Last week we talked a bit about both Evan Singleton’s deposition in the WWE concussion lawsuit as well as a video of a concussion presentation held in developmental during Singleton’s time under contact. Among other topics, there’s been a bit more movement on that front.
Just a few hours after Hulk Hogan was awarded another $25.1 million in punitive damages by a Pinellas County, Florida jury, the concussion-themed lawsuits against WWE took a major hit last week after a 71 page ruling by Connecticut Federal District Court Judge Vanessa L. Bryant. The wrestlers/plaintiffs did have a minor win in there: Vito Lograsso and Evan Singleton didn’t have their cases thrown out, in part thanks to Bryant buying the argument that WWE’s outreach to former talent tolls (extends) the statute of repose (more strict than a statute of limitations). But by and large, this was a victory for WWE. Right before the judge agreed with WWE’s argument that they should be protected “under the contact sports exception they could only be held liable for reckless and intentional conduct, and not ordinary negligence,” she wrote this: