wrestling / News
UPDATED: Former WWE Superstar Billy Jack Haynes Suing WWE for ‘Egregious Mistreatment’ of Wrestlers
UPDATE: WWE’s Director of Public Relations/Corporate Communications, Adam Hopkins, has just provided 411mania with the following statement:
“Billy Jack Haynes performed for WWE from 1986-1988. His filed lawsuit alleges that WWE concealed medical information and evidence on concussions during that time, which is impossible since the condition now called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) had not even been discovered. WWE was well ahead of sports organizations in implementing concussion management procedures and policies as a precautionary measure as the science and research on this issue emerged. Current WWE procedures include ImPACT testing for brain function, annual educational seminars and the strict prohibition of deliberate and direct shots to the head. Additionally, WWE has committed significant funding for concussion research conducted by the Sports Legacy Institute (SLI), leaders in concussion research, and WWE Executive Vice President Paul Levesque sits on SLI’s Board.”
Original: The Portland Tribune published a report that former WWE wrestler Billy Jack Haynes (real name William Albert Haynes III) is suing the WWE for alleged mistreatment for wrestlers and the WWE’s disregard of wrestler safety. In addition, Haynes is asking the court to grant class-action status for about 500 workers who suffered injuries while performing in the WWE.
Below are details of the lawsuit filed by Portland-based lawyers Steve D. Larson and Joshua L. Ross of Stoll Stoll Bernie Lotking & Schlachter:
“Under the guise of providing ‘entertainment,’ WWE has, for decades, subjected its wrestlers to extreme physical brutality that it knew, or should have known, caused long-term irreversible bodily damage, including brain damage. For most of its history, WWE has engaged in a campaign of misinformation and deception to prevent its wrestlers from understanding the true nature and consequences of the injuries they have sustained. WWE’s representations, actions, and inactions have caused its wrestlers to suffer from death, long-term debilitating injuries, lost profits, premature retirement, medical expenses, and other losses as alleged herein.”
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