NFL CTE Issues and Lawsuits

TOss Sweep

I think this deserves a thread of its own becuase this is about to blow up due to Aaron Hernandez's family suing the NFL and the Patriots over a severe case of CTE:

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2017/09/21/aaron-hernandez-cte-results-jose-baez/

BOSTON (CBS) – Aaron Hernandez’s family has filed a federal lawsuit against the NFL and the New England Patriots after tests on the former player brain revealed a “severe case” of brain trauma.

Attorney Jose Baez announced Thursday afternoon that tests performed on Aaron Hernandez’s brain following his suicide determined he suffered from an advanced case of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

Baez said Boston University researchers said it was “the most severe case they had ever seen for someone of Aaron’s age.”

Hernandez suffered from stage three CTE, a level usually seen in brain trauma patients who are 67 years old. There are four stages of CTE.

Baez announced the test results at a press conference in Boston. Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, Hernandez’s fiancée, was present during the announcement.

Dr. Ann McKee, Professor of Pathology and Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine and Director of BU’s CTE Center and Chief of Neuropathology performed the tests on Hernandez’s brain.

Hernandez was serving a life sentence after being convicted for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd.

In April, he was acquitted in a double murder trial. Five days later the former Patriots star was found dead in his cell at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley.

Massachusetts State Police investigated Hernandez’s death and ruled it to be a suicide.

When asked if he blames Hernandez’s suicide on CTE, Baez said “We are still investigating everything. But the presumptive answer for that is yes.

Hernandez’s conviction in Lloyd’s murder was vacated following his suicide because he died before all of his appeals had been heard.

TOss Sweep

My own opinion is that this will blow up and be dragged through the courts but they will have a hell of a time trying to prove the NFL and Patriots and CTE are to blame for his death seen as there is plenty of ammunition for the counter argument. Either way it is going to interesting to see how this unfolds. My question is though who is funding this federal lawsuit.

TOss Sweep

No one else think this is going to be huge? tough crowd

bruschi

TOss Sweep wrote: »

No one else think this is going to be huge? tough crowd

We're all roger goodells in here. We want to ignore the bad things an yell out "touchdown" when everyone scores.

to be honest, this is similar to the NFL's stance on drugs. They really dont give a crap. All they are concerned about is the entertainment value and money. As long as players keep playing and fans keep going, CTE, drugs, off field behaviours are all just blips in their way. It will be "huge" for a while, and it will just die down again. It comes in spurts.

Not that I agree with all that, but at the same time I'm not sure what discussion to be added to it. CTE is terrible. But football....:o

TOss Sweep

A lot of Experts already reckon the NFL will settle so it doesn't go through courts and if they do it opens up the flood gates because they are basically admitting there is a problem. Seems to be a consensus they would be better off fighting it in court because the onus of proof is on the Hernandez family to prove it was the NFL that knowingly caused his CTE

eagle eye

What ever happened in the Junior Seau case? They opted out of the NFL concussion lawsuit and went on their own but I have never heard anything about it since.

If it hasn't been settled yet then this case adds to it and it's going to be huge.

TOss Sweep

eagle eye wrote: »

What ever happened in the Junior Seau case? They opted out of the NFL concussion lawsuit and went on their own but I have never heard anything about it since.

If it hasn't been settled yet then this case adds to it and it's going to be huge.

You know there seems to be nothing about it since 2015. Very odd we have heard nothing since.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

I would be amazed if anything came of this. There are so many mitigating factors that if it even makes it to trial I'd be surprised.

Also, everyone is now aware of CTE, this case, if there is one, won't be ground-breaking in any way. Especially not when it concerns Hernandez.

TOss Sweep

Big Pussy Bonpensiero wrote: »

I would be amazed if anything came of this. There are so many mitigating factors that if it even makes it to trial I'd be surprised.

Also, everyone is now aware of CTE, this case, if there is one, won't be ground-breaking in any way. Especially not when it concerns Hernandez.

This case has nothing to do with bringing awareness of CTE or it being ground breaking. Sure everyone knows about it but it wont stop them going after the NFL for doing nothing about it for years. Remember this is the country of ambulance chasers and some very successful ambulance chasers at that.

The lawyer involved is Baez who defended Casey Anthony and Hernandez and I can see him getting at least a settlement out of it. May not be the $20m he wants but he will get something. And if they do settle that can of worms will be open. It will help every other lawsuit after it. All it takes is for one lawsuit to blow the lid off.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

TOss Sweep wrote: »

This case has nothing to do with bringing awareness of CTE or it being ground breaking. Sure everyone knows about it but it wont stop them going after the NFL for doing nothing about it for years. Remember this is the country of ambulance chasers and some very successful ambulance chasers at that.

The lawyer involved is Baez who defended Casey Anthony and Hernandez and I can see him getting at least a settlement out of it. May not be the $20m he wants but he will get something. And if they do settle that can of worms will be open. It will help every other lawsuit after it. All it takes is for one lawsuit to blow the lid off.

My point is that CTE is not a new thing, which will reduce its impact with people, and also because it's Aaron Hernandez people simply won't care, or will deliberately not pay it attention.

You're probably right about it being an important benchmark case, but as for it blowing up in the media, I don't see it. Maybe if it reaches trial and a settlement or verdict is made. Time will tell however..

DDC1990

If it was that severe, is it not possible that he had already damaged his brain severely playing High School and College Football prior to the NFL?

That must be extremely worrying to parents in the US.

I suppose 3 years in the league against the bigggest and badest dudes in the country could mess your brain up irreparably.

helimachoptor

I would imagine the next CBA agreement may be quite difficult to negotiate.

the NFLPA will want a shedload of cash to go towards research and player well being after retirement. While the NFL give at the moment iirc its peanuts compared to their revenue.

Fr Tod Umptious

DDC1990 wrote: »

If it was that severe, is it not possible that he had already damaged his brain severely playing High School and College Football prior to the NFL?

That must be extremely worrying to parents in the US.

I suppose 3 years in the league against the bigggest and badest dudes in the country could mess your brain up irreparably.

I think this is the most interesting part of it.

He stopped playing in his mid 20s.
He only played a few seasons in the NFL
He was a tight end not playing every snap.

He was not some lineman that played every down for a decade and a half.

And yet his brain was alarmingly damaged.

What state are the brains of guys coming out of college like ?