Timeline glance: Concussion lawsuit
Timeline for the class action lawsuit filed by former NHL players:
Summer 2011: One of the most tragic summers in NHL history, as three enforcers pass away in the span of four months: Derek Boogaard (May 13, 2011) is followed by Rick Rypien (Aug. 15, 2011) and former Leaf Wade Belak (Aug. 31, 2011).
Nov. 27, 2013: Ten former NHL players file a class action lawsuit through law firms in California and Baltimore in the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. The 47-page lawsuit, which includes former Leafs Gary Leeman and Rick Vaive, claims the NHL knew about head trauma.
August 2014: The plaintiffs combine lawsuits with other law firms representing other NHL players; the timeline for hearing arguments in this consolidated action extends into ’17.
July 31, 2015: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman gives sworn testimony in New York as part of the class action lawsuit. Bettman appears before a U.S. District judge to “answer questions about the ongoing litigation.”
Nov. 23, 2015: Twenty-four more players join the lawsuit, bringing the ranks to 92. In addition, CTV files a motion in conjunction with the plaintiff’s, requesting the deposition of certain discovery documents. The NHL had filed a motion back in October, seeking to restrict “privileged documents” from being made public.
Dec. 8, 2015: The family of deceased NHLer Steve Montador files a lawsuit against the NHL, claiming the NHL did not provide their son with enough information on brain damage and injury. Many of the claims echo those made in the players’ lawsuit.
Jan. 16, 2016: A Minneapolis judge presiding over the class action lawsuit orders the unsealing of a series of “embarrassing” NHL internal emails. One of them, involving NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell, refers to an Ottawa Senators athletic trainer as a “freaking idiot” for suggestion concussion awareness and treatments.
February 2016: Former Ottawa Senator Grant Ledyard is one of 12 new players to come forward and join the class action lawsuit. As a result, there are now 105 former players on board. Mark Zwolinski