Concussion Lawsuit Tracker Update: 23 & 24
Updated February 6 at 7:49 am
But wait, there’s more! On Friday, I received a press release (below) from the Locks Law firm. The Locks Law Firm has filed two additional lawsuits against the NFL. The first suit is Ashley Lelie et al v. NFL and the second suit is Britt Hager et al v. NFL, the suits are identical, asserting seven counts against the NFL: 1) declaratory relief, 2) conspiracy to defraud, 3) fraudulent concealment, 4) fraud, 5) negligent misrepresentation, 6) negligence and 7) loss of consortium on behalf of the players’ wives.
The Locks Law Firm has filed four lawsuits against the NFL: three mass torts and one class action, representing more than fifty former players and their wives.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Running Back Leroy Kelly
and Nine Former Philadelphia Eagles Join Locks Law Firm Brain Injury Suit Against NFL
Two Additional Suits Filed for 50 Players with Concussions
Philadelphia – Feb. 3, 2012 – Locks Law Firm attorneys Gene Locks, Michael Leh and David Langfitt today filed two additional lawsuits in Philadelphia against the NFL on behalf of 50 former NFL players. The first suit includes eight former players and five spouses, and the second suit includes 42 former players and 23 spouses. The named players include Leroy Kelly, a Hall of Fame running back, and former Philadelphia Eagles Britt Hager and Keith Byars.
The suit charges that the NFL and other defendants intentionally and fraudulently misrepresented and/or concealed medical evidence about the short and long-term risks regarding repetitive traumatic brain injury and concussions and failed to warn players that they risked permanent brain damage if they returned to play too soon after sustaining a concussion.
“The NFL knew about the debilitating and permanent effects of head injuries and concussions that regularly occur among professional players, yet ignored and actively concealed the risks,” said Locks. “And these players’ problems don’t just impact themselves — they affect their wives, their children and their families as well as their ability to earn a living because many are nowhere close to being able to retire.”
The suit filed by Locks Law attorneys Gene Locks, Michael Leh and David Langfitt charges that the NFL voluntarily joined the scientific research as well as public and private discussions regarding the relationship between concussions and brain impairment when it created the Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) Committee in 1994. Rather than naming a noted neurologist to chair this committee, it appointed Dr. Elliott Pellman, a rheumatologist who was a paid physician and trainer for the New York Jets, a conflict of interest, and had training in the treatment of joints and muscles, not head injuries. While the committee was established with the stated purpose of researching and lessening the impact of concussions on NFL players, it failed to inform them of the true risks associated with head trauma.
“This suit is about what’s fair. The NFL needs to have these veteran players tested, and provide treatment and compensation to these heroes for the brain damage they sustained during their professional careers,” said Locks.
The suit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. It seeks medical monitoring, compensation, and financial recovery for the short-term, long-term, and chronic injuries, financial and intangible losses, and expenses for the individual former and present NFL players and their spouses.
Lawsuit total:
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
Fred Barnett et al v. NFL (Feb. 2) E.D. Penn
Ashley Lelie et al v. NFL (Feb. 3) E.D. Penn
Britt Hager et al v. NFL (Feb. 3) E.D. Penn
As a high school icaifofl I have seen the evolution of concern over concussions, and rightly so over the last several years. A release was just sent out 2 days ago by the PIAA, the governing body for school sports in PA. It itemized the rules to be followed if an athlete shows any signs of concussion at all. He/she may not re-enter the game unless a doctor (not a trainer) is on staff at the game and authorizes it. In other words that athlete is pretty much done if the the icaifofl feels so. I believe this is the right approach. In my 39 years of officiating I’ve seen some serious head injuries that were not treated with the same caution and could have resulted in tragedies. When I was a football player years ago I suffered several concussions, and went back in the game. I remember that feeling, and it was very unpleasant, but I did what the coach told me to do. This is why informed adults need to be in charge of situations like this, because the athletes will do whatever the coach instructs.