Steve Montador's family files lawsuit against NHL
The family of former NHLer Steve Montador filed a lawsuit against the league Tuesday, claiming the NHL failed "to provide him with the most up-to-date medical information on ... the increased risk of long-term brain damage," according to TSN's Rick Westhead.
Steve's father Paul filed the lawsuit on behalf of Steve's son Morrison and other family members.
From the statement of claim:
During regular season NHL games, preseason NHL games, NHL practices and morning skates prior to NHL games, Steven Montador sustained thousands of sub-concussive brain traumas and multiple concussions, many of which were undiagnosed and/or undocumented. The league induced him into continuing to play, and fight, in NHL games and practices. ...
The NHL has long known that its players were susceptible to developing CTE and other neurodegenerative brain diseases as a result of the fist-fighting it allowed and promoted, the hard hits it encouraged and marketed, and/or the blows to the head that it steadfastly refused to eliminate from its game.
It also argues that the NHL failed to remove fighting from the rules despite understanding the impact of the resulting head trauma on players.
Montador was found dead at his Mississauga, Ontario home in February. Years before his death, he'd decided to donate his brain to the Canadian Sports Concussion Project, and researchers subsequently diagnosed Montador with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
The league has yet to file a defense in the case.