On Tuesday, August 19, it was determined that the current pending concussion lawsuits waged against the National Hockey League, will be combined and heard by a federal judge.
Three concussion lawsuits filed by former players against the NHL within the last year were assigned by a Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to District of Minnesota Judge Susan Richard Nelson. The judge is already presiding over one of the cases, which was filed in July. The Panel consolidated the cases in Minnesota to provide a central location for the parties and witnesses, many of which live in Canada.
The that the NHL allows for and supports violent gameplay that puts athletes at risk for concussions and other head injuries. There are still other similar cases that may be added to the proceedings at a later date.