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Critics: NFL concussion deal leaves too many out

By WTOP Staff

MARYCLAIRE DALE
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — New concerns are being raised about the proposed NFL concussion settlement, although only a small fraction of the nearly 20,000 retirees are expected to opt out of the deal by Tuesday’s deadline.

They would be left to sue the NFL on their own over claims the league hid known concussions risks for many years. The NFL expects about 6,000 former players to be diagnosed with at least moderate dementia and qualify for an award.

Critics can still raise objections before a Nov. 19 court hearing in Philadelphia, and perhaps ask Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody to amend the award scheme.

The proposed settlement pays millions to young retirees battling severe neurological disease, and an average $190,000 to older men with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

However, former players exhibiting rage, depression or mood disorders would get nothing. Several leading brain researchers link those behavioral problems to repetitive head injuries, and believe the men may be suffering from the brain decay known as CTE, or chronic traumatic enchephalopathy. Currently, CTE can only be diagnosed after death.

The advocacy group Public Citizen asked Tuesday to intervene in the case, arguing that the two class representatives — one with Lou Gehrig’s disease, one asymptomatic — do not represent the myriad injuries seen in the large group of ex-players.

“You can’t have that person who has ALS, who was in the NFL for more than five years, or who is older, be the representative for people who have CTE, or were in the NFL for two years, or are battling much less or nothing,” said Allison Zieve, director of Public Citizen’s litigation group. “I don’t doubt that the lawyers had good intentions, but I think they need to keep working,”

Other critics have been less kind to the negotiators, which included a small group of players’ lawyers and NFL attorneys who met for months before a federal mediator. The players’ lawyers insist they got the best deal they could from the NFL, and bypassed the difficult legal hurdle of proving the brain injuries were caused by the NFL.

Critic Stephen Molo accused the lead negotiators of “collusion,” and asked again Monday for the right to depose them. He represents about a dozen players, including the family of the late Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson, who had CTE and committed suicide.

“(Class) counsel and the NFL gain so much from the settlement but class members gain so little,” Molo said in a filing late Monday.

He noted that the NFL, as part of the agreement, agrees not to challenge the proposed $112 million in plaintiffs’ lawyer fees (which Brody must approve). They would come on top of the minimum $765 million set aside for awards, medial monitoring and research. Additionally, many ex-players who retained lawyers have agreed to have contingency fees of perhaps 33 to 40 percent deducted from their awards.

Another objection filed Tuesday came from the family of Hall of Famer Frank M. “Bruiser” Kinard, who toiled from 1938 to 1947 for the football-playing Brooklyn Dodgers, Brooklyn Tigers and New York Yankees. Kinard began suffering from dementia in 1980, and died five years later at age 70, his lawyer said.

The family wants his case included in the settlement because of the NFL’s alleged “concealment” of head-trauma risks. The tentative settlement only includes deaths since 2006.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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