Breaking: Rugby claims survive but claimant lawyer slammed by court
Judge David Cook said the claims can proceed with conditions after finding the players were not to blame for their former lawyers’ disclosure failures.
- On Friday, the London High Court ruled that hundreds of brain injury lawsuits against World Rugby and other governing bodies may proceed to trial. Judge David Cook permitted the cases to continue despite disclosure failures by the claimants' former legal team.
- The governing bodies had sought to strike out about 500 claims, arguing that lawyers at Rylands Garth failed to follow court disclosure orders. Judge Cook criticized former solicitor Richard Boardman's handling, noting the players recently appointed KP Law to manage their case.
- Judge Cook determined that 'individual claimants are blameless' regarding procedural failures. He stressed that 'given the vulnerability of many of these claimants, it might be said that they should not be punished for the sins of their legal representative.'
- In a joint statement, World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union, the Rugby Football Union, the Rugby Football League, and the British Amateur Rugby League Association welcomed the judgment. They expressed hope the litigation can move forward 'in accordance with the court's expectations.'
- With around 1,000 claimants spanning both rugby codes, the litigation has 'potential to greatly impact the way in which one of our national sports is conducted.' High-profile former players, including members of England's 2003 World Cup-winning team, allege repeated concussive impacts caused permanent neurological damage.
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A British judge decided this Friday that a trial could take place in the context of the collective legal proceedings brought by former players against World Rugby and the English and Welsh federations....
Rugby Concussion Lawsuits Proceed: Landmark Decision in UK Court | Sports-Games
The High Court in London has ruled in favor of continuing concussion lawsuits filed by over 500 former rugby players against global and British rugby bodies. These cases highlight serious neurological injuries linked to repeated head impacts, potentially impacting future regulations in contact sports in the UK.
Judge allows UK rugby brain injury court case to continue to trial
A mix of professional and amateur players claim World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), England's Rugby Football Union (RFU), the Rugby Football League and the British Amateur Rugby League Association breached a duty of care to protect them from injury. Last month, the presiding judge at London's High Court said he was deciding on whether to strike out 95 percent of the first batch of 561 claims on the grounds their lawyers failed to comply wi…
The Independent
The Independent (US)Rugby players win court battle for brain injury claims to proceed to trial
A judge has ruled that the claims can now proceed to trial
Several hundred former players have launched a procedure against international governing bodies, after suffering from the neurological consequences of repeated concussion.
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