A Florida law firm that represents hundreds of former NFL players who have tapped into and are applying to the league’s $1 billion-plus concussion settlement forged medical records, influenced medical decisions and inflated costs, an audit of the claims process found.
“Upon thorough review, the special masters agree with the claims administrator (audit) that there is compelling evidence indicating that Howard & Associates and related parties manipulated the medical examination process and medical records in ways that has the potential to affect whether settlement class members qualify for a monetary award,” special master David Hoffman and a colleague wrote in a Jan. 22 report to the federal court overseeing the settlement.
As a result, the special masters ruled all pending claims by any member of the settlement suit represented by Howard & Associates would be audited. The firm currently represents 216 settlement class members.