Frequently Asked Questions

Possibly, yes — even if you played decades ago. Courts, including the Ohio Supreme Court in a case our firm argued, have held that the limitations clock does not start running until a player knew or reasonably should have known that his symptoms were connected to football-related head injuries. If you are only now experiencing memory loss, mood changes, or cognitive decline, your window may still be open. The only way to know for certain is to have an attorney review your specific facts.

Former college football players at any level — Division I, II, or III — who are experiencing neurological symptoms consistent with CTE, early dementia, Parkinson's, ALS, or Alzheimer's disease. Family members may also have standing to bring a wrongful death or survivor claim if the player has died. We explain the full eligibility picture on our who can file page.

No. The NCAA is the defendant in these cases, not the individual school. We have active cases involving players from programs across the country, and the legal theory — that the NCAA had a duty to protect players from repeated head trauma and failed to honor it — applies regardless of the conference or institution.

Yes. Wrongful death and survivor claims are available in most states when a player's death was caused or contributed to by football-related brain disease. CTE can only be confirmed by post-mortem brain examination, which actually strengthens the evidentiary foundation for a family's claim. We handle these cases with the same investment and care we give to living-player cases.

It varies by state, but the discovery rule applies in most jurisdictions — meaning the clock starts when a player discovers, or reasonably should discover, the connection between his symptoms and football head injuries. The Ohio Supreme Court's ruling in Schmitz v. NCAA, a case our firm litigated, established that in-career knowledge of concussions alone is not enough to start that clock. Do not assume your time has run out without speaking with us first.

Individual lawsuits against the NCAA typically take two to five years from filing to verdict or resolution, depending on the jurisdiction, the complexity of the medical evidence, and how aggressively the NCAA contests the case. Our firm currently has six cases scheduled for trial in the next 18 months — we are not a firm that lets cases sit. We will give you a realistic timeline assessment when we evaluate your case.

Nothing out of pocket. We handle NCAA brain injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning we advance all litigation costs and are paid only if we recover for you. Given the investment required to try these cases — expert witnesses, medical records, depositions, travel — we are selective about the cases we accept. We take approximately one in ten inquiries.

A class-action settlement distributes a fixed pool of money across a large group of claimants, often resulting in modest individual recoveries. An individual lawsuit is filed on behalf of one player or family and pursues the full measure of damages that player's case supports — including pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and in appropriate cases, punitive damages. The $18 million Geathers v. NCAA verdict was an individual lawsuit. We explain the tradeoffs in detail on our settlement vs. individual lawsuit page.

Possibly. In cases that go to trial, the player's testimony — or in wrongful death cases, family testimony — is often central to the jury's understanding of how this disease has affected a real life. We prepare our clients thoroughly and stand beside them every step of the way. Many cases resolve before trial, but we prepare every case as if it will be tried.

Start with what you have: medical records documenting your current diagnosis or symptoms, any prior concussion records from your playing days if available, and a general account of your football history — schools attended, positions played, years active. You do not need a complete file to contact us. We know how to build the evidentiary record, and we have done it many times.

Not with certainty. CTE is currently confirmed only through post-mortem examination of brain tissue. However, living players can receive a clinical diagnosis of a related condition — traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES), early dementia, or other neurodegenerative disease — based on symptoms, neuropsychological testing, and imaging. These clinical findings are sufficient to support a legal claim. We discuss the diagnostic picture in detail on our diagnosis page.

The most common early signs include short-term memory loss, difficulty concentrating, mood instability or sudden anger, depression, and impulsive behavior. As the disease progresses, symptoms can include cognitive decline, paranoia, and dementia-like deterioration. These symptoms often appear years or decades after a player's last game. If you are seeing these changes in yourself or a family member, our CTE symptoms page has a fuller picture.

No. A clinical diagnosis of a related neurological condition — early dementia, traumatic encephalopathy syndrome, Parkinson's, or ALS — is sufficient. The legal question is whether repeated head trauma during a player's football career caused or contributed to the condition. CTE confirmation at autopsy strengthens a wrongful death claim considerably, but it is not a prerequisite for a living-player case.

Yes. Wrongful death and survivor claims are available in most states when a player's death was caused or contributed to by football-related brain disease. CTE can only be confirmed by post-mortem brain examination, which actually strengthens the evidentiary foundation for a family's claim. We handle these cases with the same investment and care we give to living-player cases.

Yes, completely. The NFL Concussion Settlement is a class-action settlement that governs claims by former NFL players — it does not apply to college football. Our firm represents former NFL players navigating that settlement, including players whose claims were denied or undervalued. David Langfitt has received three to four times more awards for players than any other lawyer in the Settlement and served on the Court-appointed Plaintiffs' Executive Committee. If your NFL claim was denied or you have not yet registered, contact us.

Yes. Denials can be challenged through the settlement's internal review process, and we have successfully navigated that process for a significant number of players. The appeals procedure is technical and time-sensitive, so the sooner you contact us after a denial, the better your options.

In most cases, yes — the two claims are legally separate and involve different defendants. The NFL Settlement governs your professional career; an individual NCAA lawsuit addresses your college years. We handle both and can assess whether you have viable claims on each track.

Call or email us directly. David Langfitt's cell is 610-787-1706; Margaret Bellamy's cell is 610-787-1707; Jessica Brown's cell is 484-612-8278. You can also reach us by email at david@langfittpllc.com, margaret@langfittpllc.com, or jessica@langfittpllc.com, or use the contact form on our website. We respond promptly and will tell you honestly whether we think you have a case worth pursuing.

Yes. We actively partner with plaintiff firms across the country that have identified a potential NCAA brain injury case but lack the resources or experience to litigate it nationally. We handle the heavy lifting and ensure referring counsel are treated fairly. Our co-counsel and referral page has the details.

Because we advance all litigation costs ourselves and try these cases to verdict. That model only works if we are selective. When we accept a case, we are committing to carry it through trial if necessary — and we have the verdicts to show we mean it. We would rather tell you honestly that your case is not a strong fit than take it and give it less than it deserves.