Ex-NFL Player DeMeco Ryans Fights Arbitration in Lawsuit Versus Texans

Former Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker DeMeco Ryans has asked the Texas Supreme Court to let his lawsuit against the Texans continue, instead of going to arbitration.

As we reported earlier, Ryans sued the Houston Texans back in 2016, alleging that they were responsible for an Achilles tendon injury he suffered in 2014. Specifically, Ryans claimed that the field of NRG Stadium was maintained in a poor condition, as the playing field consists of square patches of actual grass interwoven with seams of artificial …

August 6, 2018 Concussions / Litigation / NFL

NFL Concussion Settlement Payouts Far Ahead of Schedule

As we recently reported, the district judge overseeing the NFL’s billion dollar concussion settlement has refused the NFL’s request for a special investigator to uncover potentially fraudulent claimants. Since then, claims administrators in the settlement process have released a report indicating that over $500 million in claims had been approved for payout as of July 30, 2018, which is 8 years ahead of the 10-year, $400 million projection.

Just weeks ago, counsel for the NFL conjectured that the total settlement would reach approximately $1.4 …

July 26, 2018 Concussions / Fraud / NFL

Update: Judge Denies Special Investigator in NFL Concussion Settlement

Recently, a judge denied the NFL’s Request to hire a special investigator in the billion-dollar concussion settlement case. According to Judge Anita B. Brody, “[t]he NFL Parties have provided sufficient evidence of possible fraud to warrant serious concern … however, the Claims Administrator and Special Masters have demonstrated that they are capable of ferreting out any claims involving misrepresentations, omissions, or concealment of material fact, and ensuring that those claims are not paid.”

As we have previously reported, counsel representing the NFL asked Judge …

July 19, 2018 Class Actions / Concussions / NHL

NHL Players Denied Class Certification

On July 13, 2018, United States District Judge Susan Richard Nelson declined to certify a class of thousands of former NHL players who are suing the NHL. As we have previously reported, several former NHL players sued the NHL claiming that the NHL failed to inform them of the health risks caused by concussions and head-related trauma even though the league had knowledge of such information. The players filed for class certification, but Judge Nelson refused to certify the class because the applicable law …

July 16, 2018 Class Actions / Concussions / Litigation

Parents Try To Quash Pop Warner Subpoena

The Sports Law Insider has previously reported on the class-action suit started by parents whose sons played Pop Warner football as children and subsequently were found to suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after their deaths. The original complaint accused Pop Warner of failing to monitor games, practices, rules, equipment, and medical care to minimize long-term risks associated with brain injuries, failing to accurately diagnose brain injuries, and failing to approve the best equipment available. The complaint also accused USA Football of promoting safety programs …

July 13, 2018 Contract / NFL

NFL Hall of Fame Sues Construction Company and Subcontractors

The NFL Hall of Fame recently sued a contractor and two subcontractors blaming them for poor filed conditions that led to the cancellation of the 2016 Hall of Fame Game. Each year, the NFL Hall of Fame Game holds an exhibition game on the same weekend that the NFL Football Hall of Fame inducts new members. This year, the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears will face off on August 2, 2018, but in 2016, the game between the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts was …

July 10, 2018 Baseball / Contract / Litigation

Update: Former Yankees Player’s Negligence Suit to Stay in State Court

As we have previously covered, former New York Yankees outfielder, Dustin Fowler, sued the Chicago White Sox in February 2018 after his first ever major league game ended in injury on the White Sox field. While chasing a foul ball, Fowler ran full speed into what would normally be a padded wall, but what was actually an unpadded metal electrical box that was unapparent to him prior to impact. Fowler sued the White Sox, claiming that the team negligently installed the box such …

April 1, 2016 Concussions / NFL

Damage Control: NFL Reacts to Statements Made by League Executive About Link Between Football and CTE

On Friday, March 25, 2016, the National Football League beseeched the Third Circuit to not admit statements made by Jeff Miller, the NFL’s Senior Vice President for Health and Public Safety, at a recently-held U.S. Congressional committee roundtable meeting wherein Miller seemingly acknowledged a link between football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. This was largely seen as the first time the NFL had recognized such a connection.

The NFL put forth the position that players’ efforts to supplement the record with Miller’s statements should be denied …

March 30, 2016 Litigation / NFL

Home Field Advantage: Reggie Bush and L.A. Rams Spar Over Proper Venue for Negligence Lawsuit

San Francisco 49ers running back Reggie Bush made a motion to remand a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Rams to state court on Thursday, March 24, 2016, following the Rams’ removal of the case to the Eastern District of Missouri.

During a November game at the Rams’ stadium, Bush ran onto a concrete surface which surrounds the field, where he slipped and injured his left knee. According to the suit, this incident occurred just one week after John McCown, quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, injured …