NFL under fire for helmet injuries
May 13, 2015On behalf of Terence Gross of Gross & Schuster, P.A. posted in Brain injury on Monday, April 22, 2013.
The civil suit against the National Football League regarding its misleading comments about helmet usage and safety is now in full swing. In a heated 45-minute hearing on April 9, attorneys for the plaintiffs and defendants presented initial arguments related to the personal injury and wrongful death claims. Although the league argues that the suits should be handled through an arbitrator because of labor claims, the plaintiffs could be permitted to sue the league for all 4,000 cases of head trauma in open court.
Football players involved in the suit contend they were never provided with information about their risk for serious head injuries during their time with the NFL. They also argue that the league knew the dangers involved with playing the sport but intentionally withheld the information in order to keep the sport alive.
The NFL is used to getting its way in the courtroom; with an estimated value of $9 billion, the organization can afford to hire all-star legal teams. Still, it appears the industry juggernaut may have a more difficult time proving its intent in this case.
Plaintiffs in the case, along with their relatives and attorneys, argue that the league was not only negligent, but also indifferent to the injuries that affected their players. NFL physicians also failed to diagnose or acknowledge the serious head injuries that were bound to cause continued health problems.
Individuals who have been injured because of the negligence of a sports oversight agency, be it Little League or the local soccer club, have legal rights to compensation to pay for their injuries. A qualified personal injury attorney can help those who are injured and their families get the financial compensation they deserve. They could receive redress for pain and suffering, emotional distress and a variety of other claims.
Source: The New York Times, “Crowded Courtroom for N.F.L Lawsuit,” Ken Belson & Jon Hurdle, April 9, 2013
