NFL is Accused of Supplying Illegal and Dangerous Painkillers to Players

The National Football League has been accused of putting profits before the wellbeing of players in a lawsuit that accuses it of supplying them with powerful painkillers and other drugs that kept them in the game but led to serious complications later on.

Associated Press reported on how the lawsuit seeks unspecified damages on behalf of more than 500 former athletes. It charges the NFL with pursuing profits over protecting its players’ health.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim to speed up the return of injured athletes to the field, team doctors and trainers illegally administered drug, without obtaining the proper prescriptions or warning of the possible side effects.

“Some football players said they were never told they had broken legs or ankles and were instead fed pills to mask the pain,” reported AP.

One of them said that instead of receiving surgery, he was given anti-inflammatory drugs and told he did not need to attend practice so he could play in games. Others said that after years of receiving free pills from the NFL, they retired addicted to the painkillers.

This latest damning case against the NFL comes less than 12 months after the NFL agreed to pay $765 million in the settlement of lawsuits from thousands of retired players who accused the league of concealing the risks of concussions. A judge has not yet approved the settlement, amidst concerns the amount is too small.

These are serious accusations against the NFL over actions that appear to have led to irreversible harm to some players and former players. You don’t have to be a Virginia brain injury lawyer to realize how serious it is to allow a player to continue on the field after receiving a concussion. Likewise using painkillers to mask an injury can exacerbate the problems.

The latest lawsuit lists drugs such as Toradol, known as “the current game-day drug of choice of the NFL.” The medication can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke or intestinal bleeding.

If you have been harmed by a dangerous drug or have suffered a head injury while playing sport, contact Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers at 757.455.0077.