Lawyers say predators target concussion victims

PHILADELPHIA » Lawyers for former NFL players now eligible for payments under the league’s $1 billion concussion settlement said Tuesday they’ve found evidence that unscrupulous third-party providers are trying to take advantage of players with significant brain damage.

Christopher Seeger, a lawyer who represented the class of more than 20,000 former NFL players, and co-counsel TerriAnne Benedetto told the judge that some players entered contracts with exorbitantly high interest rates for advances on their eventual claims, while others agreed to high fees.

They have been investigating groups like claims service providers and lenders at the request of U.S. District Judge Anita Brody. The hearing was to present their findings, and they asked the judge to extend her order so they could continue investigating, to see if additional action should be taken such as a criminal investigation.

“The last thing I want to happen is to watch these awards be cannibalized,” Seeger said.

Benedetto told the court one firm even touted itself as being able to coach former players on how to take neurological tests to get inaccurate results to qualify them for payments.

The settlement, which took effect in January, resolved thousands of lawsuits that accused the NFL of hiding what it knew about the risks of repeated concussions.

It covers retired players who develop Lou Gehrig’s disease, dementia or other neurological problems believed to be caused by concussions suffered during their pro careers, with awards as high as $5 million for the most serious cases. Participants had to register by Aug. 7, and Seeger told the court Tuesday that over 20,000 had registered by the deadline.

A notice to eligible players, approved by the judge this year, said that some players had signed contracts with third-party providers for up to 15 percent of their eventual awards. The providers offered to guide players through a claims process they advertised as difficult. In reality, the notice said, “none of the steps are complicated,” and a court-appointed claims administrator helped players register or file claims free of charge.

Former NFL linebacker Brandon Siler, who runs the company Legacy Pro Sports, which helps guide retired players through the claims process, said Monday that he’s providing a valuable service to players who need it. It was among the client services providers cited at the hearing.

Siler said the claims process wasn’t as easy as advertised, especially for men suffering cognitive impairment.

“I don’t mislead,” he said. “I don’t take advantage of my guys. I am there for them.”

Siler’s lawyer, Jeff Ostrow, said Tuesday Legacy Pro Sports has completely cooperated with the investigation, and their clients are extremely pleased with the services.

David Willingham, a lawyer for RD Legal Funding, also named during the hearing, said his clients “acted in accordance with the law and vigorously disputes all the allegations raised.”

Moss says Griffin gloated about Shanahans being fired

Santana Moss says Robert Griffin III took credit for coach Mike Shanahan and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan being fired by the Washington Redskins.

During his weekly radio appearance on FM-106.7 in Washington on Monday, Moss says it bothered him that Griffin acted like the Shanahans’ treatment of him was what got them fired after the 2013 season. Griffin responded on Twitter, saying, “To openly lie about me is a betrayal.”

Griffin tweets that he was the “good soldier” in an “impossible situation” with the Redskins after Shanahan said he never wanted him as his quarterback. He adds : “Some so desperately want me to fit this negative narrative that has been pushed about me. But I don’t fit it. Never have. Never will.”

Moss says Griffin taking joy in the Shanahans being fired was “the dumbest mistake you can ever make in this league” and adds that when Jay Gruden was hired as coach, he ripped Griffin in meetings because he wasn’t doing the things needed to win football games.

Dolphins suspend Timmons, acquire Anthony as replacement

MIAMI » AWOL linebacker Lawrence Timmons wanted to rejoin the Miami Dolphins.

Instead, they suspended him indefinitely and traded for a replacement, moves that signal his disappearance from the Dolphins’ defense may be permanent.

The Dolphins announced Timmons’ suspension in a one-sentence news release Tuesday, a day off for the team.