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A class action lawsuit against WWE was filed by a number of former professional wrestlers today, including lead plaintiff Joseph "Road Warrior Animal" Laurinaitis, in the Federal Court in New Haven, CT alleging that the company hid their knowledge of medical conditions, such as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, from the wrestlers because the then WWF "placed corporate gain over its wrestlers’ health, safety and financial security, choosing to leave the plaintiffs severely injured and with no recourse to treat their damaged minds and bodies." This follows similar lawsuits filed against the NFL and NHL.
A large number of former wrestlers, including King Kong Bundy, Jimmy Snuka, Paul Orndorff, Sabu, Ahmed Johnson (think about that irony) and more are suing WWE. I will have a list of the plaintiffs below.
The suit alleges that WWE (then WWF) "placed corporate gain over its wrestlers’ health, safety and financial security, choosing to leave the plaintiffs severely injured and with no recourse to treat their damaged minds and bodies."
The suit also alleges that WWE "placed corporate gain over its wrestlers’ health, safety and financial security, choosing to leave the plaintiffs severely injured and with no recourse to treat their damaged minds and bodies."
It should be noted that conditions such as CTE, or even the depth of the damage that standards concussions inflict, weren't known when most, if not all, of these people wrestled.
Where the suit gets interesting is this claim:
Despite WWE’s ironclad control over the Plaintiffs, WWE refused and continues to refuse to classify its wrestlers as employees. WWE maintains the untenable position its wrestlers are independent contractors, requiring its wrestlers to sign unconscionable “Booking Contracts,” employment contracts of adhesion intended solely for the benefit of WWE and VKM. These contracts were drafted by WWE and its army of attorneys to restrict and abolish all of Plaintiffs’ rights and to fraudulently misrepresent and deceive both Plaintiffs and the federal government. The misclassification of wrestler-employees as “independent contractors” effectively eliminated WWE’s wrestlers’ knowledge of any employment rights they had under federal and state law, including OSHA, FMLA, and the NLR Act. The Booking Contracts are nothing more than an unconscionable scheme to save money in violation of public policy and the legal rights of
So this lawsuit is bringing the independent contractor status into play.
Here is the list of plaintiffs in the case of Joseph M. Laurinaitis v. World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.
JOSEPH M. LAURINAITIS, a.k.a. | Road Warrior Animal
JIMMY “SUPERFLY” SNUKA, by and through |his guardian, Carole Snuka
PAUL ORDNDORFF, a.k.a. Mr. Wonderful
SALAVADOR GUERRERO IV, a.k.a. Chavo | Guerrero, Jr.
CHAVO GUERRERO, SR., a.k.a. Chavo Classic
BRYAN EMMETT CLARK, JR., a.k.a. Adam Bomb
ANTHONY NORRIS, a.k.a. Ahmed Johnson
JAMES HARRIS, a.k.a. Kamala
DAVE HEBNER
EARL HEBNER
CHRIS PALLIES, a.k.a. King Kong Bundy
KEN PATERA
TERRY MICHAEL BRUNK, a.k.a. Sabu
BARRY DARSOW, a.k.a. Smash
BILL EADIE a.k.a. Ax
JOHN NORD, a.k.a. The Bezerker
JONATHAN HUGGER a.k.a. Johnny The Bull
JAMES BRUNZELL, a.k.a. Jumpin’ Jim
SUSAN GREEN, a.k.a. Sue Green
ANGELO MOSCA, a.k.a. King Kong Mosca
JAMES MANLEY, a.k.a. Jim Powers
MICHAEL “MIKE” ENOS"
BRUCE “BUTCH” REED, a.k.a. The Natural
CARLENE B. MOORE-BEGNAUD, a.k.a. Jazz
SYLVAIN GRENIER
OMAR MIJARES a.k.a. Omar Atlas
DON LEO HEATON, a.k.a. Don Leo Jonathan
TROY MARTIN, a.k.a. Shane Douglas
MARC COPANI, a.k.a. Muhammad Hassan
MARK CANTERBURY, a.k.a. Henry Godwin
VICTORIA OTIS, a.k.a. Princess Victoria|
JUDY HARDEE a.k.a. Judy Martin,
MARK JINDRAK
BERNARD KNIGHTON as Personal Representative of the Brian Knighton, a.k.a. Axl Rotten, Estate,
MARTY JANNETTY
JON HEIDENREICH
TERRY SZOPINSKI, a.k.a. The Warlord
SIONE HAVEA VAILAHI, a.k.a. The Barbarian
LARRY OLIVER, a.k.a. The Crippler
BOBBI BILLIARD
TIMOTHY SMITH, a.k.a. Rex King
TRACY SMOTHERS, a.k.a. Freddie Joe Floyd
MICHAEL R HALAC, a.k.a. Mantaur
RICK JONES, a.k.a. Black Bart
KEN JOHNSON, a.k.a. Slick
GEORGE GRAY, a.k.a. One Man Gang
FERRIN JESSE BARR, a.k.a. JJ Funk
LOU MARCONI
ROD PRICE
DONALD DRIGGERS
RODNEY BEGNAUD, a.k.a. Rodney Mack
RONALD SCOTT HEARD, a.k.a. Outlaw Ron Bass
BORIS ZHUKOV
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