More athletes and their families are filing lawsuits against professional sports teams and leagues for injuries sustained. The National Football League and National Hockey League are two groups that are being targeted by ex-professionals who now live their lives in physical and mental pain. Many families have taken up the fight for their now dead relatives who suffered due to the injuries they experienced during their athletic careers.

Brain injuries can end careers, but other, non-head injuries can be experienced by athletes. These injuries can leave them in a world of pain that lasts the rest of their lives.

Masking the Pain

One of the effects of major injury due to sports is addiction to pain medication. Many ex-athletes, especially at the elite level, use regular pain medication to mask the long-term injuries they endure. In June of 2017, a wrongful death lawsuit was dismissed in federal court after the parents of former NHL player Derek Boogaard’s sued the league. Boogaard obtained brain damage from years of playing ice hockey, and due to his injuries was dependent on painkillers to lessen his pain. He died of an overdose in 2011 and his parents feel the league and his hockey clubs should have addressed his health and addiction problems more thoroughly.

Ignoring the Problem

Boogaard’s parents argued that the league should have helped their son. According to reports, the former NHL player was given over 1,000 medical prescriptions from NHL team doctors, dentists, trainers and other club staff. Due to the amount of medication he was receiving, the NHL and their son’s former teams, the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers, should have know there was a problem.

NHL and NFL Facing Multiple Lawsuits

While the Boogaard’s lawsuit has been dismissed due to the NHL not being shown negligent in the player’s death, the league is facing over 100 lawsuits from former players and their families. The NFL is also facing a host of lawsuits over brain injury and the possible cover up of what the league knew about concussion injuries. In 2013, the NFL’s biggest lawsuit was settled for $765 million, but experts on the case do not expect the former players and families to receive anywhere near that much money. Some are upset with the amount that will be given out after it is dispersed to all involved, which includes the lawyers and staff that spent millions of dollars of man hours to argue the case. With the care it will take to these help former players live and manage their pain, the money paid by the NFL would be just a drop in the ocean.

Strassburg, Gilmore and Wei can Help

The law firm of Strassburg, Gilmore and Wei can provide you with legal guidance when it comes to catastrophic injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Located in Pasadena, California, Strassburg, Gilmore and Wei, Attorneys at Law, is available to give you insight on difficult matters. Visit our web page to see how we can help you. If you have any questions, contact us and let our experienced attorneys in catastrophic injury and wrongful death go to work for you.