A unified lawsuit on behalf of more than 2,000 National Football League players has been filed against the league in federal court, alleging that the NFL failed to acknowledge and address neurological risks associated with the sport and then deliberately failed to tell players about the risks they faced, according to attorneys representing former players.
The complaint, filed in federal court in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, unites the more than 80 pending lawsuits filed against the NFL.
“I firmly believe the NFL could have and should have done more to protect Ray. That’s why I am seeking to hold the NFL accountable,” Mary Ann Easterling, widow of former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling, who committed suicide in April after suffering for years from dementia, said in a press release. “Having lived through Ray’s struggle, I desperately hope and pray others can be spared the pain and suffering we have endured – and still endure every day.”
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy acknowledged the filing, but added that there was nothing new to the claim other than that it merges them all in one place.
"Our legal team will review today's filing that is intended to consolidate plaintiffs' existing claims into one "master" complaint," he said. "The NFL has long made player safety a priority and continues to do so. Any allegation that the NFL sought to mislead players has no merit. It stands in contrast to the league's many actions to better protect players and advance the science and medical understanding of the management and treatment of concussions."
However, many NFL players have claimed they suffer from a variety of injuries because of concussions without really knowing the severity of how badly they could be hurt playing the game.
“The NFL must open its eyes to the consequences of its actions,” Kevin Turner, a former running back for the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles who has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, said in a press release. “The NFL has the power not only to give former players the care they deserve, but also to ensure that future generations of football players do not suffer the way that many in my generation have.”
Lawyers representing the NFL players cited "dementia, depression, reduced cognitive ability, sleeplessness, early-onset Alzheimer’s, and a debilitating and latent disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy" as some of the specific injuries caused by head trauma in the NFL.
“Instead of protecting the health of its players, the NFL’s response to this epidemic of brain injuries was to engage in a campaign of deceit and deception, actively concealing the risks players faced from repetitive impacts,” Christopher Seeger and Sol Weiss, co-lead counsels for the former NFL players, said in a press release. “This case is about providing security and care to former NFL players who have suffered these devastating neurologic injuries, and making the game safer for generations to come.”
Read more about the NFL's concussion problem:
NFL to require sideline test after head blows
Former NFL players: League concealed concussion risks
Film aims to show football's culture of playing despite concussions
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This just in. The 2013 NFL season will be two hand touch. . .
my thoughts exactly, pretty soon football won't be worth watching
News flash – football is about bodily contact. Will Pitchers next sue the MLB for elbow and shoulder injuries? Paleez.
And batters will sue because they were 'unaware' they could get beaned by the ball.
Let me guess- 2000 former players who were either nobodies or were somebodies that are now broke? Come on. Do you hear stuntmen complaining that nobody told them they could get burned from setting themselves on fire?
How about armed forces that get blown up and shot at everyday for peanuts? If the players win this lawsuit, I will quit watching football.
Hope it brings down the whole business so that a new football league will appear
How can you say this is a hidden shame. really.
dont know what to say
Oh I see, getting paid millions of dollars a year to play football is not enough compensation? You expect it to be risk free too?!
If you use the computer too much, you are bound to get carpal tunnel. The same goes for taking violent forces to the head, I thought this was common sense.
This reminds me of the woman who sued McDonalds because their coffee was hot.
Actually, I think the hot coffee woman had more right to sue. At least it was a surprise that her coffee was that hot. These guys knew what they were getting into way in advance and still cry about it. Next up: boxers complain about broken noses and long term brain damage? "I thought Mohammed Ali was just born stupid, I didn't know it was brain damage." boxers claim.
Although, I believe the NFL has been negligent in taking care of ex-players financially and medically, I don't understand how they withheld findings of what impact playing football had on players back in the day. Were they anymore "in the know" than the players themselves were back then??? It's football, everyone knows and knew the risks. Did they conduct studies back in the day? Or have some medical facts that stated this is wrong and "were not going to tell the players"? I'm not sure there's a case here
Did these players not realize they were playing in the NFL? This is a worse lawsuit than the woman with the hot coffee!
They should have told us that running into each other at full speed could cause some damage. Oh, and we don't already have enough money so give us some more. Rediculous what we can sue over. This case should be thrown out and the lawyers disbarred.
So these guys hoped to become millionaires by playing pro ball and now that they haven't are going to sue? The American way! If you don't want to get hurt, don't play ball!
Lets turn football into Flag Football. These players knew going into the game that it was a CONTACT sport. That get paid millions. They chose to play for the money. Next we are going to have non contact footbal.
Football is a game that has tackles being legal. Who isn't aware that head injuries are common to that activity.