Aug 16, 2016 - Personal Injury by Justin Roberts
More than 50 retired professional wrestlers have joined a class action lawsuit against World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, alleging that the organization hid information about the long-term adverse effects caused by traumatic brain injury.
The wrestlers contend that they have suffered neurological injuries due to their participation in WWE events, which caused repeated head injuries that caused them to develop Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). The plaintiffs allege that WWE failed to provide adequate medical care and to follow established guidelines used by other professional sports to protect players against long-term brain injury.
The suit classifies the plaintiffs as independent contractors, not employees, and alleges that WWE controlled any medical treatment the plaintiffs received. According to the complaint, “plaintiffs completely and reasonably relied on WWE and [McMahon’s] knowledge, information and authority in deciding whether to perform or seek treatment for injuries.”
In addition, the wrestlers claim that WWE and McMahon “deliberately ignored and actively concealed … medically important and possibly lifesaving information about specific neurological conditions like CTE that afflict wrestlers and contact sports athletes with similar clinical histories of head trauma.”
The suit alleges that WWE and McMahon were aware that scripted WWE events that included such maneuvers as the “pile driver” and the “body slam” caused head trauma and that the trauma could “result in suicide, drug abuse and violent behavior that pose a danger to not only the athletes themselves but also their families and community.” The plaintiffs contend that WWE did not provide them with any information about the risks associated with the wrestling moves they performed at WWE events and did not provide them with any medical treatment.
Roberts & Roberts focuses on helping people who have been injured in accidents or have been the victim of faulty medical products. Please call 800-248-6000 or contact us for a free consultation with our experienced personal injury legal team for the compassionate representation you deserve.
Justin is an attorney at Roberts & Roberts and focuses his practice on mass tort litigation, where he specializes in helping individuals who are harmed by recalled or unsafe pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices. He has earned recognition as a “Top 40 Under 40” Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers. Prior to joining Roberts & Roberts, Justin served as an attorney in all three branches of Texas’s state government, including as a Briefing Attorney on the Texas Supreme Court. He also represented electric and natural gas utilities in complex regulatory proceedings before the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Railroad Commission of Texas. Justin is a published author in the St. Mary’s Law Journal.
