Wartezimmer » Green Bay after being claimed off waivers from S

A former NFL player who suffered what the league deemed a career-ending concussion has sued insurer Lloyds of London for denying a $1 million insurance policy for professional athletes.The lawsuit, filed this week in North Carolina, could become a test case for insurers dealing with the emerging fallout from sports concussions and head trauma claims.The NFL declared former Carolina Panthers defensive back Haruki Nakamura fully and permanently disabled after the August 2013 concussion he received in a preseason game, awarding him monthly benefits.Lloyds medical expert ruled in 2015 that Nakamura could return to play. Its doctor thought that he was exaggerating his symptoms and that earlier concussions in college contributed to his condition. Still, the doctor cautioned him to consider the probable long-term effects of repetitive concussions before returning to the NFL, according to the lawsuit, filed Monday in Mecklenburg County.Nakamura, 30, said he already suffers from headaches, vision problems, fatigue, depression and suicidal thoughts.A U.S. Lloyds spokeswoman, Lizzie Lowe, said the insurance consortium doesnt comment on pending litigation. A woman who worked on the case for Lloyds underwriter, Empirical Loss Management, declined to comment.Nakamura took a hit to the head making a tackle in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he was diagnosed with a concussion at a hospital. Citing a concussion, the Panthers released him five days later, the lawsuit said. He was later diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome by a sports concussion expert at the University of Pittsburgh.Nakamura had paid $17,000 a year for the Lloyds policy in 2012 and 2013, according to his lawyers, John W. Schryber and Julie L. Hammerman, who specialize in insurance policies for athletes. The lawyers said they have never had an insurer reject a policy after a doctor or the NFL judged a client to have a career-ending injury. But this is the first concussion claim they have filed under coverage for bodily injuries.And now theyre denying coverage altogether, Schryber said Wednesday. The point of going out and buying private insurance is to have a hedge against all of these other things that are outside of your control.Nakamura could seek an award under the NFLs planned $1 billion court settlement of concussion claims, though its unclear how he might fare. The settlement, which could roll out within the next year, is designed to cover more than 20,000 NFL retirees for the next 65 years.The league estimates that 6,000 former players, or nearly 3 in 10, could develop Alzheimers disease or moderate dementia that some experts link to concussions.Nakamura, an Ohio native, played for the Baltimore Ravens from 2008 to 2011 before joining the Panthers. He lives with his wife and two children in Mooresville, North Carolina. Shareef Miller Jersey . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. Reggie White Womens Jersey . 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Deep balls turned into game-changing plays.And in the backfield, a former receiver has turned into a breakaway threat on the ground.The Green Bay Packers have found offensive balance and more options for quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the teams late-season surge back into the playoff picture.That run the table comment that Rodgers made when the Packers were 4-6 -- referring to Green Bay needing to win its final six regular-season games -- isnt such a far-fetched idea after all.Obviously its a leap of faith, but also a feeling based on seeing these guys every single day, understanding how close I felt like we were to being a better offense, Rodgers said Tuesday.The passing game was already the strong point for the Packers (8-6), even before their current four-game win streak. The Packers relied on a quick-passing attack to receivers Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams and Randall Cobb to help compensate for an injury-riddled backfield and a foot injury to tight end Jared Cook.Slowly but surely, more threats are emerging, just in time for a game against Minnesotas tough defense coming up Christmas Eve at Lambeau Field.The Packers now have at least a couple of avenues to return to the playoffs for an eighth straight season, though the most direct road involves beating the Vikings to set up a winner-take-all showdown in Detroit for the NFC North on New Years Day against the Lions.If something else happens, then thats great, but were worried about this week and trying to get one more win and put ourselves in position to win the division, Nelson said.The Packers have hit on deep balls the last two weeks, with Adams snaring a 66-yard touchdown catch against Seattle before the Rodgers-to-Nelson bomb against the Bears that set up the winning field goal.The 6-foot-4 Cook is a matchup problem in coverage, as evidenced by his six catches for 85 yards on eight targets against Chicago.Ive talked about it since I got here, the fastest way to the end zone is throough the middle of the field, so the bigger target you have going down the field the better it is for your quarterback, coach Mike McCarthy said.dddddddddddd.In the backfield, after losing Eddie Lacy to a season-ending ankle injury in October, the Packers finally seemed to have found a lead back in the most unconventional of ways.Former receiver Ty Montgomery erased any lingering doubt that he was just a novelty after rushing for a career-high 162 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries against Chicago. McCarthy disclosed last week that Montgomery was now a full-time running back, and the Bears treated him as such in coverage -- a first for an opposing defense this year, Rodgers said.Behind Montgomery, Christine Michael also appears to be settling in with Green Bay after being claimed off waivers from Seattle last month. Montgomery and Michael provided a one-two backfield punch against Chicago that the Packers havent had since Lacy and James Starks were healthy at the start of the season.The added diversity on offense comes at just the right time, too, with Rodgers working through calf and hamstring injuries.Even then, Rodgers arm remains sharp, even if his mobility might be limited.I felt like regardless of how our defense was playing, if we could set the tone offensively ... it would help out the defense, Rodgers said about his run the table comment. Give them a little confidence when they took they field that theyre not behind or against the field position every single time, as they were many times in that four-game stretch.Game notes The Packers didnt practice Tuesday. Rodgers said he expected to be limited when practice resumed Wednesday. ... McCarthy was hopeful that LB Nick Perry (hand) could practice on Wednesday. Perry, who leads the team with eight sacks, has missed the last two games.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '