The father of a star high school football player who allegedly died of CTE-related injuries has filed the first lawsuit on behalf of a CTE-afflicted youth player against football helmet manufacturers, The Post has learned.
Darren Hamblin on Tuesday filed a suit against Riddell and the owner of Schutt Sports on behalf of his late son, Cody, alleging negligent misrepresentation, negligent product liability, fraud and wrongful death, according to court documents obtained by The Post.
Cody Hamblin played tackle football from approximately 2001 through at least 2011 using helmets from both manufacturers, according to the suit filed in Ohio’s Court of Common Pleas in Montgomery County.
On May 29, 2016, Hamblin, then 22, was fishing with his grandfather on a boat and suddenly had a seizure, causing him to fall overboard and drown, according to the suit. Doctors then determined he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the suit says.
“I think this is a bizarre test case,” a source close to the defense said, since the family has to prove not only that football caused CTE, but also that CTE caused the seizure. “The seizure could have been caused by anything.”
Hamblin’s father in the suit says he “did not know the long-term effects of repeat brain injuries, sub-concussive hits and cumulative brain trauma and relied on the defendants to protect them.”
“There are no specific safety standards for youth sports,” plaintiffs allege in the suit filed by law firm Intili & Groves. “The helmet was not designed for minors. There are known design defects, inadequate fitting instructions, and inadequate adult manufacturing standards applied towards an even more vulnerable population, child athletes.”
Meanwhile, thousands of former NFL players are suing Riddell in a case that used to be connected to the 2017-settled $1 billion suit against the NFL for living players who retired before July 7, 2014. That Riddell case is still being heard.
Riddell did not return calls, and Schutt’s owner, Platinum Equity, declined to comment.