Now Wait Just One Minute. -Reactions to This Article. “Report: Boogaard’s Parents Sue NHLPA”?
Question by Scores: Now wait just one minute. -Reactions to this article. “Report: Boogaard’s parents sue NHLPA”?
—The NHL Players’ Association says it hasn’t seen a lawsuit reportedly filed by the parents of late enforcer Derek Boogaard seeking $ 9.8 million from the union.
TMZ reported Friday night that Boogaard’s family is suing the union to collect the $ 4.8 million remaining on the contract for their son, who died last year, and an additional $ 5 million in punitive damages.
According to TMZ, the suit says the players’ association failed to take proper steps to help them receive the money left on Boogaard’s deal with the New York Rangers when he died May 13, 2011, from a mixture of drugs and alcohol.
”We are saddened to read reports that the parents of the late Derek Boogaard have filed a lawsuit against the NHLPA,” the union said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. ”We have not been served with or seen a copy of the complaint, but we are confident that there is no meritorious claim that can be made against the NHLPA in regard to Derek’s tragic death.
”It is not appropriate to comment further at this time.”
Boogaard’s parents claim the 28-year-old player was addicted to prescription pills at the time of his death, TMZ said, partly because he had been prescribed ”a multitude of narcotics and sleeping pills by both the team doctors, physicians, trainers, and dentists of the New York Rangers and the Minnesota Wild.”
Because they believe the clubs are partly responsible for Boogaard’s death, his parents went to the players’ association, which according to the report promised to help them file a grievance to get the Rangers to pay out what was left on the contract with the team.
According to the lawsuit, the NHLPA failed to file the grievance by the required deadline, leaving the Boogaards unable to collect the remainder of the money, TMZ reported. —
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/report-boogaards-parents-sue-nhlpa-043222694–nhl.html
RIP BOO
Best answer:
Answer by tomjc43
People can sue anybody for anything. I was once going to sue my neighbour because pigeons living in his barn crapped on my car. I lost the suit because the DNA evidence couldn’t say directly that it was one of his pigeons or a stray from down town that might have been related to one of his birds.
But my legal opinion based on one semester of a tort law course which I routinely skipped because it was on the same night as Leafs’ hockey, I’d say they have as much chance as Derek had of winning a scoring championship.
Answer by viphockey4
Typical of todays society when people look to cash in on others tragic deaths. I understand the family feels pain as any loss causes any family but Dereks death is no more tragic than that of any addicts demise. Surely hockey related things at least contributed to his addiction but how can they prove in court that the absolute cause was others negligence? What usually becomes of these lawsuits is more hurt feelings and harsh reality checks for an already hurting and grieving family when ruthless lawyers spell out truths or half truths of Dereks life on and off the ice. And it would be very difficult to lay blame at the feet of the NHLPA when they dont control the Dr’s., trainers, or any other entity as to what they prescribe as medical assistance to any client (they will site Dr./client privacy acts to claim ignorance). They will also argue that Derek by virtue of being incapable of performing a fulfillment of his contract isnt entitled regardless of cause. If the Boogaards family lawyers cant prove beyond a reasonable doubt that hockey was the direct cause of his death ad he didnt die as a result of an on ice incident it will be very difficult for them collect any money. What often happens in cases like this is the lawyers and insurance companies quietly work out a settlement to avoid the harshness of a trial and the NHLPA insurance will also want to avoid the dollar cost of setting up a defense team and hiring of experts to win their case. It is common practice now to sue ad settle because lawyers understand the cost of defending is such that simply settling for dimes on the dollar is the cheaper route even when they believe they would ultimately win.
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