NFL Concussion Lawsuit Tracker

Updated 1-26-12 at 1:00 pm

Get ready, your head is about to start spinning trying to keep up with all of these lawsuits.

Four more lawsuits were filed against the NFL: Joel Steed v. NFL; Rob Johnson, et al v. NFL; Steve Wallace, et al v. NFL; and Shawn Wooden & Ryan Fowler v. NFL. Steed was filed in the Central District of California, Johnson and Wallace were filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Wooden class action was filed in the Southern District of Florida. These lawsuits will be consolidated with the other 17, bringing the total lawsuits to 21.

The Steed lawsuit was filed by Rose Klein & Marias, and names additional defendants, Riddell Helmets and John Does 1 through 10. It asserts nearly the same claims as the Wallace suit below, save the loss of consortium.

The Johnson lawsuit was filed by the Locks Law Firm, the same firm representing the Ron Solt et al plaintiffs. Instead of a class action, the Johnsonlawsuit is a mass tort suit.

The Wallace lawsuit is also a mass tort suit and includes plaintiffs throughout the nation, from Hawaii to Massachusetts. This lawsuit includes additional defendants Riddell Helmets (and its parent Corporation Easton-Bell Sports) and John Does 1 through 100. The lawsuit asserts twelve counts: negligence-monopolists (twice), negligence (against both NFL & Riddell), fraud, fraudulent concealment, strict liability (for design defect & manufacturing defect), conspiracy, negligent misrepresentation, failure to warn, and loss of consortium on behalf of the players’ wives.

By including Riddell Helmets as a defendant, this may thwart Riddells’ chance of not being included in the MDL: NFL Concussion Injury Litigation. Five of the 21 lawsuits name Riddell Helmets as a defendant.

The Wooden suit is a class action and seeks medical monitoring. The Wooden plaintiffs are represented by Podhurst Orseck, the same law firm representing the Jones plaintiffs. The putative class seeks to represent,

All retired NFL players who played prior to the 2010 NFL season and who, during their NFL careers, suffered a concussion and were returned to contact play within ten (10) days of having suffered the concussion, and who, as of the date of class certification, are neither (a) advancing an individual personal injury claim for money damages against the NFL, nor (b) a salaried employee of the NFL.

The Panel will hear oral arguments Thursday in Miami, Florida, to determine if an MDL is appropriate, and if all the lawsuits will be consolidated and transferred to Judge Anita Brody in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Easterling v. NFL (Aug. 17) E.D. Penn

Pear v. NFL (Oct. 11) CA

Barnes v. NFL (Oct. 11) CA

Maxwell v. NFL (Oct. 11) CA

Hardman v. NFL (Oct. 13; voluntarily dismissed)

Finn v. NFL (Dec. 5) NJ

Jacobs v. NFL (Dec. 20) NY-Manhattan

Levens v. NFL (Dec. 21) ATL

Lewis v. NFL (Dec. 21) ATL

Stewart v. NFL (Dec. 21) ATL

Kuykendall v. NFL (Dec. 21) ATL

Jones v. NFL (Dec. 22) MIA

Rucker v. NFL (Dec. 27) NY

Boyd v. NFL  (Jan. 9) E.D. Penn

Dronett v. NFL (Jan. 9) ATL

Austin v. NFL (Jan. 9) ATL

Ron Solt v. NFL (Jan.18) E.D. Penn

Joel Steed v. NFL (Jan. 19) CA

Andrew Glover v. NFL (Jan. 19) E.D. Penn

Rob Johnson v. NFL (Jan. 20) E.D. Penn

Steve Wallace v. NFL (Jan. 23) E.D. Penn

Shawn Wooden & Ryan Fowler v. NFL (Jan. 24) Miami