The NFL gets sued all the time. It rarely faces trial. It could face trial in a case brought by former employees against the league’s disability plan.
Via ESPN.com, a lawsuit on behalf of 10 former players against the plan will proceed to the discovery process. The case accuses officials who run the disability program of bad faith and other violations of applicable federal law.
Lawyers representing the players accused the league of “systemic injustice.”
“We look forward to continuing to shine a light on this betrayal by the NFL, holding the [disability] plan fully accountable and correcting this broken system so it is fair for players moving forward,” lawyers Chris Seeger and Sam Katz said in a statement.
The plaintiffs are Willis McGahee, Eric Smith,Mike McKenzie, Jason Alford, Daniel Loper, Jamize Olawale, Alex Parsons, Charles Sims, Joey Thomas, and Lance Zeno.
Smith explained his lingering brain trauma in a videoconference last year.
“There were times I would black out and wake up . . . and I’m bleeding, there are holes in the wall,” Smith said at the time. “My wife and kids are crying. I went down a dark path.”
The case will now move down a path toward trial. It still has a long way to go to get there.