George Visger, NFL Brain Trauma Victim – And Concussion Inc. Author – On Opting Out of the Class Action Settlement

George Visger was a member of the San Francisco 49ers’ first (1981) football team whose legacy has been an adulthood of memory deficit straight out of the cult movie Memento. George sketches his unbelievable life story in his 2012 ebook short for Concussion Inc., OUT OF MY HEAD: My Life In and Out of Football(which is available on Amazon Kindle at http://amzn.to/znZuiL, or as a PDF file by remitting $2.99, via PayPal, to [email protected]).

In the notes below, George reflects on the information he received from his attorney about his eligibility for a piece of the National Football League’s class action settlement with retired players, and whether he should take the offered recovery or opt out of the settlement class.

Looks like I won’t qualify for much, if any, in the suit. I may slide in under the Mild Cognitive Impairment classification, which is pro rated according to age when diagnosed (at 56 is not much), AND I will only get 20% of that as I am only being credited with one season. My second season I had brain surgery does not count in the brain injury lawsuit as I was on Injured Reserve.

Lets see. Brain surgery during the season. Ended my career…………..  NFL Brain Injury lawsuit…………… Season I sustained a life threatening brain injury which has required 33 years of treatments, 9 brain surgeries and cost me my business, home and now marriage doesn’t count for anything. 

OK

Makes sense to me but I’m brain damaged.

If I Opt Out of the bogus NFL lawsuit we won, it  means I sue the league separately, thus starting another multi year battle to add to the 33 years of fighting I already have under my belt, PLUS We are currently back in another legal battle with the 49ers Work Comp carrier The Travelers.    

Two years ago they offered me a settlement to close my case.  $73,000 + $1,160/mo GUARANTEED for 15 years whether I was dead or alive and a tiny medical account they would in $5,600/yr.  (My truck is in the shop as I write this and its costing me $5,745 to fix) 

In exchange I cover all my medical costs from here on out for my NFL injuries, including: 

More knee surgeries (already have put off, as the artificial GoreTex ACL transplant they did in my left knee was discontinued in 89. The bolts they used to hold the ligament in are pushing out thru the skin, and the ligament failed in the early 80’s. Knee is full of GoreTex  fibers whenever they drain it. )

Total reconstruction on rt shoulder I was scheduled for last May  (I have 3 torn tendons, torn rotator cuff, bone chips and large bone spur)

More brain surgeries  (will have them but that’s always a surprise when —- Surprises, how fun!)

More gran mal seizures, meds and ambulance rides and hospital stays on the bad ones (Also more surprises – hopefully on a back pack bow hunt somewhere by myself or maybe even a fun, out- of – country fishing trip like the one to Mexico Mel brought me home in a coma from.) 

Early onset dementia, care facility, diapers, drool bags and Baby Wipes……… 

SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT DEAL – WHAT DO YOU THINK?