Philadelphia Eagles

Lead plaintiff in NFL concussion lawsuit had advanced CTE

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Former NFL running back Kevin Turner, who is one of the lead plaintiffs in the NFL concussion lawsuit settlement, had an advanced form of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to a report from the New York Times.

Researchers at the Boston University CTE Center announced that Turner had the highest stage of the brain disorder.

Turner, who played eight seasons with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, died in March at the age of 46 from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

“The severity of Mr. Turner’s C.T.E. was extraordinary and unprecedented for an athlete who died in his 40s,” Ann McKee, a professor of neurology and pathology at the Boston University School of Medicine and the director of the C.T.E. Center told The Times.

Turner was diagnosed with ALS in 2010, after experiencing weakness in his hands and arms.

More than 4,500 ex-players, including Turner, sued the NFL claiming the league hid known concussion risks, leading to high rates of dementia, depression and even suicides.

In July 2014, a federal judge granted preliminary approval to the National Football League’s $765 million settlement.

That amount was upped to $1 billion with the settlement covering more than 20,000 retired players for the next 65 years. A federal appeals court in June unanimously upheld the deal, with the NFL admitting no fault.

The estates of retired players who were diagnosed with CTE before the settlement approval can receive up to $4 million. Turner’s estate will receive $5 million once the appeals works its way through the court system.

- Scooby Axson

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