The wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by Duerson’s family a week after a batch of former NFL players from Louisiana sued NFL for their own concussions.
Duerson died on February 17, 2011. He actually committed suicide through shooting himself in his own house at Sunny Isle Beach, Florida.
Duerson’s family is blaming NFL for the former player’s death because allegedly he had decided to end his own life at the age of 50 due to his unendurable sufferings brought by his concussion.
The family claims in its lawsuit that NFL negligently caused head injury to Duerson. The family affirmed that NFL failed to give prior notice and warning to players about the negative effects of head concussion. The family also claims that the damages that Duerson sustained from NFL greatly affected its inhibition, judgment and impulse control.
Dave Duerson is a former NLF player who made so many positive game contributions. He played for the Bears in 1983 out of Notre Dame. He played for 11 seasons in NFL before he decided to retire in 1993. In 1985 and 1990, he won Super Bowls with the Bears and Giants and played in Pro Bowls for four times.
During his NFL career, Duerson had about 10 concussions wherein he lost consciousness in some instances.
According to his family, before Duerson committed suicide, he left a suicide note giving instructions to his family. Duerson noted that he wanted his brain be donated at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy in Boston University’s School of Medicine.
Aside from NFL, the helmet maker, Riddell Inc. was also involved in the lawsuit. Allegedly, the said helmet manufacturer failed to provide helmets that are safe enough to protect players from concussions.
Other lawsuits that were filed against NFL by its former players were already consolidated in Philadelphia since it all stemmed from similar complaints – all blaming NFL for their head concussion and other brain related diseases. However, though Duerson’s wrongful death can be linked to the head concussion issue, it still differs from the other former players’ lawsuits since death and suicide was involved in his lawsuit.
This would be a tough battle for Duerson’s family. Provided the possible high amount of damages, which can be earned from a wrongful death claim, NFL would definitely go to great extents to defend the lawsuit filed against them. Duerson’s family needs to be sure that they have the very best representation possible for their claim. Their lawyers must be in long years of service with proven record of accomplishments like the wrongful death lawyers in Los Angeles.
