Posted on 01/23/2013 11:07:18 AM PST by ColdOne
The family of Junior Seau has sued the NFL, claiming the former linebacker's suicide was the result of brain disease caused by violent hits he sustained while playing football.
The wrongful death lawsuit, filed Wednesday in California Superior Court in San Diego, blames the NFL for its "acts or omissions" that hid the dangers of repetitive blows to the head. It says Seau
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I knew this was coming.
If the NFL doesn’t get on top of this, pronto, it’s doomed.
Aren’t there several thousand active litigations over brain injury and whatnot between former NFL players and the NFL?
Could this potentially shut down the NFL?
Repeated blows to the head can be bad for you? Who could have known?
If you are not bright enough to know repeated blows to the head are bad for you, then how can you tell it affected you at a later date?
Yeah, good luck with that. To win a case like this you’d have to show that:
1. The injury risks were greater than the average person could suspect
2. The NFL was aware of these greater risks
3. The NFL intentionally or negligently hid this information from the players
As noted upthread, who knew that repeated blows to the head could be dangerous? Well, that’s common sense — and it’s a risk that an average person should know about. This case is going to fail on point #1, without getting to #2 or #3.
The issue is whether the team doctors, etc., tell the players it’s ok to keep playing. (Among other issues).
Warning Labels were on football helmets before Seau was in the NFL.
If I wanna see blood I watch Ice hockey .
Never disappoints.
No, it just means a couple years of expensive legal wrangling, sitting through a lot of ridiculous news coverage and TV talking-heads, then some mult-billion dollar class-action settlement, 40% of which goes to lawyers. Then expect higher ticket prices and even more commercials during football games.
The beat goes on....
Guess they should have read the warning labels on helmets.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_the_warning_label_say_on_the_back_of_football_helmets
For Riddell helmets:
WARNING: NO HELMET CAN PREVENT SERIOUS HEAD OR NECK INJURIES A PLAYER MIGHT RECEIVE WHILE PARTICIPATING IN FOOTBALL. Do not use this helmet to butt, ram or spear an opposing player. This is in violation of the football rules and such use can result in severe head or neck injuries, paralysis or death to you and possible injury to your opponent. Contact in football may result in CONCUSSION-BRAIN INJURY which no helmet can prevent. Symptoms include: loss of consciousness or memory, dizziness, headache, nausea or confusion. If you have symptoms, immediately stop playing and report them to your coach, trainer and parents. Do not return to a game or practice until all symptoms are gone and you have received medical clearance. Ignoring this warning may lead to another and more serious or fatal brain injury.
For Schutt helmets:
WARNING: Keep your head up. Do not butt, ram, spear, or strike an opponent with any part of this helmet or face guard. This is a violation of football rules and may cause you to suffer severe brain or neck injury, including paralysis or death and possible injury to your opponent. Contact in football may result in Concussion/Brain injury which no helmet can prevent. Symptoms include: loss of consciousness or memory, dizziness, headache, nausea, or confusion. If you have symptoms, immediately stop and report them to your coach, trainer, and parents. Do not return to a game or contact until all symptoms are gone and you receive medical clearance. Ignoring this warning may lead to another and more serious or fatal brain injury. NO HELMET SYSTEM CAN PROTECT YOU FROM SERIOUS BRAIN AND/OR NECK INJURIES INCLUDING PARALYSIS OR DEATH. TO AVOID THESE RISKS, DO NOT ENGAGE IN THE SPORT OF FOOTBALL.
Latest issue of Rolling Stone has a piece on “This is your brain on football”. Very telling about youth and brain problems and by the time they get to the NFL, very serious. (FWIW)
Just like oil field workers, rig workers, merchant marines, etc., it’s a hazard of the job. You sign a contract for many multiples per year of what I’ll bring home in my LIFE, you are going to take some risks.
Should be dismissed, completely frivolous lawsuit.
/And I’m a HUGE Chargers fan, and Seau fan.
I agree.... Give it 10-15 years?
When will California ban FB all together?
I forgot the SARC tag.
I would think the NFL could argue that a doc can only make a diagnosis for an “in-the-moment” time period. He can’t see cumulative unless a full suite of mri/xray/ctscan diagnostics had been done.
Didn’t see that coming... pffft.
Doctors have known for years that repeated blows to the head can cause brain trauma and dementia later in life, mostly for their experience with boxers. They even have a medical term for it. I think its something like “Pugilista dementia.” Most people just call it being “punch drunk” or “punchy”. Those football players knew the risks going in.
The only question is, will the fat-ass owners sitting on their artificially-generated monopoly see the rocks before the ship hits?
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