TorHoerman Law Files Lawsuit Against US Olympics on Behalf of Estate of First Bobsledder Diagnosed With CTE
The family of deceased Olympic bobsledder Pavle Jovanovic filed a lawsuit against US Olympics, alleging CTE injuries suffered from sport caused their loved one to commit suicide.
OCEAN COUNTY, N.J., Feb. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- TorHoerman Law has filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey on behalf of the Estate of Pavle Jovanovic, a Team USA Olympic bobsled athlete who took his own life on May 3, 2020.
This lawsuit is the first filed on behalf of an individual against the United States Olympic Committee, the United States Bobsled & Skeleton, the International Olympic Committee, and the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation for their alleged failure to protect American bobsled athletes from suffering from and developing traumatic brain injuries, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
The complaint alleges that Jovanovic's suicide resulted from thousands of runs he took down bobsled tracks throughout the world during his career from 1997 to 2008. According to the complaint, during each run, Pavle was allegedly subjected to concussive and sub-concussive impacts, constant and severe jarring and vibrations, and high g-forces. These forces allegedly have been reported to cause "sled head", a term used by athletes and trainers/medical staff to refer to instances when the athlete experiences confusion, problems with immediate recall, disorientation to time, place & person, anterograde and retrograde amnesia, fatigue, blurred vision, brain fog and/or difficulty communicating immediately after a run.
The lawsuit alleges that "sled head" has been used within the sport since the 1980s. The lawsuit further alleges that the Defendants, jointly and individually, failed to warn of and protect Pavle from the symptoms and effects of "sled head." According to the complaint, these acts and omissions were done despite the Defendants' knowledge of medical science, published since the 1960s, discussing the intersection of concussions and sport and warning of the traumatic brain injuries that athletes can suffer when exposed to various forms of brain trauma. The complaint states that those publications define a clear list of associated symptoms of concussions and traumatic brain injuries, all of which are identical to those symptoms associated with "sled head."
"TorHoerman Law and the Jovanovic family believe this lawsuit is the tip of the iceberg. We hope it will be a platform for awareness on the alleged issue and of courage for other current and former athletes to come forward and join the fight for accountability, change, and transparency from the Defendants," said Hoerman. "It's time the deadly consequences of this sport alleged in this lawsuit are brought out of the dark."
If you or a loved one were a member of the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation and have suffered a traumatic brain injury or currently suffer from the associated symptoms of sled head, you can contact TorHoerman Law for a free, no-obligation, confidential consultation with a member of the TorHoerman legal team. You can also visit https://www.torhoermanlaw.com/personal-injury/sliding-sports-athlete-brain-injury/ for additional information or to receive an instant online case evaluation.
The Estate of Pavle Jovanovic is represented by TorHoerman Law attorneys Tor Hoerman, Eric Terry, Ken Brennan, and Eric Cracken. The lawsuit is filed in conjunction with Robert Dassow of Hovde Dassow + Deets, and Andrew D'Arcy and Peter Smith of D'Arcy Johnson Day, P.C. The lawsuit (# OCN-L-000409022) is filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey in Ocean County.
About TorHoerman Law
At TorHoerman Law, our team of experienced legal experts specializes in various litigations, including personal injury, traumatic brain injury, and head and brain injuries in athletes.
TorHoerman Law represents clients nationwide, with offices in Chicago, IL, St. Louis, MO, and Edwardsville, IL. TorHoerman Law is comprised of experienced attorneys and support staff that believe in justice for individuals harmed through no fault of their own. To learn more, visit https://www.torhoermanlaw.com/.
Media Contact
Jordan Terry, TorHoerman Law, 1 6183347675, [email protected]
Eric Cracken, TorHoerman Law, 888-508-6752, [email protected]
SOURCE TorHoerman Law
Share this article