NCAA Wins $55 Million Lawsuit Filed by Widow of Former University of Southern California Linebacker
2022.11.22 21:37
NCAA Wins $55 Million Lawsuit Filed by Widow of Former University of Southern California Linebacker
By Kristina Sobol
Budrigannews.com – The widow of a former University Southern California linebacker filed a $55 million lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association on Tuesday, claiming that the organization failed to adequately protect her husband from concussions.
Alana Gee’s claims that the NCAA failed to educate players about the dangers of repeated head collisions and take reasonable precautions regarding concussions were rejected by a jury in state court in California. Matthew Gee, her husband, played football at USC from 1988 to 1992. He died in 2018 allegedly from chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
Lawyers claimed that the landmark case was the first to test whether the NCAA could be held liable for players’ traumatic brain injuries.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Scott Bearby, the NCAA’s senior vice president of legal affairs and general counsel, stated that the organization has a long history of improving player safety.
Bearby asserted, “The NCAA bore no responsibility for Mr. Gee’s tragic death,” and “the case was not supported by medical science linking Mr. Gee’s death to his college football career.”
The lawyers for Alana Gee did not immediately respond to inquiries for clarification.
According to a coroner’s report, Matthew Gee died of a heart attack caused by hypertension and toxicity from cocaine and alcohol. According to Alana Gee’s attorneys, CTE was the cause of his substance abuse and health issues.
According to Alana Gee’s lawsuit filed in November 2020, tests of Gee’s brain tissue after his death revealed that he had CTE and that this “likely contributed” to his cognitive decline.
“Had the NCAA unveiled reality to Matthew Well, he would have, at least, avoided potential risk to safeguard his head and in any case guarantee his security while playing football,” the claim said.
During the month-long trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, the attorneys for the NCAA argued that the organization took reasonable precautions regarding head trauma but was unable to prevent Gee’s death, which they disputed was related to CTE.
