Dermontti Dawson joins concussion lawsuit

Posted by Darin Gantt

We can’t possibly document every concussion lawsuit that’s filed, because the rolls seem to grow every day.

Some of them, however, still grab your attention.

Former Steelers center Dermontti Dawson, weeks away from his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is among the latest to file suit against the NFL.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dawson and three other former Steelers were among 47 players filing suit in Mississippi.

The suit doesn’t specify Dawson’s injuries, but makes reference to Mike Webster, another Hall of Fame former Steelers center. Webster died of heart failure in 2002, but struggled with mental problems which were tied to head injuries from his playing days.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/13/hall-of-famer-dermontti-dawson-joins-concussion-lawsuit/

See, I just don't get this.

I could understand if players were suing artificial turf makers for some chemical found in the turf that caused cancer and the manufacturer knew there was a potential for disease and didn't disclose the information. I just have a hard time understanding all of these players suing for what are occupational hazards. Not to be funny, but what is stop a golf player from suing for arthritis developing in his/her shoulder or skin cancer? Or a race car drivers from suing because they have a disease caused from breathing too much carbon monoxide?

Gingerchip wrote:

See, I just don't get this.

I could understand if players were suing artificial turf makers for some chemical found in the turf that caused cancer and the manufacturer knew there was a potential for disease and didn't disclose the information. I just have a hard time understanding all of these players suing for what are occupational hazards. Not to be funny, but what is stop a golf player from suing for arthritis developing in his/her shoulder or skin cancer? Or a race car drivers from suing because they have a disease caused from breathing too much carbon monoxide?

I believe the lawsuit is more to the point that the NFL was hiding significant health information from the players. Therefore, putting them at greater risks of future damage. I believe it may fall under the term negilent .

But that's my point. Everyone knows that football is a dangerous, hard hitting sport and concussions aren't exactly a new discovery of the late century. How could players not recognize that severe disabilty including paralysis and lifetime joint and tissue injuries among other things are a very real possibility? From what I know about medicine, skull fractures and multiple blows to the head were known to cause problems back in the 60's. I still don't get it.

Bottom line Dawson needs money.

effyou515 wrote:

Bottom line Dawson needs money.

This.

Gingerchip wrote:

See, I just don't get this.

I could understand if players were suing artificial turf makers for some chemical found in the turf that caused cancer and the manufacturer knew there was a potential for disease and didn't disclose the information. I just have a hard time understanding all of these players suing for what are occupational hazards. Not to be funny, but what is stop a golf player from suing for arthritis developing in his/her shoulder or skin cancer? Or a race car drivers from suing because they have a disease caused from breathing too much carbon monoxide?

I was born with a birth defect. One of my optic nerves got tangled up with a rectal nerve causing me to have a shitty outlook on life! Can I sue God?

I'm kinda on the fence here. While I don't think these guys should be suing I don't think the older guys like Webster (we really didn't have the technology back then to know) should have been hung out to dry by the league. Suing is not the answer either.