More than 50 professional wrestlers are suing their former employer, World Wrestling Entertainment. They say years of head injuries in the ring have left them with long-term neurological damage. They blame the Stamford, Connecticut, company for causing their injuries and for failing to care for those injuries – in the words of the lawsuit – in any medically competent or meaningful manner.
The plaintiffs include some big names like Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka and Chavo Guerrero. They say the head trauma from wrestling left them with either traumatic brain injuries or a disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a form of dementia that’s been found in boxers, football players and people in other high-contact sports.
Some wrestlers say the company didn’t tell them about the risks and didn’t pay them for time off when they were injured.
In a statement, WWE calls the new lawsuit ridiculous and says they expect it will be dismissed, like similar lawsuits against the company have been.