Lawsuit for negligence of injuries in NHL near settlement: Report

The lawsuit was filed in November 2013. In July 2018, a federal judge denied a bid by the plaintiffs to have the case receive class-action status, and negotiations between the two sides began with a few months of that ruling.

A lawsuit brought against the NHL over what more than 100 former players claim was negligence in dealing with their head injuries could be on the verge of a settlement.

According to a Forbes report on Friday, the case is "on the verge" of a settlement agreement worth a total of $18.9 million. Per the report, the lead attorney for the players is pushing for acceptance of the agreement, which would give $6.9 million to the players, or just $22,000 each.

The lawsuit was filed in November 2013. In July 2018, a federal judge denied a bid by the plaintiffs to have the case receive class-action status, and negotiations between the two sides began with a few months of that ruling.

Beyond their claims of negligence against the league, the former players say the NHL concealed the long-term risks of head injuries.

The case has spurred scientific debates about the long-term consequences of concussions and whether they lead to the debilitating brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the same condition that came to light in the NFL.

If the settlement is finalized, it remains to be seen whether all of the players involved would agree to be covered or pursue the case individually.

Separately, former players Daniel Carcillo and Nick Boynton filed their own lawsuit in June, also alleging the league withheld information about the long-term health dangers from concussion-related injuries.

"The NHL is long overdue in acknowledging the significant risks inherent in their style of game," William T. Gibbs, one of the lawyers who filed the case, said in a press release at the time.

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