Riddell Class Action Says Helmets Don’t Provide Adequate Concussion Protection

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

Beleaguered helmet maker Riddell Inc. has been hit with yet another class action lawsuit over the safety and effectiveness of its football helmets. The latest Riddell class action lawsuit was filed this week in California federal court by a group of former college football players who accuse the company of falsely claiming that its helmets protect against concussions.

Nearly three dozen former college football players are listed as plaintiffs in the Riddell helmet class action lawsuit. Each of them claims that they suffered permanent brain injuries due to their use of Riddell helmets.

The Riddell class action lawsuit points to strong language from the helmet maker which states: “THE GAME OF THE FUTURE WILL BE WON WITH THE BRAIN.” The statement goes on to indicate that Riddell holds ownership of the helmet, which houses the brain.

“Riddell betrayed this self-declared ownership as the protector of its customers’ brains and well-being, when it knowingly and negligently developed, designed, tested, marketed, promoted, advertised, distributed and sold dangerous and defective football helmets that lacked critical and accurate safety information relating to the products,” the Riddell football helmet class action lawsuit states.

The plaintiffs assert that Riddell represented that its helmets would protect football players from repetitive head impacts, head trauma and concussions. “In reality, Riddell knew this was false, and failed to take effective action to protect Plaintiffs or inform them of the true risks and dangers associated with concussions, brain injuries, and repetitive brain trauma—all of which were known or should have been known to Riddell,” the football helmet class action lawsuit says.

According to the concussion class action lawsuit, Riddell was founded in 1929 and began manufacturing football helmets in 1939. The plaintiffs say Riddell became a “marketing juggernaut” by prominently placing the company name on college and NFL players’ helmets, which would be seen by football fans watching the games on television.

“Riddell has claimed and still claims it is the ‘recognized leader in helmet technology and innovation for athletes at all levels of football,” the football helmet class action lawsuit states. The plaintiffs assert they wore Riddell helmets at all times while they were practicing or playing football during their college football careers.

The Riddell football helmet class action lawsuit states that Riddell falsely claimed its “Revolution Helmet” was 31 percent safer than other available helmets, and that, following an FTC investigation, Riddell was forced to stop making that claim. According to the football helmet class action lawsuit, the 31 percent claim was based on a study of helmets that were not actually tested in the study.

The plaintiffs assert the Riddell Revolution helmet had several design defects, including defective padding, substandard foams in the front pad, and a defective liner that fails to incorporate newer and safer technologies that are better able to absorb football blows and prevent head injury.

“Nevertheless, Riddell marketed all of their helmets as safe and/or safer equipment that would protect its players, especially from concussions,” the Riddell class action lawsuit states. The plaintiffs argue that Riddell has failed to improve upon the helmet design despite awareness of other padding material that has been shown to be more effective at protecting players against concussions.

The Riddell class action lawsuit asserts claims for negligence, design defect and failure to warn.

The plaintiffs are represented by George Parker Young, Vincent P. Circello and Kelli L. Walter of Circelli Walter & Young PLLC and Joseph H. Low IV.

The Riddell Football Helmet Class Action Lawsuit is Mark Adams, et al. v. BRG Sports, et al., Case No. 3:17-cv-00457, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.