Hausfeld LLP has filed a mass personal injury lawsuit on behalf of 106 retired football players against the NFL in Philadelphia federal court (Case No. 12cv0092).
Among the plaintiffs are three Hall of Famers — Lem Barney (Detroit Lions), Joe DeLamielleure (Buffalo Bills), and Paul Krause (Minnesota Vikings).
The complaint alleges that the players suffered repeated head impacts and concussions during the years they played football, and consequently now face neurological disorders and other injuries, such as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.
They further allege that the NFL has long been aware of the serious risks to football players from head impacts, but chose instead to minimize and downplay the scientific evidence acknowledging the risks.
“As the NFL prepares for the Super Bowl, it has forgotten about the legacy of its former players, many of whom built the league and are now suffering from the devastating consequences of on-field head injuries,” said Richard Lewis, a partner at Hausfeld LLP, in a statement. “The NFL needs to step up, do the right thing, and compensate the injured retirees who made the game what it is today.”
This is not the first time that Hausfeld LLP has sued the NFL. The firm has also represented retired football players in their lawsuit against the league over the use of their images and likenesses. Hausfeld has also filed suit against the NFL Players Association on behalf of Carl Eller and other former players alleging that the union improperly negotiated away retirees’ benefits during the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The firm is assisted in the case by the law firm Girardi & Keese.
A copy of the Boyd v. NFL complaint is available for download at: http://www.hausfeldllp.com.
