(Bloomberg) — The National Football League won preliminaryapproval of a settlement worth at least $675 million resolvingex-players' claims that officials failed to warn them about linksbetween concussions and brain injuries.

U.S. District Judge Anita Brody in Philadelphia today concludedthe NFL's willingness to create an uncapped settlement fund tocover retired players' medical costs from dementia and otherneurological disorders tied to repeated concussions deservedinitial approval. The judge set a Nov. 19 hearing to decide onfinal approval of the deal.

“The proposed class-action settlement should more quickly makeresources and compensation available for these retired players,”Brody said in her ruling.

The preliminary approval of the accord comes after seven formerplayers last week filed objections to the settlement. The objectorsincluded Sean Considine, a strong safety who played for thePhiladelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens during his career.

More than 5,000 former football players sued the league over thepast several years seeking damages for head injuries. The retireesaccused the NFL of negligence and failing to properly warn playersabout the link between repeated traumatic head impacts andlong-term brain injuries.

Brody rejected an earlier version of the settlement, citingconcerns that it might have been insufficient to cover about 20,000retired players over a 65-year term. She asked for moredocumentation, including economic analyses conducted by plaintiffs'attorneys.

Cap Lifted

NFL officials agreed last month to lift a cap on cash awards toplayers for brain-related ailments to address Brody's concerns.

The NFL will work with the players' lawyers to implement theterms of the settlement as provided by the judge's order, BrianMcCarthy, a spokesman for the league, said in an e-mailedstatement.

Lawyers for retired players who sued the league over theconcussion issues said today the deal has received “overwhelmingsupport” from former members of the league.

“This is an extraordinary settlement for retired NFL players andtheir families,” Chris Seeger, one of the lawyers leading theconcussion suits, said in an e-mailed statement. “We look forwardto finalizing this agreement.”

The case is In re National Football League Players' ConcussionInjury Litigation, 12-md-02323, U.S. District Court, EasternDistrict of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia).

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