WWE Cleared By Federal Judge In A Concussion Lawsuit
The sports-entertainment company is in the clear.
U.S. district judge in Connecticut Vanessa Bryant cleared WWE in a concussion lawsuit this past Wednesday. Former WWE talents Evan Singleton and Vito LoGrasso originally filed the lawsuit in 2015. The two former WWE contracted talents claimed that the company had not alerted them of the concussions that they had. Singleton, who worked in WWE's then developmental system NXT under the name Adam Mercer stated that he had to retire from in-ring competition due to brain trauma he suffered under WWE's watch. Singleton began his in-ring career in 2012 and it would come to an abrupt end in September of the same year.
A lawyer for the WWE released a statement during the initial filing of the lawsuit regarding the claims that documents of Evan Singleton & Vito LoGrasso concussions were being hidden from them.
"WWE has never concealed any medical information related to concussions, or otherwise, from our (performers). WWE was well ahead of sports organizations in implementing concussion management procedures and policies as a precautionary measure as the science and research on this issue emerged," lawyer Jerry McDevitt said.
Vito LoGrasso, who is known for his time with WWE as being a part of the 'Full-Blooded Italians' was also involved in the lawsuit where he claimed that he suffers from neurological damage; with the worse of it resulting in deafness which he believes originated while competing for WWE. Both LoGrasso and Singleton felt that the company kept this information away from them and failed to piece together the difference between a concussion and permanent brain damage. Judge Vanessa Bryant did not come across any evidence supporting their claims.
“The evidence does not support a finding that WWE knew of a risk that repeated head injuries incurred while performing as a professional wrestler could cause permanent degenerative neurological conditions,”
Vito & Evan Singleton would also come after WWE's Dr. Joseph Maroon and Mark Lovell but those allegations were rebutted as well. To read the official court document/21-page ruling of the case via Judge Vanessa Bryant, click here.
