CHICAGO - A federal judge has dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of a former NHL player who blamed the league for their son's brain damage and addiction to prescription painkillers.
Derek Boogaard was a feared enforcer with the New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild. He died of an accidental overdose of pain medications and alcohol in 2011. His parents sued in 2013, alleging the NHL knew or should have known Boogaard wasn't complying with treatment at a treatment center.
U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman dismissed the lawsuit on Monday in a 20-page opinion. The Chicago-based judge wrote that Boogaard's parents didn't prove the NHL was negligent.
The judge also noted the parents weren't appointed trustees of their son's estate, a requirement to sue on its behalf.
