CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) – Several athletic companies have been named in a negligence lawsuit filed by a retired NFL player.
Haruki Nakamura said the Riddell helmets used in games caused injuries. He sued Riddell, All American Sports Corp., Easton-Bell Sports Inc., BRG Holdings Corp. and EB Sports in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on March 4.
Nakamura alleges that Riddell and the NFL presented false information to players so they would think the helmets were safe and the sports equipment manufacturer and league could make money.
“Defendants, as alleged herein, acted in concert with the NFL and subsequently agreed to engage in tortious and injurious conduct and to conceal material facts regarding the connection between blows to the head and latent brain disease from these plaintiffs, their families, and children, and players at all levels,” the lawsuit alleges.
Nakamura is suing for negligence, negligent marketing, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, strict liability/design defect, failure to warn, breach of implied warranty, civil conspiracy, fraudulent concealment, and for punitive damages for each of the allegations, as well as declaratory relief.
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois case number 2:20-cv-01680-AB