126 NFL Players Sue League for Head Injuries
If, in my youth, I was large enough, fast enough, and strong enough, I would have loved to play professional football. The money, ladies, and retirement at forty or so, what’s not to love?
I assume all of these players new the risks involved with the game, and they took those risks. Correct me if I am wrong, but this seems like a play for the lawyers and a little cash for the players. Please, tell me if I am seeing this wrong. Tell me that I am ignorant to the plight of the players, because right now, I don’t see it.
Mr. Rypien is the lead plaintiff in a mass-tort lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Taking part in the lawsuit are 126 former players, including 14 other ex-Redskins, as well as Tony Mandarich and Todd Marinovich.
The lawsuit alleges that the NFL was aware of the risks of repetitive traumatic brain injury but hid the information and misled players, resulting in permanent brain damage or neurological disorders.
“It’s scary the extent to which these guys have been hurt,” said Gene Locks, the plaintiffs’ lead attorney. “When we played football, broken bones, busted noses, tears of tissue were kind of expected. Nobody said you’d get a head injury. These injuries are insidious, they are latent, degenerative, and it gets worse and worse as you get older in certain players.”
According to the lawsuit, Mr. Rypien “suffers from various neurological conditions and symptoms related to the multiple head traumas.”
Read More:http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/27/rypien-lead-plaintiff-lawsuit-nfl-head-injuries/
2 thoughts on “126 NFL Players Sue League for Head Injuries”
I think it’s a matter of informed consent. IF the players were aware of the potential consequences THEN they could make an informed decision. However, if, as alleged, “the NFL was aware of the risks of repetitive traumatic brain injury but hid the information” then the players have a case.
It’s similar to the ongoing asbestos lawsuits. If the manufacturers were aware (or even should have been aware) of the dangers associated with asbestos, and withheld that information from their employees, then they should be held liable.
So it all comes down to that same old question: Who knew what, and when did they know it?
Yeah, I understand the argument, but I assume players in the 80’s and 90’s would have adequate information. I am a Jim McMahon fan and I have herad interviews about his problems with memory lapses and headaches. His beef is that he want’s some insurance help because his premiums are through the roof. I would think as wealthy as the NFL is they can help with premiums for former players insurance.
Suing the NFL seems like they are biting the hand that fed them, and fed them well. They were not installing asbestos, they were playing a violent game that has it’s risks.
The NFL will bvecome a shadow of itself because they will be installing new rules that keep players off the feild for a hangnail because they don’t want to be sued. The money the players get paid is reimbursement for that risk, IMHO. Thanks for the comment.