On Tuesday, July 29, 2014, yet another lawsuit was filed against the National Hockey League regarding alleged brain injuries sustained by its players. This lawsuit is the fourth of its kind to be served on the NHL within the last nine months. Unlike the other three, this suit was filed by a lone plaintiff, former Boston Bruin John Rohloff.
Rohloff’s complaint, filed in the US District Court for the District of Minnesota, alleges that the NHL either was aware or should have been aware of the effects of the types of brain injuries sustained by NHL players. Rohloff claims the league concealed the dangers of concussions and did not pass rules to reduce the resulting risks until recent.
During his career in the NHL, Rohloff claims he and others sustained multiple head traumas that were improperly diagnosed and treated by the league. Further, he claims the NHL never warned the players of the negative health effects; instead the NHL deliberately ignored such information and concealed it.
In the complaint, Rohloff seeks “medical monitoring, injunctive relief, and financial compensation related to the chronic injuries, medical costs, financial losses, and intangible losses suffered and to be suffered.”
Though the NHL has not responded to this lawsuit, deputy commissioner Bill Daly responded to one of the complaints filed in April stating “we are completely satisfied with our record on player safety, including as it relates to head injuries and brain trauma.”
Former Boston Bruin Jon Rohloff leads another class-action lawsuit against NHL