other disability plan, you will not lose any of those benefits because you receive a Monetary Award in the Settlement Program.
No. Claims for workers’ compensation are not barred by this Settlement.
The Settlement provides $10 million in funding to support education programs promoting safety and injury prevention with respect to football players, including safety-related initiatives in youth football, the education of Retired NFL Football Players regarding the NFL’s medical and disability programs and other educational programs and initiatives. The Court will approve such programs with input from Class Counsel, Counsel for the NFL Parties and medical experts. Retired NFL Football Players may actively participate in such initiatives if they desire. Additional information and developments about these programs will be made available on the Settlement Website. Contact Class Counsel if you have feedback or suggestions for these programs.
Periodically, but not more than once every 10 years, Class Counsel and the NFL Parties will discuss possible changes to the definitions of the Qualifying Diagnoses and/or the protocols for making them, in light of generally accepted advances in medical science. Click here to read Section 6.6(a) of the Settlement Agreement, which provides more information about modifying the Qualifying Diagnoses.