The legal fight over head injuries in football has made its way to the high school arena -- and is heading to court . A former Illinois high school football player has filed a class-action lawsuit against the Illinois High School Association over concussions protocols and management . `` It 's the first-ever class action filed against a state high school association , '' said attorney Joseph Siprut , who filed on behalf of 29-year-old Daniel Bukal . Siprut also is the attorney who filed the class action against the NCAA over concussions -- the one that has reached a preliminary settlement with the NCAA that could change the rules of the college game if it 's approved by a judge . `` Our goal is to bring the fight to the high school level , '' Siprut said . Lawsuits already exist that seek damages from the NCAA and NFL over how concussions are handled in college and pro ball . But neurosurgeons say that adolescent head injuries can be the most damaging , since they happen during a crucial developmental period . While the high school suit is , right now , only filed in Illinois , Siprut said the goal is to sue every state high school athletic association in the country , changing the rules in each state to make the game safer . Bukal , who attended Notre Dame College Prep in Illinois from 1999 to 2003 , had many concussions during his high school career , the lawsuit said , but was never educated on the effects or the risks . More than 10 years later , he still suffers from migraines and memory loss , his lawsuit says . The suit alleges that the IHSA has failed young athletes because it `` does not mandate specific guidelines or rules on managing student-athlete concussions and head injuries , '' and `` fails to mandate the removal of athletes who have appeared to suffer in practice ( as opposed to games ) . '' It also does not have baseline testing , and does have medical staff with concussion training present at games , the suit says . A spokesman for IHSA , which is a not-for-profit that regulates high school sports in the state , told CNN Monday that the suit was filed Saturday as the state 's championship games were being played . The spokesman , Matt Troha , assistant executive director , provided CNN with a statement released on Saturday by IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman . `` We will review the contents of the lawsuit in the coming days and comment if and when it is appropriate , '' Hickman said in the statement . `` Student-athlete risk minimization , especially as it relates to concussion management in high school football , is and remains a top priority of the IHSA . We believe that the IHSA , in working with national partners like the NFHS ( National Federation of State High School Associations ) , has and will continue to be a leader in this area . '' Bringing the legal fight to the high school level was almost inevitable . Similar lawsuits have been filed at the college and pro sport level , but both have met controversy . The NCAA suit , which is awaiting a judge 's ruling on a $ 75 million settlement , is opposed by many NCAA critics who say it does n't go far enough and does n't directly benefit any of the players who have been injured . The $ 75 million would go to screening and research and lawyer fees , but not the players . `` The players are being sold out for $ 15 million in legal fees and the NCAA could n't be happier , '' said Ramogi Huma , president of the National College Players Association . He says the NCAA settlement did n't address enough key issues that lead to head trauma , like the number of contact practices each season . In pro football , an initial $ 765 million settlement was rejected by a federal judge , and then accepted later when the NFL agreed to put no cap on the monetary awards for thousands of former NFL players who have sued the league over injuries .
Daniel Bukal had many concussions as a high school football player , a lawsuit says . The 29-year-old still suffers from migraines and memory loss , the suit says . Attorneys have filed a class-action suit on his behelf and high school players in Illinois . Comment: