Dave Duerson’s family members, as reported by the Chicago Tribune and other news, have named the NFL in a concussion-related lawsuit, for the former Chicago Bear player’s wrongful death.
Dave Duerson committed suicide last year in what family members contend was driven by his knowledge that he suffered with brain damage known as “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy”, CTE, due to the three concussions he sustained in his 11-year career.
CTE is known as a progressive, advanced brain damage and the NFL is charged with knowing for decades that repeated concussion could cause brain damage – but the league intentionally concealed the information from its players, as well as from its coaches and fans.
The suit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, states, “If the NFL would have taken the necessary steps to oversee and protect Dave Duerson by warning him of the dangers of head traumas ... then (he) would not have suffered dangerous repetitive head trauma, would have recovered more rapidly and would not have sustained permanent damage to his brain which contributed to cause his death.”
The suit also identifies six other players in the NFL – each one struggling with brain damage before committing suicide.
Attorney Thomas Demetrio is representing the Duerson family. Demetrio’s belief is that other NFL players should take notice of what happened to Duerson and the six other players in the wake of repeated concussions.
Demetrio said, “Current coaches, trainers and players from the NFL down to the peewee level need to take heed — avoid concussions as best they can, recognize their significance and, when in doubt, sit out. And by all means, don't simply say 'my toe hurts' when it's really your head.”
One of the reasons Demetrio mentioned lying about injuries is due to the interview Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher gave to HBO in which the player stated, “If I have a concussion these days, I'm going to say something happened to my toe or knee just to get my bearings for a few plays. I'm not going to sit in there and say, 'I got a concussion, I can't go in there the rest of the game.”
T.D., Duerson’s eldest son, is representing his father’s estate. Named in the suit along with the NFL is helmet manufacturer Riddell Inc.
Riddell is charged with failure to warn players that their helmets could not prevent concussions.
T.D. believes that his father would agree that the wrongful death lawsuit would serve to publicize the way that the NFL has handled concussions.
T.D. said, “The inaction of the past inevitably led to the demise and death of my father.”
There have been over twelve lawsuits since the summer of 2011 naming both the NFL and helmet manufacturers for negligence. Almost all have made the same claims: The NFL knew of the danger and yet hid the information.
The NFL, in turn, has denied the charges and claimed that they take their player’s safety very seriously. Though unable to comment directly on the lawsuit, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said, “Dave Duerson was an outstanding football player and citizen who made so many positive contributions but unfortunately encountered serious personal challenges later in his life. We sympathize with the Duerson family and continue to be saddened by this tragedy.”
Contact a personal injury lawyer to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Oftentimes monetary awards, and change of practices, are an outcome and a relief.