Do no harm: Who should bear the costs of retired NFL players’ medical bills? (1 Viewer)

[Vacherie Saint]

What is it for you to understand the practical outcome of "someone" has to pay?

If no one pays.....ultimately the taxpayers will....its always been like that. The ex-player has no insurance to begin with.....both the NFL & THE UNION HAVE BIG TIME LAWYERS WHO WILL GET THEIR CLIENTS OFF THE HOOK....well, who else is left?

The taxpayers.....that's who.

Unless is perfectly OK with you to keep these guys, for whom thousands of fans cheered for a long time....in this condition. Don't touch him.....he is no one's problem.....

What freaking twisted mentality....

Oh dear God.

So my grandma is a twisted freak because she doesn't want to pay for some former NFL players hip? Got it.
This will be settled between the league, union, and former players. Why even troll a complete fantasy? Take this garbage to the poli board.

 

[State Of Affairs]

They're self employed if they box etc. What abo police or nuclear power plant workers. Following your logic no risky profession should be covered y workers comp. How much an employee makes is irrelevant

This response makes zero sense... You don't go work at a nuclear plant knowing 100% that there will be a meltdown... And while risky, you don't go to be a police officer knowing 100% you will get shot...

You guys need to READ the article and educate yourself before you talk about stuff you know nothing about.... If you listen to the players, they're telling you they are simply getting mistreated and abused but that's simply not the case...

 

[Randy Jones]

This response makes zero sense... You don't go work at a nuclear plant knowing 100% that there will be a meltdown... And while risky, you don't go to be a police officer knowing 100% you will get shot...

You guys need to READ the article and educate yourself before you talk about stuff you know nothing about.... If you listen to the players, they're telling you they are simply getting mistreated and abused but that's simply not the case...

I read the article. My response is meant for those who seem to think that NFL players knowing the risk shouldnt be covered by workers comp laws simply because they make lot of money and know there is risk of injury. However this argument is inconsistent with existing workers comp laws.

 

[State Of Affairs]

I don't buy the argument that "they knew the risks." I don't think any rookie really understands the risks to health. Not just even rookies, pretty much everyone that didn't/doesn't play pro football. As a physician, I can tell you that people in general are terrible judges of risk, and it's worse when you are young and "invincible."

Ok.... so now, ignorant people should not be held responsible for there actions... When I get caught speeding, I simply say "I didn't realize the speed limit was 55, thought it was 70"

21 year old shouldn't go to jail for manslaughter for killing someone in a bar fight cuz "he really didnt understand it worked that way"

Thinking you're invencable doesn't preclude you from being responsible for your actions.

This board / public opinion continues to amaze me almost daily.... The excuses made and the entitlement felt by the average joe blow is laughable and irritating at the same time.... Ima go out and do incredably stupid or irresponsible things and the when they don't work out, ima stick my had out and expect everyone else to bail me out...

When those guys were medically cleared to return to play, the system was cleared but 15 or 20 years later, when the wear and tear on there body catches up to them, they want others to pay for it...

 

[State Of Affairs]

What is it for you to understand the practical outcome of "someone" has to pay?

If no one pays.....ultimately the taxpayers will....its always been like that. The ex-player has no insurance to begin with.....both the NFL & THE UNION HAVE BIG TIME LAWYERS WHO WILL GET THEIR CLIENTS OFF THE HOOK....well, who else is left?

The taxpayers.....that's who.

Unless is perfectly OK with you to keep these guys, for whom thousands of fans cheered for a long time....in this condition. Don't touch him.....he is no one's problem.....

What freaking twisted mentality....

Really??? So cuz he's your hero, he should get some special treatment.. What about the dude on the park bench that is homeless and needs medical care.... Isn't it "human" to take care of him??? At what point is it each individual's responsibility to take care of them self???

I love football but I pay for my tickets, my NFL directv etc and if these guys wana knock them self silly for 15 years for my enjoyment, that's on them.... That's not on me... If they want to feel the roar of the crowed, there's a price to pay and I don't believe the world owes them something because I enjoyed the game they played in... It's on THEM to decide when enough is enough!!!

 

[State Of Affairs]

Try this one; Let's say you hire on at a petro chemical plant and after 10 years you leave and shortly afterward you become sick with a condition long thought to be connected to chemicals present where you used to work.

This is completely different then an NFL player... I don't imagine the guy at the chemical plant walked by the barrels of chemicals and inhaled a big breath every time they passed by or mixed some stuff from that bucket into their coffee, it was negligence by the company... That employee should be taken care of

Now an NFL player chooses to abuse his body on a daily bases, takes a shot and goes out and does it again and when he's barely holding himself together, he gets cut and 15 years passes buy and his knees just don't hold up anymore, he wants someone to pay for it...

There is nothing gut wrenching about that to me...

Tell me the story about the people who adopted a infant, crackhead baby and 4 years later they're bankrupt cuz of unexpected and uncovered medical bills from the child.... I sent those guys $100 after seeing that story on 60 minutes...

 

[State Of Affairs]

I read the article. My response is meant for those who seem to think that NFL players knowing the risk shouldnt be covered by workers comp laws simply because they make lot of money and know there is risk of injury. However this argument is inconsistent with existing workers comp laws.

The reason I said read it is because too many arguments and seemingly yours also, are talking like "the system" is screwing the players when in reality, the players are trying to work the system and then screaming "poor me" when they get rejected...

Essentially, when a player is injured, lets say he blows out a knee, he gets medical treatment until the injury is completely recovered then he goes on to play and eventually retires our doesn't make a team.... Then 15 years later, he tries to file a workers comp claim because he needs a new knee or is having tons of pain... That's why they're getting rejected...

This is where I have problems... You abuse something, in this case your body, and then when it turns out bad, you blame everyone else.... Poor me poor me!!

I'm a huge take responsibility for your actions guy and get lots of thumbs down cuz this country is now a huge "everyone else is responsible" country

 

[Randy Jones]

The reason I said read it is because too many arguments and seemingly yours also, are talking like "the system" is screwing the players when in reality, the players are trying to work the system and then screaming "poor me" when they get rejected...

Essentially, when a player is injured, lets say he blows out a knee, he gets medical treatment until the injury is completely recovered then he goes on to play and eventually retires our doesn't make a team.... Then 15 years later, he tries to file a workers comp claim because he needs a new knee or is having tons of pain... That's why they're getting rejected...

This is where I have problems... You abuse something, in this case your body, and then when it turns out bad, you blame everyone else.... Poor me poor me!!

I'm a huge take responsibility for your actions guy and get lots of thumbs down cuz this country is now a huge "everyone else is responsible" country

The system should weed out the abusers. I am neither for the employee nor for the employer. There were some posters who based their whole argument on the fact that the players were rich and knew better because of the risks.

My counter to this is there is a body of workers comp law at the state and federal level and the NFL is not exempt from workers comp anymore than any other employer just because playing the sport may result in injuries. There are a lot of professions were there is a high exposure to injury or illness and those employers are not exempt. Can we end this thread now?

 

[tak]

The landscaper who wears his knees out and suffers as he gets older; should he go to every homeowner whose yard he did and demand compensation? No because he already received it.QUOTE]
That is not a good example. The landscaper is usually self employed. A better example would be a soldier who voluntarily joins the Army knowing the risks of combat. He has an injury (injuries) in the preformance of his duites and encounters lingering problems with that injury or injuries many years down the road for one of many reasons.

Generally speaking, both employee and employer are well aware of the risks and there are implicit obligations on the part of the employer to take care of the employee upon whom the employer benefited from his services. I would have thought there would have been a contractural obligation to provide this type of benefit. It mentions in the article that health benefits runout after 4 years, but it is very unclear about the obligations of workers' comp. The article also makes it sound as if the NFL and teams are deliberately obstructing these cases.

If this instance, is combined with the head trauma issues, I would think the NFL would come up with a program to address long term health issues related to playing football and let it quietly go away. The PR damage is costing them more than such a program would.

I disagree. They like landscapers work on several lawns often for several different owners lol. The point remains that it should not be anyone's responsibility when someone knowingly accepts a risk in order to receive a benefit. It's a basic principle of personal responsibility and consequence. If it is agreed on by both parties that there will be compensation for the risks after the work then that's entirely different. That's contractual obligation. Otherwise you can't kick and scream when you step in poop after joining the rodeo.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

I disagree. They like landscapers work on several lawns often for several different owners lol. The point remains that it should not be anyone's responsibility when someone knowingly accepts a risk in order to receive a benefit. It's a basic principle of personal responsibility and consequence. If it is agreed on by both parties that there will be compensation for the risks after the work then that's entirely different. That's contractual obligation. Otherwise you can't kick and scream when you step in poop after joining the rodeo.

After telling this story, Jesus turned to the lawyer who had asked, "And who is my neighbor?" and said to him, "Now which of the three men that passed by was a neighbor to the injured man?" The lawyer was forced to admit that it was the Samaritan who treated the injured man as a neighbor, not his fellow Jews who did nothing to help. Jesus then said, "Yes, now go and do the same!"

hm

 

[SaintBrad]

LOL at comparing nfl players to soldiers.

1 fought for the government and country. The other played a game for a private billion dollar corporation.

This is ridiculous. Thus is why we have a judicial system. Sue the NFL, and call it good. Why someone believes its the governments job to pay em money is beyond me.

 

[Keto]

If they don't know the risks in 2013, then they're ignorant.

I can tell you from personal experience (I'm a physician) that the vast majority of adults are ignorant of the real risks of all kinds of activities. When I perform procedures that require informed consent, patients frequently under/overestimate various risks and frankly require a lot of hand-holding through the process.

It's asking a lot to expect a 21 year old to comprehend "hey, at 50, you might not be able to walk without a cane because of football."

 

[tak]

hm

Quote:
After telling this story, Jesus turned to the lawyer who had asked, "And who is my neighbor?" and said to him, "Now which of the three men that passed by was a neighbor to the injured man?" The lawyer was forced to admit that it was the Samaritan who treated the injured man as a neighbor, not his fellow Jews who did nothing to help. Jesus then said, "Yes, now go and do the same!"

Great scripture! If you read into the entire text here and in a lot of of Jesus' teachings you will find that He is calling each of us to "individually" make a personal heartfelt loving decision to help our neighbor. Not an organization or government that lays down mandates forcing people to help. He also teaches us responsibility. You never see where He tells us to demand or force help from those who can help. Freewill. It is our job as neighbors/families to love one another. Sometimes love means not being an enabler. Sometimes it means helping. It depends on the situation. A helping hand is far more effective than a forced cold hard check. A helping hand can restore dignity, self worth, confidence, etc.

I think that the more recent players could voluntarily help these retirees out with their time and money. Perhaps this would provoke the current generation to lend more thought to planning for their future and cultivating selflessness.

 

[Optimus Prime]

from todays post
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By late next week, every NFL team will be in training camp. Preseason games start in less than three weeks, and the league’s regular season kicks off in early September. Football is almost back, which is great news for fans.

But anyone who has been reading The Post’s compelling series on NFL injuries, “Do No Harm,” might struggle to look at the game the same way as players get back on the field. My colleagues Rick Maese and Sally Jenkins recently revealed details about the NFL’s warped medical culture. Players rely on pain killers to stay in the game, team medical personnel utilize questionable short-term cures to get their patients back on the field and former players often are unable to afford the staggering costs of medical care. The NFL’s insufficient support for its alumni is the most troubling issue.

The league has fallen embarrassingly short in addressing the football-related medical problems many players face years after retirement. The NFL has become professional sports’ biggest moneymaker, and owners should do whatever is necessary to provide players and former players with the best medical care later in life. For the NFL, substantially increasing its financial commitment for the health care of retirees — and making it easier for former players to receive benefits — is the right thing to do. And in the long run, it would also make good business sense...................

NFL needs to use its dominant status to take care of players who helped build it - The Washington Post

 

[Optimus Prime]

That knee is horrible
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The story, which is a great read and worth the time if you have any compassion for the men who entertain us on Sundays in the fall, details the difficulty Williams has in his day-to-day life.

He hasn't had a meal at home in more than two years because he can't be on his feet very long to cook, the Enquirer said. His house during the summer is between 85 and 90 degrees because he can't use air conditioning, or his knee feels worse. .........

Y! SPORTS