Seau's family sues NFL over brain injuries

foxnews.com ^ | 1/23/13 | ap

[ColdOne]

The family of Junior Seau has sued the NFL, claiming the former linebacker's suicide was the result of brain disease caused by violent hits he sustained while playing football.

The wrongful death lawsuit, filed Wednesday in California Superior Court in San Diego, blames the NFL for its "acts or omissions" that hid the dangers of repetitive blows to the head. It says Seau

[BO Stinkss]

Ban helmets. Then they will take better care of their heads.

[AU72]

It's convenient that they refused to give up the body prior to burial for medical research into that issue on religious grounds.

[PGR88]

I was arguing this particular legal case will not prevent the NFL from operating. it is just a money-grab, that may have longer-term political overtones.

I agree with your point - it is possible may over years cause a long-term cultural shift and change in young players entering the game, etc...

[unique3]

Wouldn’t the NFL have in place an ironclad contract that all players would sign that exempts the NFL from this type of lawsuit? Professional Football is dangerous, at best with 300+ pound players looking to bring you down hard.

Next, boxing?

[Fast Moving Angel]

Assumption of the risk.

[Huebolt]

Was that self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head? If so, is a post mortem going to be accurate for previous injury?

Also, were there any other suicidal behaviors such as drugs etc.

Football puts the lowest of the low at the top of the heap. The country would do well to classify it the same as organized dog fights. Medieval barbarism.

I know, dream on...

[John W]

If we weren’t living in Bizarro World where black is white and wrong is right, I might agree with you.

[newzjunkey]

Uh... irrelevant. They're not suing the helmet makers.

He got medical clearance to play. Repeatedly.

[kosciusko51]

Was that self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head?

No, GSW was to the chest. He intentionally left his brain intact for the study.

[fr_freak]

Yeah, good luck with that. To win a case like this you’d have to show that:

To win a case like this all you need is a jury of low-IQ, brainwashed OWS-types who want to stick it to "the man". In other words, the litigants have a darn good chance of winning this.

[discostu]

No low IQs necessary. All they need is a copy of the report the NFL distributed to players in the early 90s saying there was no indication of long term harm from concussions. The league told them the game was safe, and the league will lose these suits because of it.

[dfwgator]

Been saying it for awhile....it will start in high schools, as insurance liability costs will skyrocket forcing schools to drop football.

[Our man in washington]

Here’s a question I’d love to ask to any Seau family member while they were on the witness stand:

“Let’s say a genie had appeared to Junior Seau when he was a senior at the University of Southern California and said ‘Junior, if you stay with football, you will play 20 seasons in the NFL. You will make the Pro Bowl 12 times and be one of the greatest linebackers in the history of the game. You will make millions of dollars and have everything you want. The downside is you will die at age 43. Alternatively, you can do some other career—construction, maybe—and live a modest lifestyle and a normal lifespan.’ What would Junior have said? Remember you are under oath.”

[Kevin in California]

Sympathies to his family and all but did someone hold a gun to his head and/or twist his arm to join the NFL?

[fr_freak]

No low IQs necessary. All they need is a copy of the report the NFL distributed to players in the early 90s saying there was no indication of long term harm from concussions.

Well, if the NFL really was dumb enough to do that, then maybe they deserve to lose just for being stupid. I still think that the ultimate responsibility lies with the players, who were grown men who made the choice to play a rough sport and take the risks, but my viewpoint regarding personal responsibility seems to be embraced by a shrinking minority of people in this country. The rest expect to be coddled from cradle to grave. You could have handed me 20 reports saying that football was harmless, and I still would have understood that there were serious risks. But then we're back to that IQ thing.

[discostu]

They weren’t that grown, we’re talking college kids here, college kids that have dedicated their lives to football with all the not learning other things that implies. And they were lied to. The personal responsibility here is the NFL lying. They said head injuries had no long term side effect, they hired the doctors, they published the report, they made promises. When the doctors tell you that you will fully recover with no long term side effects from that injury unless you also went to medical school you believe them. Part of personal responsibility is acknowledging that there are people paid specifically to know about stuff, and you’re supposed to listen to them. Unfortunately in this case the NFL paid them to make crap up.

[edcoil]

If you read the article they are suing the mfg as well.

[vpintheak]

Football is a game of hard knocks and hits. Everyone knows that going in. To come back later and complain about it is just wrong! Not a single one of these players would have said they didn’t want too play because it is possible they may end up with brain injuries. They did it for the money, fame, and how it made them feel.

[Kenika]

Where is the line drawn tween a hit during execution of a play and celebratory head hits and self imposed, by teammates after the play. They be head slappin themselves continuously during a game.

[Uncle Chip]

Maybe they can countersue on behalf of all of those who he gave concussions to.