LionDen
04-10-2015, 07:25 PM
TMZ.com is reporting that another lawsuit has been filed against WWE alleging that former WWE talents Luther Reigns, Ryan Sakoda and Russ McCullough were seriously injured during their time working for the company, following similar suits filed by the likes of Billy Jack Haynes, the late Nelson Frazier Jr. and Vito LoGrasso alleging the company has caused brain damage and permanent injury due to the physical style they have asked of their performers while also pushing them to continue on while injured.
Reigns was under contract from 2003 to 2004, upon which he requested and was granted a release from the company. He wrestled prior to that from 1997 on in WCW and on the independents. He continued to wrestle until 2006 and did later suffer a stroke.
Sakoda was under contract to WWE from September 2003 to August 2004 and had a short run on the main roster paired with Akio (later known as Jimmy Wang Yang). He was a regular for Rick Bassman's UPW and also wrestled for ZERO-ONE. After his WWE run, he wrestled for MTV's Wrestling Society X.
McCullough was a WWE developmental wrestler who was released in 2001 while training at now-defunct WWE developmental territory HWA in Ohio. He never made the main roster but did work WWF house shows and dark matches as well as Ohio Valley Wrestling. Apparantly he did not wrestle again following his WWE release.
The lawsuit is requesting an injunction preventing WWE from requiring wrestlers from performing dangerous maneuvers, including the powerslam.
WWE has not yet responded publicly to the lawsuit. TMZ did not specify where the suit was filed.
Article:
WWE Wrestlers Sue
We're Badgered, Brutalized and Brain Damaged
http://ll-media.tmz.com/2015/04/10/0409-wwe-wrestlers-flickr-tmz-3.jpg
Three wrestlers have sued the WWE on behalf of all current and former wrestlers who have suffered serious brain and other damage as a result of "egregious mistreatment" by the organization.
Big Russ McCullough, Ryan Sakoda and Luther Reigns (obvious stage names) claim the WWE has known for years ... the brutality in the ring has resulted in dementia, Alzheimer's disease and a lot more.
The lawsuit -- obtained by TMZ -- claims the WWE, "under the guise of providing 'entertainment' .... has for decades subjected its wrestlers to extreme physical brutality."
The suit acknowledges wrestling is scripted but nonetheless unrelentingly brutal, claiming "WWE is in the business of selling violence."
The legal docs chronicle various matches in which wrestlers were destroyed. It mentions the 2014 Royal Rumble, in which one wrestler "demolished another with a series of brutal steel chair attacks," and the docs refer to "the carnage created by the match's victor."
The lawsuit gives an interesting inside look into wrestling, saying the goal of the WWE is to elicit "heat," meaning heightened violence with the use of various props, including chairs, ladders and tables. The suit singles out various moves, including the Brain Buster, Bulldog, Cobra Clutch Slam, Facebreaker, Jawbreaker and Powerslam. It singles out the chair shots to the head, which was banned in 2010.
The suit claims, "The WWE coerces its wrestlers to work while they are injured by, among other methods, threatening to strip them of their position within the organization if they refuse." It says they are "universally encouraged to 'wrestle through the pain.'"
And the lawsuit mentions Chris Benoit, who was "routinely hit in the head with a chair." Benoit, who killed his wife and son along with himself, was autopsied after his death. A doctor concluded Benoit's brain was so damaged from CTE, it "resembled the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient."
The suit asks for an injunction, prohibiting the WWE from subjecting its wrestlers to such brutality, along with damages.
Original article can be found by clicking here (http://www.tmz.com/2015/04/10/wrestlers-sue-wwe-injuries-brutal-brain-damage-lawsuit/).
UPDATE:
The lawsuit filed against WWE by Ryan Sakoda, Luther Reigns and Russ McCollough yesterday was in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. All three are currently residents of California, which is why the suit was filed there.
The 47 page filing is almost word for word the same lawsuit filed by others making similar claims against WWE.
McCullough alleges that he was knocked unconscious during an event in Cincinnati, Ohio and was beaten with 15 chairshots after being knocked out without WWE medical staff intervening. He claims that WWE stated, "Not our problem" when he attempted to report the issue. The lawsuit alleges additional physical effects of the damage he suffered while working for the company and today, McCullough,"suffers from numerous symptoms including but not limited to headaches, severe migraines memory loss, and severe depression and panic attacks which have required over forty emergency room visits since he retired."
Ryan Sakoda alleges in the suit that WWE is operated by “intimidation and abuse” and that the company disregarded his health and safety, and that of others, to a degree that has left him traumatized. He states he and others were “forced to wrestle injured or you lost your job,” and that concussions were not discussed or treated. When he suffered a concussion after being knocked out by a superkick in 2003, WWE medical staff simply told him not to go to sleep or he might die. Sakoda today alleges he suffers "numerous symptoms including but not limited to headaches, severe migraines, memory loss and severe depression."
Reigns alleges in the suit there was a "code of silence" about head injuries in WWE and he suffered numerous concussions and injuries that went untreated while working for the company. The suit contains allegations that he was once knocked out by Big Show and even though he vomited after, there was no treatment. The lawsuit notes he has suffered a stroke in the past and today, "suffers from post-concussion symptoms including but not limited to severe fatigue, dizziness, and severe short and long term memory loss. Mr. Wiese is unable to remember much of his life."
The lawsuit is seeking a jury trial. WWE has not yet responded to the lawsuit.
UPDATE:
McDevitt responds to latest WWE lawsuit
WWE's longtime attorney Jerry McDevitt responded to the latest lawsuit filed against the company, telling TMZ the former talents suing are "being targeted by attorneys who tell them there's hundreds of thousands of dollars they can make by joining a class action suit like this."
McDevitt said that the company knows the claims are fraudulent and they will be fighting the charges in court. He also stated that other wrestlers have been approached about suing the company but have declined, feeling the lawsuits are a "scam" according the TMZ article.
"It's sensational, but if you really look at ... what was done specifically to them?" McDevitt said to TMZ. "There are almost no details as to what they actually suffered as a result of working with WWE."
Reigns was under contract from 2003 to 2004, upon which he requested and was granted a release from the company. He wrestled prior to that from 1997 on in WCW and on the independents. He continued to wrestle until 2006 and did later suffer a stroke.
Sakoda was under contract to WWE from September 2003 to August 2004 and had a short run on the main roster paired with Akio (later known as Jimmy Wang Yang). He was a regular for Rick Bassman's UPW and also wrestled for ZERO-ONE. After his WWE run, he wrestled for MTV's Wrestling Society X.
McCullough was a WWE developmental wrestler who was released in 2001 while training at now-defunct WWE developmental territory HWA in Ohio. He never made the main roster but did work WWF house shows and dark matches as well as Ohio Valley Wrestling. Apparantly he did not wrestle again following his WWE release.
The lawsuit is requesting an injunction preventing WWE from requiring wrestlers from performing dangerous maneuvers, including the powerslam.
WWE has not yet responded publicly to the lawsuit. TMZ did not specify where the suit was filed.
Article:
WWE Wrestlers Sue
We're Badgered, Brutalized and Brain Damaged
http://ll-media.tmz.com/2015/04/10/0409-wwe-wrestlers-flickr-tmz-3.jpg
Three wrestlers have sued the WWE on behalf of all current and former wrestlers who have suffered serious brain and other damage as a result of "egregious mistreatment" by the organization.
Big Russ McCullough, Ryan Sakoda and Luther Reigns (obvious stage names) claim the WWE has known for years ... the brutality in the ring has resulted in dementia, Alzheimer's disease and a lot more.
The lawsuit -- obtained by TMZ -- claims the WWE, "under the guise of providing 'entertainment' .... has for decades subjected its wrestlers to extreme physical brutality."
The suit acknowledges wrestling is scripted but nonetheless unrelentingly brutal, claiming "WWE is in the business of selling violence."
The legal docs chronicle various matches in which wrestlers were destroyed. It mentions the 2014 Royal Rumble, in which one wrestler "demolished another with a series of brutal steel chair attacks," and the docs refer to "the carnage created by the match's victor."
The lawsuit gives an interesting inside look into wrestling, saying the goal of the WWE is to elicit "heat," meaning heightened violence with the use of various props, including chairs, ladders and tables. The suit singles out various moves, including the Brain Buster, Bulldog, Cobra Clutch Slam, Facebreaker, Jawbreaker and Powerslam. It singles out the chair shots to the head, which was banned in 2010.
The suit claims, "The WWE coerces its wrestlers to work while they are injured by, among other methods, threatening to strip them of their position within the organization if they refuse." It says they are "universally encouraged to 'wrestle through the pain.'"
And the lawsuit mentions Chris Benoit, who was "routinely hit in the head with a chair." Benoit, who killed his wife and son along with himself, was autopsied after his death. A doctor concluded Benoit's brain was so damaged from CTE, it "resembled the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient."
The suit asks for an injunction, prohibiting the WWE from subjecting its wrestlers to such brutality, along with damages.
Original article can be found by clicking here (http://www.tmz.com/2015/04/10/wrestlers-sue-wwe-injuries-brutal-brain-damage-lawsuit/).
UPDATE:
The lawsuit filed against WWE by Ryan Sakoda, Luther Reigns and Russ McCollough yesterday was in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. All three are currently residents of California, which is why the suit was filed there.
The 47 page filing is almost word for word the same lawsuit filed by others making similar claims against WWE.
McCullough alleges that he was knocked unconscious during an event in Cincinnati, Ohio and was beaten with 15 chairshots after being knocked out without WWE medical staff intervening. He claims that WWE stated, "Not our problem" when he attempted to report the issue. The lawsuit alleges additional physical effects of the damage he suffered while working for the company and today, McCullough,"suffers from numerous symptoms including but not limited to headaches, severe migraines memory loss, and severe depression and panic attacks which have required over forty emergency room visits since he retired."
Ryan Sakoda alleges in the suit that WWE is operated by “intimidation and abuse” and that the company disregarded his health and safety, and that of others, to a degree that has left him traumatized. He states he and others were “forced to wrestle injured or you lost your job,” and that concussions were not discussed or treated. When he suffered a concussion after being knocked out by a superkick in 2003, WWE medical staff simply told him not to go to sleep or he might die. Sakoda today alleges he suffers "numerous symptoms including but not limited to headaches, severe migraines, memory loss and severe depression."
Reigns alleges in the suit there was a "code of silence" about head injuries in WWE and he suffered numerous concussions and injuries that went untreated while working for the company. The suit contains allegations that he was once knocked out by Big Show and even though he vomited after, there was no treatment. The lawsuit notes he has suffered a stroke in the past and today, "suffers from post-concussion symptoms including but not limited to severe fatigue, dizziness, and severe short and long term memory loss. Mr. Wiese is unable to remember much of his life."
The lawsuit is seeking a jury trial. WWE has not yet responded to the lawsuit.
UPDATE:
McDevitt responds to latest WWE lawsuit
WWE's longtime attorney Jerry McDevitt responded to the latest lawsuit filed against the company, telling TMZ the former talents suing are "being targeted by attorneys who tell them there's hundreds of thousands of dollars they can make by joining a class action suit like this."
McDevitt said that the company knows the claims are fraudulent and they will be fighting the charges in court. He also stated that other wrestlers have been approached about suing the company but have declined, feeling the lawsuits are a "scam" according the TMZ article.
"It's sensational, but if you really look at ... what was done specifically to them?" McDevitt said to TMZ. "There are almost no details as to what they actually suffered as a result of working with WWE."