A lawsuit by a group of former NFL players against the National Football League states the league did not adequately protect players from head injuries, as well as that the league concealed risks associated with concussions and the side effects of medication given to them.
The medication, Toradol, is an anti-inflammatory that was repeatedly administered to players for injuries, including concussions. The players’ lawsuit contends the players are now suffering chronic problems due to high-impact head injuries on the field. These symptoms include short-term memory loss, headaches, lack of concentration and focus, loss of sleep, vertigo, dizziness, and depression.
Toradol comes in because it can mask the symptoms of a head injury, while possibly inducing cerebral bleeding. Cerebral bleeding greatly increases the chance of long-term brain damage. The drug was given to players either as an intravenous injection or orally. The risks were allegedly not discussed with the players prior to being given to them. One of the instructions of Toradol is that it not be given if there is a closed head injury, like a concussion, or bleeding in the brain.
The goal of giving players Toradol is to get them back on the playing field, even if they are injured and should be taken out of the game. If a player cannot tell a doctor what his symptoms are, the doctor cannot necessarily say the player suffered a concussion.
Counsel for the players says that Toradol is the “unspoken doping scandal within professional football.”
They go on to say:
“We believe that many teams continue numbing their athletes with the drug in order to get them through games when in fact considerable evidence exists that Toradol magnifies the severity of concussion. We hope our lawsuit can expose the egregious misuse of this drug, which appears to be widely used by many NFL teams as well as college and high school football programs around the country.”
If you or a loved one has suffered a drug injury, please contact an experienced personal injury attorney in your area today.