I invite wrestlers and their families, media, wrestling fans and people interested in the plight of the wrestlers and the fight for their rights to submit questions about their legal claims. Here are some questions and anwers I have collected.
1) Q: Why do you think this lawsuit will be more successful than your previous ones against the WWE? (posted by German Journalist Guillaume Horst from Der Spiegel)
A: This latest case is the result of an extensive investigation into the policies and practices of the WWE which has revealed a systematic exploitative business practice which use unconscionable booking contracts to deceive the wrestlers about their legal rights- which deprived them of the legal protections that are given to US workers under federal labor and employment laws. Without these protections which were enacted to protect workers health and safety, the wrestler after retirement are now in a health crisis with many disabled because of they wrestling careers. Also note that the wrestlers are, per the plaintiffs allegations, misclassified as independent contractors, deprived of statutory rights and OSHA regulation further eroding a defense by WWE as compared to other contact sports in which there is an employment relationship, unionization, regulation and public oversight of the activities that may result in injury. A quick review of the plaintiffs factual allegations in the complaint reveals where they are now (broken in body and mind, many now disabled) graphically showing the outcome of the unregulated regime that WWE has maintained over these athletes.
2) Q: Have all the plaintiffs suffered head injuries in the course of their careers? Or are they suing because of other injuries as well? (posted by German Journalist Guillaume Horst from Der Spiegel)
A: The plaintiffs allege head injuries in two forms: 1) Open and obvious concussions that WWE failed to adequately treat and diagnose as well as 2) long term effects and risks of repeated head trauma that can cause an occupational disease like CTE that a wrestler would not know about unless educated by a doctor or WWE. Thus the wrestling match in ring activity itself (the routine, ordinary bumps and maneuvers) as well as the so called “accidental” incidents that often result in concussion cause latent, unseen and long term harm that results in damages to the plaintiffs. That physical activity itself which during its routine performance is causing unseen harm for which there is a duty to warn, the same is true in other contact sports Such as the NFL, and NHL in which routine head trauma also appears to result in CTE and latent occupational neurological disease.
