$18M Jury Verdict Against the NCAA
The Firm That Took On the NFL and NCAA and Won
Langfitt PLLC was on the ground floor of the concussion litigation against the NFL and successfully has claims paid every month for former NFL players suffering from brain disease. All of these claims arise from the Settlement with the NFL that began in March of 2017. Langfitt PLLC is also one of the first law firms in the nation to win a jury verdict against the NCAA for latent brain disease for a former college football player. We represent former NFL and NCAA players, their families, and their estates for brain damage caused by repetitive head injury in football.
What We Do for Former Players and Their Families
We handle NCAA concussion and CTE litigation, NFL Concussion Settlement representation, and wrongful death claims involving football-related brain damage.
If a former NFL player who retired before 2014 is experiencing memory loss, mood changes, cognitive decline, or has been diagnosed with dementia, ALS, Parkinson's, or Alzheimer's — or if a player has already died — we can evaluate whether a claim exists.
Verdict Against The NCAA
On October 23, 2025, a jury in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, awarded $10 million to former NCAA football player Robert Geathers and $8 million to his wife, Debra, after deliberating for less than two hours. This is the first successful verdict against the NCAA in history for a former college football player with brain injury. The verdict is attached here.
The firm won the post-trial motions as well. Judge Frank Addy's opinion is attached here.
Judge Addy wrote in his opinion: "The NCAA was created to prevent the very harm which ultimately occured to Mr. Gaethers, and on 47 occasions, defendant neglected to undertake appropriate action to reasonably mitigate or eliminate these preventable injuries."
How We Can Help
NCAA Concussion
Former college football players and their families are the core of our practice. If you or someone you love played at the NCAA level and is now living with neurological symptoms — or has received a diagnosis linked to repeated head trauma — we want to hear from you.
NFL Concussion
David Langfitt served on the Court-appointed Plaintiffs' Executive Committee, which ultimately negotiated the Settlement with the NFL. The firm has recovered hundreds of awards for players in the Settlement. If you think you have a claim or your claim was denied, we can review it. If you simply want to be tested, we can make that happen.
Wrongful Death
We represent surviving spouses, adult children, and estates in wrongful death and survivor claims against the NCAA. A posthumous CTE diagnosis is not required to file, but it can strengthen a case significantly.
Co-Counsel & Referrals
We co-counsel NCAA brain injury cases with plaintiff firms nationwide. We bring the trial record, the appellate authority, and the deposition database. You bring the client relationship. We can structure an arrangement that works for both firms.
What Sets Us Apart
First jury verdict against the NCAA for latent brain disease in a former college football player — $18M, Geathers v. NCAA, October 2025.
One of the largest client bases of any firm in the NFL Concussion Settlement, with a vast number of awards to players since the inception of the settlement.
Watershed statute-of-limitations precedent from the Ohio Supreme Court in Schmitz v. NCAA — holding that a player's awareness of in-career head injuries does not start the clock for latent brain disease.
An archive of discovery against the NCAA with over 5 million documents and deposition testimony from NCAA executives that establish the duty of the NCAA to protect the health and safety of college football players. This discovery database has been built across years of individual state court litigation, in multiple states around the country.
The Science Behind the Claims
Brain disease from repeated head trauma does not show up the day after a game. CTE, early-onset dementia, ALS, and Parkinson's can take decades to surface — and the NCAA knew that long before it told players. Understanding the science is the first step toward understanding whether a legal claim exists.
Verdicts, Opinions, and the Record We Have Built
We do not ask you to take our word for it. Our case results, published court opinions, and the Geathers verdict are all part of the public record. Read them.
