Updated 1-26-12 at 1:00 pm<\/p>\n
Get ready, your head is about to start spinning trying to keep up with all of these lawsuits.<\/p>\n
Four more lawsuits were filed against the NFL: Joel Steed v. NFL;\u00a0Rob Johnson, et al v. NFL<\/em>;\u00a0Steve Wallace, et al v. NFL;\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Shawn Wooden & Ryan Fowler v. NFL<\/em>. Steed<\/em>\u00a0was filed in the Central District of California,\u00a0Johnson<\/em> and Wallace<\/em>\u00a0were filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the\u00a0Wooden<\/em>\u00a0class action was filed in the Southern District of Florida. These lawsuits will be consolidated with the other 17, bringing the total lawsuits to 21.<\/p>\n The Steed <\/em>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 <\/em>suit below, save the loss of consortium.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Johnson<\/em>\u00a0lawsuit was filed by the Locks Law Firm, the same firm representing the\u00a0Ron Solt et al plaintiffs.<\/em>\u00a0Instead of a class action, the\u00a0Johnson<\/em>lawsuit is a mass tort suit.<\/p>\n The Wallace<\/em>\u00a0lawsuit 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\u2019 wives.<\/p>\n By including Riddell Helmets as a defendant, this may thwart Riddells\u2019 chance of not being included in the MDL: NFL Concussion Injury Litigation. Five of the 21 lawsuits name Riddell Helmets as a defendant.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Wooden<\/em>\u00a0suit is a class action and seeks medical monitoring. The\u00a0Wooden<\/em>\u00a0plaintiffs are represented by Podhurst Orseck, the same law firm representing the\u00a0Jones\u00a0<\/em>plaintiffs. The putative class seeks to represent,<\/p>\n 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.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n 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.<\/p>\n Easterling v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Aug. 17) E.D. Penn<\/p>\n Pear v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Oct. 11) CA<\/p>\n Barnes v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/em>(Oct. 11) CA<\/p>\n Maxwell v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/em>(Oct. 11) CA<\/p>\n Hardman v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Oct. 13; voluntarily dismissed)<\/p>\n Finn v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Dec. 5) NJ<\/p>\n Jacobs v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Dec. 20) NY-Manhattan<\/p>\n Levens v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Dec. 21) ATL<\/p>\n Lewis v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Dec. 21) ATL<\/p>\n Stewart v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Dec. 21) ATL<\/p>\n Kuykendall v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Dec. 21) ATL<\/p>\n Jones v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Dec. 22) MIA<\/p>\n Rucker v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Dec. 27) NY<\/p>\n Boyd v. NFL\u00a0<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/em>(Jan. 9) E.D. Penn<\/p>\n Dronett v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Jan. 9) ATL<\/p>\n Austin v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Jan. 9) ATL<\/p>\n Ron Solt v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Jan.18) E.D. Penn<\/p>\n Joel Steed v. NFL<\/a> (Jan. 19) CA<\/p>\n Andrew Glover v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Jan. 19) E.D. Penn<\/p>\n Rob Johnson v. NFL<\/a><\/em>\u00a0(Jan. 20) E.D. Penn<\/p>\n Steve Wallace v. NFL<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Jan. 23) E.D. Penn<\/p>\n