A group of former collegiate football players sued Riddell Inc. for making false claims about the safety of its helmets. The suit also charges that the defendants failed to update the design with newer padding materials to enhance concussion protection, according to the Associated Press.
The lawsuits, filed separately in federal courts in Indianapolis and San Francisco, seek damages for health care costs, lost wages and other personal injury damages. According to the lawsuit, all plaintiffs suffered from some degree of traumatic brain injuries from multiple concussions incurred while playing football. Damages for health care costs, lost wages and other personal injury damages are being sought. The Big 12 Conference was listed as co-defendant with the NCAA.
Plaintiffs included former players Cory Brandon (Oklahoma), Kelvin Chaisson (Oklahoma), Derrick Cherry (Texas Tech), Jarrod Blake Roberts (TCU) and Joe Walker (Texas).
Riddell in a statement to AP called the suit “overt lawyer self-promotion and meritless litigation” and said such legal action “harms the game of football and the many millions of participants whose lives have been enriched” by sports. Riddell added, “This latest copycat complaint, likes the ones preceding it, demonstrates little regard for the implications that sensationalized allegations have on the sport and the millions of people who benefit from it.”
