Five Law Firms Barred from NFL Concussion Settlement Over Fraudulent Parkinson’s Disease Claims

Court officials overseeing the NFL concussion settlement have barred five law firms from handling any more claims after uncovering an organized scheme that funneled questionable Parkinson’s disease diagnoses into the program. The special masters detailed how the firms steered former players toward unapproved doctors who issued diagnoses and prescriptions even when clear symptoms were absent.

The report, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, covers 98 former players who sought six- to seven-figure payouts in recent years. Of those claims, 57 were approved for more than $95 million before tips triggered an audit. Attorneys collected roughly $20 million from those payouts. Another 37 claims remain pending and will now be denied, though the affected players can restart the process with proper medical review.

How the Scheme Worked

The firms bypassed strict settlement rules that limit qualifying diagnoses to board-certified neurologists contracted with the claims program. Those doctors must also meet expertise requirements and follow anti-kickback safeguards.

Instead, the attorneys sent clients first to unapproved doctors. One traveling physician set up exams in a rented hotel suite in Dallas, where retired players waited in the lobby for evaluations. Another doctor lacked board certification in relevant fields and carried a history of bankruptcy, tax liens, and civil judgments that would have disqualified him anyway.

After receiving a Parkinson’s diagnosis and medication that suppresses visible symptoms, the players moved to approved doctors. Those physicians often had little choice but to rely on the prior diagnosis and current prescription because the drugs masked the very signs they needed to evaluate independently.

“By structuring their clients’ evaluations in this way, Mr. Grossinger and ROV deliberately put (approved) Physicians in a position where they had little choice but to defer to manufactured outside records.”

Special Masters’ Report, U.S. District Court, Philadelphia

The Law Firms Named in the Report

• Douglas Grossinger, Attorney at Law — identified as the originator who later recruited others to spread submissions and avoid volume flags.
• Feder Law, LLC
• Pro Athlete Law Firm, P.A.
• Syme Law, PLLC
• Reppert Oates & Vytell, LLC — the firm linked to former New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers center Bart Oates, a three-time Super Bowl champion who earned his law degree while still playing.

Informants told auditors that Oates cold-called retired players and promised a Parkinson’s diagnosis if they switched representation. Grossinger focused on volume and brought other firms into the pattern.

Key Figures from the Special Masters’ Report

Why This Matters for Former Players and the Settlement

The NFL concussion settlement, established in 2013 after years of litigation, was designed to run for 65 years. It offers baseline testing and compensation up to $5 million for serious conditions tied to repeated head impacts, including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS, and CTE-related deaths. Only properly vetted medical channels were supposed to determine eligibility.

When law firms game that system, legitimate claims suffer. The special masters acted after suspicious activity surfaced. Their decision blocks the five firms from further involvement and signals that shortcuts will not stand.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league remains committed to getting benefits to players and families who deserve them. “Any misconduct threatens the integrity of the Settlement and the prompt payment of legitimate claims,” he stated. “We are pleased with the Special Masters’ Decision, which sends a clear message that fraud in the NFL Concussion Settlement Program will not be tolerated.”

Retired players built the league with their bodies. Many now deal with real neurological decline. The fund exists for them. This crackdown aims to keep the money flowing to those cases instead of manufactured ones.

Bart Oates did not respond to requests for comment. Douglas Grossinger declined to comment on the record. Fred Feder of Feder Law said he would not speak without consulting counsel first. The AP could not immediately reach representatives for Syme Law or Pro Athlete Law Firm.