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.
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)
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.
Ban helmets. Then they will take better care of their heads.
Wouldn’t the NFL have in place an ironclad contract that all players would sign that exempts the NFL from this type of lawsuit? Professional Football is dangerous, at best with 300+ pound players looking to bring you down hard.
Next, boxing?
Assumption of the risk.
Here’s a question I’d love to ask to any Seau family member while they were on the witness stand:
“Let’s say a genie had appeared to Junior Seau when he was a senior at the University of Southern California and said ‘Junior, if you stay with football, you will play 20 seasons in the NFL. You will make the Pro Bowl 12 times and be one of the greatest linebackers in the history of the game. You will make millions of dollars and have everything you want. The downside is you will die at age 43. Alternatively, you can do some other career—construction, maybe—and live a modest lifestyle and a normal lifespan.’ What would Junior have said? Remember you are under oath.”
Football is a game of hard knocks and hits. Everyone knows that going in. To come back later and complain about it is just wrong! Not a single one of these players would have said they didn’t want too play because it is possible they may end up with brain injuries. They did it for the money, fame, and how it made them feel.
Maybe they can countersue on behalf of all of those who he gave concussions to.