 |
| Art Monk and 62 others have filed suit against the league and helmet manufacturer Ridell, Inc. (Getty Images) |
Hall of Fame wide receiver Art Monk has joined more than 2,000 former players in suing the NFL for the effects of concussions suffered during their playing careers. According to the Washington Times, Monk -- and 62 others -- has also filed suit against helmet manufacturer Riddell Inc. over “short-term memory loss, headaches and speech difficulties” due to multiple concussions sustained during his 16-year career, 14 of which were spent with the Redskins.
He and former teammate Mark Rypien are two of the highest-profile former Redskins to file suit, and at least 140 former Washington players are involved in lawsuits. Rypien's suit against the league came in March of this year.
Monks group is represented by Girardi Keese, the firm that filed the first concussion-related lawsuit on behalf of former players against the NFL in July 2011. They're also the same firm that represented Erin Brockovich in the mid-1990s.
Monk's suit contends that the NFL concealed the long-term effects of concussions while "engaging in a long-running course of negligent and fraudulent conduct. Players who suffered concussions were told by the NFL and its agents not to be overly concerned and were regularly returned to game action mere minutes after sustaining them."
The suit adds that it wasn't until 2010 that the league or Riddell informed players of the long-term risks. The NFL has denied concealing such information.
Monk, now 54, registered 940 receptions for 12,721 yards, including 68 touchdowns during a career that spanned 16 seasons and three teams from 1980 to 1995. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
NFLconcussionlitigation.com first reported Monk's involvement in the lawsuit against the NFL.
For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Ryan Wilson on Twitter here: @ryanwilson_07.
