The death of Ray Easterling, a former Atlanta Falcon player and lead plaintiff in the NFL concussion lawsuit, has not only saddened friends, family and fans, but may also change the state of the personal injury lawsuit filed against the football organization.

According to a Philadelphia attorney, because of Eastertling’s death, which police have stated was from a self-inflicted gun shot wound, the lawsuit may change from a personal injury case to a wrongful death lawsuit.

Sources close to Easterling in the past six months have stated that the 62-year-old was having a difficult time mentally. Sixty-one lawsuits have been filed against the NFL that allege that the league was careless and negligent when treating players with concussions and this caused the players to suffer from long-term brain damage.