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UNITEDSTATESDISTRICTCOURTFORTHESOUTHERNDISTRICTOFMISSISSIPPIJACKSONDIVISIONTOBIATHMYLES,LYNNDENISEMYLES,MICHAELL.JONES,FREDRICKSMOOT,SUMMERSMOOT,TJSLAUGHTER,ROSCOEWORD,JR.,JOYCEWORD,MARCUSDUPREE,ROBERTBRAZILE,VERNONPERRY,BENMcGEE,JR.,CLAUDINENICHOLSMcGEE,KHALlDAB.DULlAH,JOHNJENNINGS,TANESHAJENNINGS,DEMETRIUSHILL,JAMESB.GRIER,andDEXTERMCLEONPLAINTIFFSVS.CIVILACTIONNO.:NATIONALFOOTBALLLEAGUE;NFLPROPERTIESLLC,RIDDELL,INC.,d/b/aRIDDELLSPORTSGROUP,INC.,ALLAMERICANSPORTSCORPORATIONd/b/aRIDDELl/ALLAMERICA,RIDDELLSPORTSGROUP,INC.,andJOHNDOES1through100,InclusiveDEFENDANTS
COMPLAINTJURYTRIALDEMANDED
ThePlaintiffsfiletheirComplaintandallegeasfollows:
1.
Thisactionseeksadeclarationofliability,injunctiverelief,andfinancialcompensationforthelong-termchronic.injuries,financiallosses,expenses,andintangiblelossessufferedbythePlaintiffsandtheirspousesasaresultofthedefendants'intentionaltortuousmisconduct(byvoluntaryundertaking),negligence,fraud,andconspiracy,
1
 
2.ThisactionarisesfromthepathologicalanddebilitatingeffectsofheadinjuriesandconcussionsthathaveafflictedpresentandformerprofessionalfootballplayersintheNationalFootballLeague(the"NFL").Formanydecades,evidencehaslinkedrepetitivetraumaticbraininjurytolong-termneurologicalproblemsinmanysports.TheNFL,astheorganizer,marketer,andfaceofthemostpopularsportintheUnitedStates,inwhichheadtraumaisaregularoccurrence,wasawareoftheevidenceandtherisksassociatedwithrepetitivetraumaticbraininjuriesandconcussionsfordecades,butdeliberatelyignoredandactivelyconcealedtheinformationfromthePlaintiffsandallotherswhoparticipatedinorganizedfootballatalllevels.3.Moreover,inoraround1994andpossiblyearlier,theNFLvoluntarilyinserteditselfintothescientificresearchanddiscussionconcerningtherelationshipbetweenconcussionsandshort-termandlong-termimpairmentofthebrain.Afterdoingso,theNFLthenintentionallyandfraudulentlymisleadpresentandformerplayers,andallpeoplewhoreasonablyrelyupontheNFL'sexpertiseaboutitsownsport,regardingtheshort-termandlong-termrisksposedbyconcussionsandheadtrauma.4.Ratherthanwarnplayersthattheyriskedpermanentbraininjuryiftheyreturnedtoplaytoosoonaftersustainingaconcussion,theNFLactivelydeceivedplayers,bymisrepresentingtothemthatconcussionsdidnotpresentserious,life-alteringrisks.
2
 
5.TheNFL,throughitsowninitiativeandvoluntaryundertaking,createdtheMildTraumaticBrainInjuryCommittee(the"MTBICommittee")in1994toresearchandamelioratetheimpactofconcussionsonNFLplayers.Notwithstandingthispurportedpurpose,anddespiteclearmedicalevidencethaton-fieldconcussionsleddirectlytobraininjurieswithtragicresultsforplayersateverylevelofthesport,theNFLfailedtoinformitscurrentandformerplayersofthetruerisksassociatedwithsuchheadtraumaandpurposefullymisrepresentedandlorconcealedmedicalevidenceonthatissue.6.Athleteswhosufferedrepetitivetraumaticbraininjuriesandlorconcussioninotherprofessionalsportswererestrictedfromplayingfullgamesorevenseasons,yetNFLplayerswhohadsimilartraumawereregularlyreturnedtoplay.7.TheNFL'sactiveandpurposefulconcealmentandmisrepresentationofthesevereneurologicalrisksofrepetitivetraumaticbraininjuryexposedplayerstodangerstheycouldhaveavoidedhadtheNFLprovidedthemwithtruthfulandaccurateinformation.ManyoftheseplayershavesufferedbraindamageandlatentneurodegenerativedisordersanddiseasesasaresultoftheNFL'sactsandlor
omissions.
JURISDICTIONANDVENUE
8.ThisCourthasoriginaljurisdictionpursuantto28U.S.C.
§
1332(a)(1)and
(b)
and28U.S.
c.
§
1332(d)(11).Alloftheplaintiffsandallofthedefendantsarecitizensofdifferentstates.Theamountincontroversyexceeds$75,000,
3
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