The effects of brain injuries on their victims can be hard to fathom. The signs of the damage may not be evident for years. Attorneys in California with particular experience in dealing with these kinds of cases know, though, that the results can be devastating and can include loss of memory or physical ability. Blood vessels in the brain can burst. Brain injury can result in violent mood swings, affecting relationships with family and friends.

A brain injury can happen in many different ways. The sudden trauma suffered in vehicle crashes is horrible, of course. But perhaps more diabolical is a form of trauma that is only now starting to garner public attention. It's the type that showing up in professional athletes, especially football and hockey players, caused by their taking repeated hard hits to the head over years of play.

At least 11 lawsuits on behalf of hundreds of players are now on the dockets of courts across the United States. They've been brought by former National Football League players and others who claim that they are brain damaged as a result of concussions in action. At least one of the suits alleges that the NFL knew as long ago as the 1920s about the harm that repeated concussions can do, but that it kept quiet about it until 2010.

The latest suit was registered this week in Philadelphia by former Eagles players Ron Solt, Joe Panos and Rich Miano and four other players and four spouses. It accuses the NFL of mounting a conspiracy to keep information about concussion damage under wraps. It says that rather than warn players, the league told them that concussions don't have life-altering risks. They want $75,000 per person.

This is the third suit filed in Philadelphia. Courts in New York, New Jersey, Georgia and Florida have recorded eight others. All told, the suits seek damages in the millions of dollars.

The latest suit comes as federal courts are getting to set whether to consolidate the myriad cases. That decision is expected next week sometime.

Source: AP, Foxnews.com, "More retired players join NFL concussion lawsuits," Jan. 19, 2012