Football concussion lawsuits reach high school: Mississippi suit goes after NCAA and NFHS

Football concussion lawsuits have reached the high school game on a national scale. A Mississippi father of a high school football player filed a class-action lawsuit this week against the NCAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations. The suit seeks to represent a class of all current high school football players in the United States as of December 2013. Alvin Jobe, on behalf of his son Grayson, identified as an 11th-grade football player at Central Holmes Christian School in Lexington, Miss., wants the NCAA and NFHS to provide high schools with current concussion-risk information and standard of care practices in their possession. He is also asking for both associations to certify that high schools have concussion management plans for preventable risks of head injuries. The plaintiffs want a high school concussion management plan that includes insurance coverage as a last resort for uninsured players. Under their request, the NCAA and NFHS would certify the concussion management plan in order for high schools to remain a member of the state organizations that form the NFHS, and for high school football players to be eligible to play in the NCAA. This is the first federal lawsuit involving concussions against the governing body of high school state athletic associations. It's the latest in a trickle-down effect involving all levels of football. The NFL has been sued by more than 4,500 players and is in the process of attempting to finalize a $765 million settlement. The NCAA -- and now the NFHS -- face liability risks over what they knew about concussions and how to care for head injuries. At least eight federal lawsuits have been filed against the NCAA, which is in mediation with plaintiffs from the 2-year-old Adrian Arrington lawsuit in Illinois involving concussion care of all college athletes. To read the full and original article, please click the following link:  http://bit.ly/KdFbOl