Over 50 ex-wrestlers, including 'Superfly' Snuka, sue WWE over head injuries
Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka and Joseph "Road Warrior Animal" Laurinaitis are among the plaintiffs
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1 min read
More than 50 former professional wrestlers have sued World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., claiming the organization is responsible for and had prior knowledge of the effects of repeated neurological injuries sustained in the ring.
According to CBS News, the case involves high-profile wrestlers like Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, Joseph "The Road Warrior Animal" Laurinaitis and Chris "King Kong Bundy" Pallies.
The wrestlers claim that the injuries they sustained "involve a neurological disease and ongoing disease process called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) as well as the effects of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) that occur as a consequence of repetitive head trauma sustained by the Plaintiffs as professional wrestlers in matches sponsored, controlled and created by WWE."
Other sports organizations such as the NFL and NHL have dealt with similar lawsuits as of late. The NFL agreed to a $1 billion settlement last year.
The wrestlers' situation is different than other sports, however, because the actions that led to the alleged injuries were specifically scripted by the WWE. The suit also claims that the WWE "deliberately ignored and actively concealed" medical information about brain injuries.
"WWE placed corporate gain over its wrestlers' health, safety, and financial security, choosing to leave the plaintiffs severely injured and with no recourse to treat their damaged minds and bodies," the lawsuit claims.
The wrestlers' lawyer is Konstantine Kyros, who has represented other retired wrestlers in other lawsuits which have been dismissed.
The WWE responded to the suit in a statement:
"This is another ridiculous attempt by the same attorney who has previously filed class action lawsuits against WWE, both of which have been dismissed. A federal judge has already found that this lawyer made patently false allegations about WWE, and this is more of the same. We're confident this lawsuit will suffer the same fate as his prior attempts and be dismissed."
