NEW ORLEANS — Four former NFL players have sued the league and its helmet maker, claiming they hid information about the dangers of brain injury. They want medical care for past, current and future NFL players.
The ex-players — Jimmy Williams, Rich Mauti, Jimmy Keyes and Nolan Franz — filed the federal lawsuit in New Orleans on Sunday.
Last week, the NFL tentatively agreed to pay $765 million to past players with health problems that can be caused by concussions, but some said the amount should have been more.
James Dugan II, the attorney for the former players bringing the new suit, did not immediately return calls and an email seeking comment.
Neither the league nor helmet maker Riddell, Inc. would comment Tuesday about the new suit, which claims they failed to protect players from brain injuries. Riddell isn’t part of the proposed settlement.
Sol Weiss, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the case being settled, told The Advocate of Baton Rouge that he expects the new complaint by the four ex-players to be made part of the larger settlement.
The players say they have suffered one or more traumatic brain injuries. They want the NFL and Riddell to set up and pay for a medical monitoring and treatment program for all former, current and future NFL players.
Like earlier lawsuits, this one claims the league and Riddell failed to protect players from brain injuries.
Three wives — Chandra Williams, Nancy Mauti and Billie Keyes — also are plaintiffs. They say that brain injuries have deprived them and will deprive other NFL spouses of their husbands’ “services, society and companionship.”
The former players say each has had headaches, dizziness, memory loss, depression, cognitive dysfunction and medical bills because of concussions and other brain injuries, and they will have future expenses which they and their wives will have to pay for and future problems that will require their wives’ care.
Williams played for the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans. Mauti played for the New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins. Both live in Louisiana. Keyes, who lives in Florida, played for the Miami Dolphins and Franz, who lives in Mississippi, played for the Bills and Green Bay Packers.