Concussions are generally thought of as a part of the risk of playing certain sports. Football and professional wrestling are two sports where concussions are common. However, multiple concussions can lead to problems later in life and now, class action lawsuits have been filed by former players.
Derrick Lee, a former football player for Duke University, has filed a lawsuit against the university, the ACC, and the NCAA. The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, July 8. The lawsuit alleges that all of the agencies were negligent in dealing with players’ head injuries.
The lawsuit is one of four similar lawsuits filed by law firm Edelson PC in district courts throughout the country. The lawsuits were filed on behalf of players will suffer the effects of concussions that occurred during their college football careers. The other three lawsuits were filed on the behalf of players from Ohio State, Tennessee, and Michigan.
Last month, the same law firm filed six other lawsuits against Penn State, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Auburn, Oregon, and Utah. These are also filed on the behalf of former football players.
Lee, who played for Duke between 1998-2003, alleges in the suit that Duke, the ACC, and the NCAA did not implement guidelines to help prevent repeated head injuries. They also failed to implement protocols to help manage concussions. The lawsuit alleges this despite the agencies knowing of the risks prior to 2010, when the NCAA required all schools to implement a concussion management program.
Lee’s lawsuit contends that he suffered several concussions throughout his tenure as a player. These concussions have affected him since he stopped playing football. He also alleges that Duke coaches encouraged players to both suffer and inflict head injuries in order to help the football program and generate revenue.
If you have been injured in an accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the law offices of John Foy & Associates and let the “Strong Arm” attorneys work to get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us today.