The widow and surviving children of former All-Pro NFL linebacker Junior Seau have recently filed a brain injury lawsuit against the NFL. The family claims Seau’s suicide last year was caused by a brain disease he suffered due to repeated blows to the head while playing football.
An autopsy of Seau’s brain found that he suffered from a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Several other former NFL players have also been diagnosed with the condition, which develops after sustaining multiple concussions or a series of violent hits during a playing career.
According to the lawsuit, Seau’s family alleges that the NFL hid the dangers of head injuries from players and glorified violence in the game by praising the delivery of big hits as “a badge of courage which does not seriously threaten one’s health.”
Currently, there are more than 175 pending brain injury lawsuits against the NFL which include over 3,800 former players as plaintiffs. One of these cases is currently being handled by Marc Albert.
Mr. Albert is representing 11 former players, including former Saints All-Pro receiver Joe Horn, in a case which alleges the NFL and its medical committee regularly concealed the risks of long term brain injury faced by players. In addition, the lawsuit claims that players were regularly administered the anti-inflammatory drug Toradol prior to games to reduce on-field pain. This drug also has been found to mask concussion symptoms and induce greater cerebral bleeding, two factors which significantly increase a player’s risk of long term brain damage.
Through his work in this case, Mr. Albert has seen firsthand the devastating effects of traumatic brain injury on NFL players. He is committed to holding the league accountable for their negligent actions which have placed players in greater danger than necessary during the course of their careers.
If you are a former NFL player who has suffered a serious brain injury from concussions sustained during your playing career, please contact the Law Offices of Marc S. Albert today to schedule your free consultation. Mr. Albert serves clients throughout the New York City metropolitan area from his offices in Queens, Manhattan, and Long Island.