On Friday, June 23, 2017, the Fourth Circuit affirmed a Maryland District Court’s 2016 ruling that the National Football League’s Retirement Plan wrongfully denied a request by former NFL linebacker Jesse Solomon for a higher level of benefits. Solomon sought a higher level of benefits as a result of cognitive impairments he has suffered due to head injuries sustained while playing nine years in the NFL. As a result of the affirmation that the Retirement Plan “abused its discretion” in Solomon’s case, the NFL will …
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NFL Retirement Plan Asks Fourth Circuit to Deny Benefits to Player Disabled by Symptoms of CTE
Issues from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) have started to seep into other parts of retired NFL players’ lives. Attorneys for the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan recently asked the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a Maryland District Court’s order granting retired NFL linebacker Jesse Solomon disability benefits. The District Court ruled in favor for Solomon after finding that the Social Security Administration determined that Solomon had been disabled within a fifteen year window. In order to receive disability coverage, a player …
Continue ReadingStay Where You Are: Supreme Court Denies Premature Appeal in Redskins Case
On October 3, 2016, the Supreme Court rejected a long-shot appeal from the Washington Redskins, refusing to hear their case prior to the Fourth Circuit’s ruling. The team had attempted the rare “certiorari before judgment” because it wanted its case heard alongside The Slants’ similar case, which was accepted by the court on September 29.
Like the Redskins’ case, the band argued that the board’s refusal to trademark the band name “The Slants” violated its right to free speech. Though the Patent and Trademark …
Continue ReadingNFL Retirement Plan Throws Red Flag: Challenges Maryland Federal Court Decision
On June 22, 2016, the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan filed a notice of appeal to the Fourth Circuit regarding a Maryland federal court’s decision to award a former player total and permanent disability benefits, which were previously denied.
Jesse Solomon, a former linebacker, claimed that he had been denied disability benefits due to the plan’s failure to accept determinations by his physician and the Social Security Administration that he is permanently disabled. The NFL’s Retirement Board made the determination that Solomon …
Continue ReadingSongwriters Want Bieber to Pay $10 Million for Dancing Around Depositions
Songwriters are seeking $10 million from pop star Justin Bieber claiming he is abusing discovery in their copyright infringement suit against him.
The initial lawsuit arose in May 2013 when two songwriters sued Bieber over copyright of his hit single “Somebody to Love.” The songwriters claim they created the song in 2008, obtained a U.S. Copyright registration, and sent it to music industry scouts in 2009. It is alleged that the music scouts passed the single along to Usher, who is also named in the …
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