Over the past few months, the National Football League (NFL) has cracked down on helmet-to-helmet hits in an attempt to prevent serious neck, back and spine injuries. Players who make such hits are now subject to severe disciplinary measures, including fines and even suspension.

Interestingly enough, a former NFL player has recently filed a lawsuit that he believes will reveal that the league's current stance regarding helmet-to-helmet hits and its treatment of players who have been injured by such hits are entirely inconsistent.

In 2008, Eric Shelton - who played as a running back for the Carolina Panthers for the entire 2006 season - was participating in an intrasquad scrimmage at the Washington Redskins training camp. During the course of a play, Shelton was involved in a helmet-to-helmet collision with another player.

According to Shelton's lawsuit - the subject of which will be subsequently revealed - he lost sensation in his arms and legs for nearly one minute in the immediate aftermath of the helmet-to-helmet collision. Furthermore, he indicated that he experienced numbness in his lower extremities the next day, and suffered from migraine headaches, momentary bouts of numbness and other types of pain on an ongoing basis.

Shelton eventually submitted a claim for the maximum level of benefits from the NFL's disability plan. These benefits are typically awarded to players who suffered football-related injuries that resulted in total and permanent disability within six months or a year.

Shelton's claim was initially rejected by a disability panel - comprised of three NFL representatives and three National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) representatives - who ruled that his head injury was unrelated to football. However, the panel eventually reversed this decision on appeal, and awarded Shelton benefits for a "degenerative" injury, meaning one that manifests itself more than six months or a year following the original football-related injury.

To be continued ...

Stay tuned for future posts from our San Diego workers' compensation blog ...

You should strongly consider seeking the necessary medical treatment if you have suffered any type of neck, back and spine injury - regardless of your employment setting.

This post was for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal or medical advice.

Related Resources:

Ex-Player Is Suing Over Pay for Injury (The New York Times)