No matter how hard the NFL tries to get away from the concussion lawsuits, they won’t go away. Most recently, former Chicago Bears quarterback Bobby Douglass, and former Northwestern player, John Cornell, are suing the NFL and helmet manufacture Riddell. On November 4, 2013, the two former players filed suit alleging concussion-related injuries resulting from their time on the field.
Douglass, 66, was quarterback for the Chicago Bears from 1969 to 1975. He later went on to play for the San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers. Cornell, 66, is a Northwestern graduate that participated in two NFL training camps with the New Orleans Saints.
The former players claim they suffered multiple concussions and subconcussive brain injuries that put them at risk for brain damage and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a degenerative brain disease commonly found in athletes who have a history of repeated brain trauma.
The lawsuit accuses the NFL of negligence and fraudulent misrepresentation. The former players argue that the league knew about the harmful effects of concussions yet failed to warn players. More so, they claim that the NFL falsely told retired players that there was no evidence correlating on-field injuries to long-term brain damage. The former players say that the helmet manufacturer, Riddell, negligently failed to warn players that their helmets wouldn’t protect them from the type of on-field injuries they sustained.
Douglass’ attorney said “Mr. Douglass gave his blood, sweat and tears to the game and he now needs the league to step up and care for him.”
As much as the NFL tries to move passed the concussion lawsuits, it’s not ending. In August 2013, the NFL reached a $765 million settlement with over 4,500 former players to settle a class action for concussion-related injuries. Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody still needs to hold hearings to determine whether the agreement will be approved. Either way, the impact of that settlement is unclear on Douglass and Cornell’s lawsuit. It is likely that this lawsuit will be consolidated with the class action suit