WWE Responds to Billy Jack Haynes’ Class Action Lawsuit

- WWE has issued a legal response to the class action lawsuit filed against the promotion by former WWE Superstar Billy Jack Haynes. The response was filed on March 31 in the United States District Court in Portland, Oregon. WWE has asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed.
The response notes that Haynes started his lawsuit 26 years after he last worked for the WWE and said that his suit is “time -barred and substantively deficient.” In addition, the response notes that Haynes failed to file his lawsuit in its required time limit, and they reportedly informed his attorney of that. This led to a new, amended pleading filed that includes a medical malpractice claim. WWE is saying that claim is also time-barred.

The response also describes how Haynes changed his accusations of suffering 15 concussions with WWF in the 1980s to an “unspecified” amount of concussions and said that Haynes’ recent filing “does not squarely allege the number of concussions he sustained during his stint with WWE, if any.”
The response reads:

“The thrust of Haynes’ lawsuit is that WWE concealed from him, in ways never explained, the medical science regarding the risks of repetitive head trauma which he at the same time admits have long been known. Haynes offers no explanation for the staleness of his claim. He pleads no diligence on his part for the last two and one -half decades. Instead, Haynes makes the conclusory allegation that his injuries were not detectable until manifestation and that he was unable to discover his injuries until being diagnosed. Haynes does not allege when he was diagnosed with depression or dementia, or even that he has been so diagnosed. He does not plead the date he finally discovered his injuries or his claims. Realizing the staleness of his lawsuit, Haynes offers one conclusory sentence seeking to estop WWE from invoking obviously applicable limitations– that WWE “knew that the Plaintiff and Class were suffering concussions during and prior to their careers and concealed that materials [sic] information from Plaintiff and all WWE wrestlers.”

WWE has also requested that if the lawsuit is not dismissed, the lawsuit should be moved to the United States District of Connecticut because none of Haynes’ claims against the company are based in Oregon beyond Haynes being a resident of the state. The response adds that Oregon does not have much in the way of a “substantative connection” with the legal dispute.
The hearing is set for June 30 at 9:30AM to discuss WWE’s request to dismiss the lawsuit and a potential change in venue for the legal matter.

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Billy Jack Haynes’ Lawyers to File Amended Complaint Against WWE

The lawyers representing former WWF Superstar Billy Jack Haynes filed notice with a court in Portland, Oregon that they will be filing an amended complaint with regards to Haynes’ class action lawsuit against the WWE. Since the complaint is being amended, WWE is no longer bound to respond to the original complaint on January 30.

After the new complaint is filed against the company, the WWE will have 60 days to respond to the amended complaints. The initial lawsuit was 30 pages and was similar to the one brought against the NFL by former players. The suit claims the WWE has subjected its pro wrestlers it should have known caused long-term, irreversible bodily damage

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WWE Responds to Big Vito & Adam Mercer’s Lawsuit

As previously reported, WWE has been hit with a second lawsuit over concussions. Vito Lograsso and Adam Mercer filed suit against the company claiming that they have serious neurological damage as a result of concussions they received during their runs with the company, with the lawsuits being filed by the same attorney who represents Billy Jack Haynes in his lawsuit against WWE.
Jerry McDevitt, who represents WWE, issued the following statement on the lawsuits (via PWInsider):

“This lawsuit is virtually identical to one filed by the same lawyers in Oregon, neither of which have any merit. WWE has never concealed any medical information related to concussions, or otherwise, from our Talent. WWE was well ahead of sports organizations in implementing concussion management procedures and policies as a precautionary measure as the science and research on this issue emerged. We will vigorously contest this lawsuit.”

Opinionated View- The hard thing will be with guys like Haynes and Vito who had long careers and wrestled in various places showing the damage came from there time in WWE. This will be one of those things to keep an eye on along with all the other lawsuits they are facing.

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Update On Billy Jack Haynes Lawsuit Against WWE

WWE has filed a motion requesting an extension in time before they answer the lawsuit from Billy Jack Haynes. The judge granted the WWE thirty days and they have until January 30. The response was due yesterday. When it’s filed, the case will move forward in Portland, Oregon.

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WWE Granted Time Extension In Billy Jack Haynes Suit

WWE filed a motion on November 12 asking for a time extension to properly respond to the lawsuit that Billy Jack Haynes filed against them in United States District Court of Oregon. Magistrate Judge Janice M. Stewart has agreed to the request and the WWE now has until December 30 to respond.

The 30-page lawsuit was intended to be similar to the one against the NFL by former players. It claims that WWE “has, for decades, subjected its wrestlers to extreme physical brutality that it knew, or should have known, caused long-term irreversible bodily damage, including brain damage.”

Opinionated View- Well if Bill Jack was looking for a quick settlement sounds like he won't get it. A big problem Billy Jack will have is he spent only about 3 years with the WWE during his 14 year career so WWE can argue most of the damage to his body came outside the WWE. 

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