Concussion class action launched against AFL

The motion, lodged by Margalit Damage Attorneys within the Supreme Court docket of Victoria, is on behalf of all skilled AFL gamers who sustained concussion-related accidents via head strikes whereas enjoying or coaching between 1985 and March 14 this 12 months.

The lead plaintiff is Jarad Maxwell Rooke, higher referred to as Max Rooke.

The twin premiership participant was employed by the Geelong Soccer Membership between 2001 and October 2010, and performed 135 video games throughout that point.

The category motion alleges Rooke sustained everlasting and life-altering accidents on account of concussion-related accidents and due to the AFL’s negligence.

Greater than 60 former gamers have come ahead to affix the category motion.

They’re looking for compensation for ache and struggling, financial loss and medical bills, Margalit Damage Attorneys mentioned.

“The accidents suffered by this group of former AFL gamers, as a direct results of the concussions sustained whereas enjoying Aussie guidelines, has had a devastating influence on their lives and the lives of their family members,” managing principal Michel Margalit mentioned.

“A few of the gamers who’ve joined this landmark class motion have by no means been in a position to maintain down a job after leaving the AFL.

“Their private lives have been shattered they usually stay with fixed bodily and psychological ache. It’s heart-breaking they usually must be adequately cared for.”

The long-term accidents sustained by gamers included continual traumatic encephalopathy, traumatic mind harm and dementia, Ms Margalit mentioned.

Many additionally skilled psychological impacts together with post-traumatic stress dysfunction and suicidal ideation.

The agency hoped the AFL would interact in early decision discussions to keep away from unnecessarily prolonging the gamers’ struggling.

It was talking with neurology consultants in preparation for them to present proof in court docket.

“The medical proof is obvious,” Ms Margalit mentioned.

“The gamers’ concussion occurred whereas enjoying Aussie Guidelines and people concussions have gone on to trigger them critical, lifelong bodily and psychological hurt.”

The writ filed within the matter pointed to a historical past of medical data on the impacts of concussion, and alleged it was moderately foreseeable to the AFL that gamers have been weak to concussion attributable to head strikes “in any respect related occasions”.

The AFL additionally owed gamers an obligation to take affordable care for his or her security and keep away from exposing them to pointless danger, the writ mentioned.

The AFL final 12 months apologised to previous gamers who have been “let down” by the league’s concussion analysis mission after an unbiased evaluate criticised the examine.

It was under-funded and under-resourced, and a few AFL gamers nonetheless dumbed down their baseline concussion testing in pre-season to cut back the possibility of a concussion analysis on recreation day, the evaluate discovered.

Earlier on Tuesday, the AFL launched its up to date tips for the elite recreation and strategic plan for sport-related concussion in soccer.

The AFL has been contacted for remark.

-AAP