Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Ohio Supreme Court Says CTE-Related Lawsuit Against Notre Dame, NCAA Can Proceed

The Ohio Channel
Arguments in the case Schmitz v. Natl. Colleg iate Athletic Assn. were argued before the Ohio Supreme Court as it held off-site court in Putnam County in April.

The Ohio Supreme Court says a lawsuit against the University of Notre Dame and the NCAA can proceed. The suit claims a former football player who died three years ago after suffering from brain diseases was disabled by concussions.

The suit was filed in Cuyahoga County in 2014, after doctors diagnosed Steven Schmitz with chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE related to concussions when he played football at Notre Dame in the 1970s. David Langfitt is the attorney for his widow Yvette Schmitz. Langfitt told the Ohio Supreme Court court in April there’s nothing that would have contributed to Schmitz’s early onset Alzheimer’s disease and dementia other than football. “This is a latent disease case – CTE is the signature latent disease of football,” Langfitt said.

The NCAA and Notre Dame argued the case had to be filed within the two-year statute of limitations, but the Supreme Court disagreed. Hundreds of former players have filed similar suits against the NCAA, saying it didn’t do enough to protect them from head injuries.

Contact Karen at 614-578-6375 or at kkasler@statehousenews.org.
Related Content