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
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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That is just wrong. I say revoke their original school scholarships.
Did you hear – sticking a fork in a live electric socket is dangerous. Who knew? This all just prooves what we learned in high school-jocks are as stupid as the day is long.
Ok boys and girls, what's wrong with this picture? You're issued padding and a helmet. Why? Because it's a CONTACT sport. Are these 200 players so frigging stupid that they can't figure that out? Are they so stupid they can't comprehend what they're putting their bodies through. I think the people who should be sued for not wearing proper protection during a contact "sport" are their parents. Now, go sit down and relax. You know how you get when you don't take your Haldol.
I agree with most in this thread. As with anything in life, it is up to the individual to do their due diligence in determing the safety of any act.
Can a boxer sue for not knowing the impacts of getting punched repeatedly? Or my personal favorite, suing your local fast good chain for not knowing that over consumption would have health risks. Cases like this are a waste and should be thrown out under the bases of "common sense"
I agree absolutely! This ranks right up there with smokers suing tobacco companies because they have lung diseases!
Isn't this why the base salary is 390,000 a year to play a game? They should be talking about less padding instead of why running as fast as you can into something into your head is bad.
This is the exact reason why Roger Goodell has had to make this into the No Hit League. To protect the league and owners against future lawsuits. The ex-players involved in this lawsuit are ruining the game. Just because they have all went bankrupt and need cash. This is nothing more than cash grab and everyone involved should be ashamed of what they are doing to the game and the current and future players.
Here's hoping they win and drive the NFL into bankruptcy. Oh, wait...
My mother-in-law has dementia... and she never played football. So I don't know how one can correlate that football causes dementia!!
Uh, I wonder why they are required to put helmets on...maybe because there is risk of HEAD INJURY? Wow.
This would be like a cop who gets shot in the leg suing the city for negligence. You know the risks going in, gotta take the good with the bad.
The people who should be most worried are the colleges, as they have millions of former players who while being an important part of the fundraising never made a dime from their participation. I'd bet money that some lawyers are even cold calling old 'big 10' rosters this very day.
Who would have guessed ramming your head into things could be bad? God protects you by giving you nerve endings that tell you not to do that with your head, a helmet changes that. Get rid of helmets or use ones that give feedback on the hit. Rugby is a tougher sport and they don't have near the problem because they play without armor.
Non-contact ping pong will fill Cowboy Stadium.
I knew in high school that football was a dangerous sport. I knew in college that fooball was a dangerous sport.
What a bunch of idiots to blame others for their seeking fame and fortune and risking injury.
Toss this law suit, judge.
Kinda like smokers suing big tobacco...
Wow. They are going to have to prove that the football players were so stupid that they didnt know that playing footbal with 300-pound mokeys is dangerous first.
Oh wait....
Maybe they should try suing the companies that make helmets for making a product that allows them to hurt themselves without feeling it like they should.
Or maybe they should accept the risks of the career they chose. I mean sure, they could have become doctors or lawyers or president of the United States, but they would have made less.