ANDERSON PAUL
11/14/2011For Educational Use OnlyCedrick HARDMAN, and Tommy Mason, individually and..., 2011 WL 4842455...
© 2011 Thomson Reuters. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.1
2011 WL 4842455 (Cal.Superior) (Trial Pleading)Superior Court of California.Los Angeles County Cedrick HARDMAN, and Tommy Mason, individually and on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v.NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE; NFL Properties LLC; Riddell Inc. d.b.a. Riddell Sports Group, Inc.; All American Sports Corp. d.b.a. Riddell/All American; Riddell Sports Group, Inc.; Easton-Bell Sports, Inc.;Easton-Bell Sports LLC; EB Sports Corp.; RBG Holdings Corp.; and Does 1 through 200, inclusive, Defendants.
No. BC471229.
October 13, 2011.
Plaintiffs' Class Action and Individual Complaint for Damages,Declaratory and Medical Monitoring Relief and Demand for Jury Trial
Clifford H. Pearson(Cal. Bar No. 108523),Daniel L. Warshaw(Cal. Bar No. 185365), Pearson, Simon, Warshaw & Penny,
LLP, 15165 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 400, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, Telephone: (818) 788-8300, Facsimile: (818) 788-8104,Email: cpearson@pswplaw.com, dwarshaw@pswplaw.com.Michael P. Lehmann(Cal. Bar No. 77152),Jon T. King(Cal. Bar No. 205073),Arthur N. Bailey, Jr.(Cal. Bar No. 248460),
Hausfeld LLP, 44 Montgomery Street, Suite 3400, San Francisco, CA 94104, Telephone: (415) 633-1908, Fax: (415) 358-4980,Email: mlehmann@hausfeldllp.com, jking @hausfeldllp.com, abailey@hausfeldllp.com, Attorneys for Plaintiffs.Michael D. Hausfeld,Richard S. Lewis,James J. Pizzirusso, Hausfeld LLP, 1700 K Street, NW, Suite 650, Washington,
D.C. 20006, Telephone: (202) 540-7200, Facsimile: (202)540-7201, mhausfeld@hausfledllp.com, rlewis @hausfeldllp.com, jpizzirusso@hausfeldllp.com.Sylvia Sokol, Moscone Emblidge & Sater LLP, 220 Montgomery Street, Suite 2100, San Francisco, CA 94104, Telephone:(415) 362-3599, Facsimile: (415)362-2006, sokol@mesllp.com.Thomas V. Girardi(Cal. Bar No.36603), Girardi | Keese,1126 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90017, Telephone: (213)
977-0211, Facsimile: (213)481-1554, tgirardi@girardikeese.com.Bruce L. Simon(Cal. Bar No. 96241),Thomas K. Boardman(Cal. Bar No. 276313), Pearson, Simon, Warshaw & Penny, LLP,
44 Montgomery Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, California 94104, Telephone: (415) 433-9000, Facsimile: (415) 433-9008,bsimon@pswplaw.com, tboardman@pswplaw.com, Attorneys for Plaintiffs.
CLASS ACTION
1. Declaratory Relief 2. Medical Monitoring3. Negligence (against NFL Defendants)4. Negligence (against Riddell Defendants)5. Fraud
ANDERSON PAUL
11/14/2011For Educational Use OnlyCedrick HARDMAN, and Tommy Mason, individually and..., 2011 WL 4842455...
© 2011 Thomson Reuters. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................1JURISDICTION AND VENUE .......................................................................................................................1THE PARTIES .................................................................................................................................................1CLASS ACTION ..............................................................................................................................................6NATURE OF NFL's BUSINESS .....................................................................................................................7FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS ...........................................................................................................................10The Scientific Evidence On Concussions And Head Injuries And The NFL's Responses To It .....................10The Riddell Defendants Are Complicit In The NFL's Misconduct .................................................................45The NFL's Retirement Plan And Other Benefit Plans For Retired NFL Players ............................................49And How They Are Inadequate .......................................................................................................................49COUNT I ..........................................................................................................................................................53Action For Declaratory Relief (Against All Defendants) ................................................................................53COUNT II .........................................................................................................................................................54Action For Medical Monitoring (Against AH Defendants) .............................................................................54COUNT III .......................................................................................................................................................55Action For Negligence (Against The NFL) .....................................................................................................55COUNT IV .......................................................................................................................................................58Action For Negligence (Against Riddell) ........................................................................................................58COUNT V ........................................................................................................................................................59Action For Fraud (Against All Defendants) ....................................................................................................59PRAYER FOR RELIEF ...................................................................................................................................60
INTRODUCTION
1. This action is brought by former National Football League (“NFL” or “League”) players who seek declaratory and medicalmonitoring relief based on claims of negligence and fraud with respect to brain injuries caused by repeated traumatic brain andhead impacts received during the period when they were active in professional football. These claims for relief are brought on aclasswide basis on behalf of all former NFL players who reside in California. The allegations herein, except as to the Plaintiffs,are based on information and belief.
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
2. Jurisdiction is based onArticle 6, Section 10 of the California Constitutionand Cal. Code Civ. Pro. § 3410.10.3. Venue in this action is proper in this Court pursuant toCal. Code of Civ. Pro. § 395(a).
THE PARTIES
4. Plaintiff Cedrick Hardman (“Hardman”) resides in Laguna Beach, California. Hardman, who is now 63 years old, played inthe NFL on two teams (San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders) from 1970-1981. He wore a Ridell helmet when he played.Mr. Hardman has experienced cognitive difficulties including headaches, dizziness, loss of memory, depression, fatigue, andsleep problems. Hardman experienced repeated and chronic head impacts during his career in the NFL, is at increased risk of latent brain disease, and is in need of diagnostic examinations and medical monitoring.5. Plaintiff Tommy Mason (“Mason”) resides in Orange County, California. Mason, now 72 years old, played in the NFL onthree teams (Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, and Washington Redskins) from 1961-1972. He wore a Ridell helmetwhen he played. Mr. Mason has experienced cognitive difficulties, including loss of memory and symptoms of dementia. Masonexperienced repeated and chronic head impacts during his career in the NFL, is at increased risk with respect of latent braindisease, and is in need of diagnostic examinations and medical monitoring.
ANDERSON PAUL
11/14/2011For Educational Use OnlyCedrick HARDMAN, and Tommy Mason, individually and..., 2011 WL 4842455...
© 2011 Thomson Reuters. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.3
6. Defendant National Football League, which maintains its offices at 280 Park Avenue, New York, New York, is anunincorporated association consisting of the 32 separately-owned and independently-operated professional football teams thatare listed below. The National Football League is engaged in interstate commerce in the business of, among other things,operating the sole major professional football league in the United States. The National Football League is not, and has not, beenthe employer of the Plaintiffs, who were employed during their respective careers in professional football by the independentclubs indicated above. The United States Supreme Court held last year in
American Needle, Inc. v. NFL,
130 S.Ct. 2201, 2212-13(2010)that each team that is a member of the National Football League is a legally distinct and separate entity from both otherteams and the League itself:The NFL teams do not possess either the unitary decisionmaking quality or the single aggregation of economic powercharacteristic of independent action. Each of the teams is a substantial, independently owned, and independently managedbusiness. “[T]heir general corporate actions are guided or determined” by “separate corporate consciousnesses,” and “[t]heirobjectives are” not “common.” ... The teams compete with one another, not only on the playing field, but to attract fans, forgate receipts and for contracts with managerial and playing personnel.7. The 32 separately-owned and independently-operated professional football teams are:
NFL Team OwnerState of OrganizationTeam Name (City)
Arizona Cardinals, Inc.ArizonaArizona CardinalsAtlanta Falcons Football Club LLCGeorgiaAtlanta FalconsBaltimore Ravens Limited PartnershipMarylandBaltimore RavensBuffalo Bills, Inc.New YorkBuffalo BillsPanthers Football LLCNorth CarolinaCarolina PanthersChicago Bears Football Club, Inc.DelawareChicago BearsCincinnati Bengals, Inc.OhioCincinnati BengalsCleveland Browns LLCDelawareCleveland BrownsDallas Cowboys Football Club, Ltd.TexasDallas CowboysDenver Broncos Football ClubColoradoDenver BroncosDetroit Lions, Inc.MichiganDetroit LionsGreen Bay Packers, Inc.WisconsinGreen Bay PackersHouston NFL Holdings LPDelawareHouston TexansIndianapolis Colts, Inc.DelawareIndianapolis ColtsJacksonville Jaguars Ltd.FloridaJacksonville JaguarsKansas City Chiefs Football Club, Inc.TexasKansas City ChiefsMiami Dolphins, Ltd.FloridaMiami DolphinsMinnesota Vikings Football Club LLCMinnesotaMinnesota VikingsNew England Patriots, LPDelawareNew England PatriotsNew Orleans Louisiana Saints LLCTexasNew Orleans SaintsNew York Football Giants, Inc.New YorkNew York GiantsNew York Jets Football Club, Inc.DelawareNew York JetsOakland Raiders LPCaliforniaOakland RaidersPhiladelphia Eagles Football Club, Inc.DelawarePhiladelphia EaglesPittsburgh Steelers Sports, Inc.PennsylvaniaPittsburgh SteelersSan Diego Chargers Football Co.CaliforniaSan Diego ChargersSan Francisco Forty Niners Ltd.CaliforniaSan Francisco 49ers
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