With the recent $765 million brain injury settlement against the National Football League, many likely figured it was only a matter of time until a similar lawsuit was filed by former professional hockey players against the National Hockey League. Earlier this week that happened. A class action lawsuit was filed by several former professional players alleging that the NHL did not take steps to protect its players from brain injuries such as concussions. Since the initial filing the number of players involved in the lawsuit has grown.
The lawsuit accuses the NHL of many things including:
- Ignoring the dangers of concussions.
- Failing to address the issue of brain injuries.
- Refusing to amend rules to protect players.
In addition to seeking an unspecified amount of damages, players are also seeking medical monitoring.
Concussions and brain injuries are suffered by residents of Allegheny County on a regular basis. While they may be incurred in the course of playing a sport, there are a variety of other situations in which they could occur. In addition to workplace accidents it is possible a brain injury could be suffered in an incident such as a motor vehicle accident.
Whatever the setting in which a concussion or brain injury is inflicted, it is possible that under certain circumstances a personal injury lawsuit may be viable. These lawsuits are commonly filed when another person's negligence causes the injury inducing accident to occur. Though most would prefer to avoid a brain injury altogether, when they do occur, a favorable result in a civil lawsuit often makes the injury easier to handle.
Source: Bleacher Report, "NHL Sued by Former Players over Concussions," Tim Keeney, Nov. 25, 2013