Riddell Helmets Take Hit in Deceptive Marketing Class Action Lawsuit

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Riddell Inc. has been hit with a class action lawsuit alleging that its Riddell Revolution football helmet was inaccurately marketed as being able to reduce the possibility of a concussion by nearly one-third.

According to the Riddell class action lawsuit, the football equipment manufacturer relied on a study from the University of Pittsburgh that was denigrated by others who study concussions in sport both for its methodology as well as the lack of information regarding the fact that one of the study authors was a high-ranking Riddell employee. In spite of that, the company reportedly failed to modify its labeling and marketing materials to prevent misrepresentations at the time that plaintiff Norma Thiel purchased the Riddell Revolution football helmet, and placed a premium of $50 compared to similar protective equipment.

Generally speaking, “scientific studies show that the brand of football helmet makes no difference in a player’s risk of concussion and that high tech helmets like the Revolution do not reduce concussion risk for players any more effectively than low-cost helmets. In sum, scientists have concluded (and Defendants are aware of) the realities of both physics and human anatomy which make it unlikely that any football helmet can better reduce the chances of concussion than another helmet,” the Riddell helmet class action lawsuit says.

Studies similar to those cited in the class action lawsuit focus on the issue of coup contrecoup traumatic brain injury. In layman’s terms, the impact of a hit to a helmet forces the brain against the back of the skull, and dissipation of that energy can be somewhat mitigated by the padding in a helmet. However, Newton’s Third Law posits a reaction, which is when the brain ricochets off the back of the skull and into the front part of the skull. Few helmets can limit the effects of this impact.

The Riddell helmet class action lawsuit also alleges that the misrepresentations were particularly pernicious because the Riddell Revolution helmet was reportedly marketed to children and adolescents who may have had the same odds for suffering concussions as their peers wearing less expensive equipment.

Riddell is currently defending a class action lawsuit filed by NCAA football players who allege that Riddell’s football helmet design is defective because the helmets didn’t protect players against concussions.

The putative group of plaintiffs is represented by class action lawyers Dennis Pantazis and Dennis Pantazis Jr. of Wiggins Childs Quinn & Pantazis LLC and Stephen Corr of Stark & Stark PC.

The Riddell Revolution Football Helmet Class Action Lawsuit is Norma Thiel v. Riddell Inc., et al., Case No. 13-cv-07585, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey.

UPDATE: On May 25, 2017, parties to a consolidated Riddell helmets false advertising class action lawsuit have mutually agreed to a final dismissal of the action.