Dozens of Wrestlers File Lawsuit Against WWE, WWE Responds with Statement
Bloomberg reports that WWE is being sued by more than 50 wrestlers who claim the company hid long-term effects of neurological injuries from years of in-ring action.
The suit, filed on Monday in federal court in New Haven, Connecticut, alleges that WWE failed to care for wrestlers’ repetitive head injuries “in any medically competent or meaningful manner” and misrepresented and concealed the nature of long-term neurological injuries they suffered as a result of their WWE careers.
The former wrestlers claim 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 wrestlers also say WWE deliberately ignored and hid from them “medically important and possibly lifesaving information” about specific neurological conditions, such as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, that affect wrestlers and athletes who play contact sports prone to head trauma.
“The WWE knows that its wrestlers including the plaintiffs are at great risk for these diseases such as CTE that can result in suicide, drug abuse and violent behavior that pose a danger to not only the athletes themselves but their families and community, yet the WWE does nothing to warn, educate or provide treatment to them,” the wrestlers said in the suit.
WWE issued the following statement in response:
“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.”
Below are the wrestlers in the suit:
JOSEPH M. LAURINAITIS, a.k.a. | Road Warrior Animal
JIMMY “SUPERFLY” SNUKA, by and through |his guardian, Carole Snuka
PAUL ORDNDORFF, a.k.a. Mr. Wonderful
SALAVADOR GUERRERO IV, a.k.a. Chavo | Guerrero, Jr.
CHAVO GUERRERO, SR., a.k.a. Chavo Classic
BRYAN EMMETT CLARK, JR., a.k.a. Adam Bomb
ANTHONY NORRIS, a.k.a. Ahmed Johnson
JAMES HARRIS, a.k.a. Kamala
DAVE HEBNER
EARL HEBNER
CHRIS PALLIES, a.k.a. King Kong Bundy
KEN PATERA
TERRY MICHAEL BRUNK, a.k.a. Sabu
BARRY DARSOW, a.k.a. Smash
BILL EADIE a.k.a. Ax
JOHN NORD, a.k.a. The Bezerker
JONATHAN HUGGER a.k.a. Johnny The Bull
JAMES BRUNZELL, a.k.a. Jumpin’ Jim
SUSAN GREEN, a.k.a. Sue Green
ANGELO MOSCA, a.k.a. King Kong Mosca
JAMES MANLEY, a.k.a. Jim Powers
MICHAEL “MIKE” ENOS”
BRUCE “BUTCH” REED, a.k.a. The Natural
CARLENE B. MOORE-BEGNAUD, a.k.a. Jazz
SYLVAIN GRENIER
OMAR MIJARES a.k.a. Omar Atlas
DON LEO HEATON, a.k.a. Don Leo Jonathan
TROY MARTIN, a.k.a. Shane Douglas
MARC COPANI, a.k.a. Muhammad Hassan
MARK CANTERBURY, a.k.a. Henry Godwin
VICTORIA OTIS, a.k.a. Princess Victoria
JUDY HARDEE a.k.a. Judy Martin,
MARK JINDRAK
BERNARD KNIGHTON as Personal Representative of the Brian Knighton, a.k.a. Axl Rotten, Estate,
MARTY JANNETTY
TERRY SZOPINSKI, a.k.a. The Warlord
SIONE HAVEA VAILAHI, a.k.a. The Barbarian
LARRY OLIVER, a.k.a. The Crippler
TIMOTHY SMITH, a.k.a. Rex King
TRACY SMOTHERS, a.k.a. Freddie Joe Floyd
MICHAEL R HALAC, a.k.a. Mantaur
RICK JONES, a.k.a. Black Bart
KEN JOHNSON, a.k.a. Slick
GEORGE GRAY, a.k.a. One Man Gang
FERRIN JESSE BARR, a.k.a. JJ Funk
LOU MARCONI
DONALD DRIGGERS
RODNEY BEGNAUD, a.k.a. Rodney Mack
RONALD SCOTT HEARD, a.k.a. Outlaw Ron Bass
BORIS ZHUKOV
