$43.5M Malpractice Verdict For Former Philadelphia Eagles Captain: On February 13, 2023, a Philadelphia medical malpractice jury returned its verdict in the amount of $43.5 million in favor of former Philadelphia Eagles team captain Christopher Maragos against orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Bradley and Rothman Orthopaedics for their failure to properly treat his knee injury suffered during a NFL game against the Carolina Panthers on October 12, 2017.
Maragos’ right knee injury was diagnosed as a torn right knee posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Dr. Bradley performed a surgical repair of Maragos’ right knee and subsequently managed his post-operative treatment along with Rothman Orthopaedics. Maragos’ medical malpractice lawsuit alleged that the defendants failed to provide the appropriate treatment and that they were negligent in advancing his rehabilitation care that led to further injury to his right knee.
In particular, Maragos alleged in his medical malpractice lawsuit that a May 2018 MRI revealed that his injury was worsening and that he was suffering from a persistent partial tear. Maragos alleged that Dr. Bradley and Rothman Orthopaedics should have held off on advancing Maragos’ activities in light of the results of the May 2018 MRI instead of releasing him, which allowed Maragos to beginning running on dry land that he argued resulted in undue stress on his knee that led to further complications and the avoidable ending of his NFL career.
Maragos stated after the verdict in his favor (which came one day after the Philadelphia Eagles’ loss in Super Bowl LVII): “On Sunday, my team played the Superbowl, and I could only watch and wonder whether I could have been out there with him had I received proper medical care. While I live in constant pain and will never get back on the field, I hope this decision sends a message to teams’ medical staffs that players are people, not just contracts.”
Maragos’ medical malpractice lawyers stated: “This verdict will not bring back Chris’ NFL career, but we are grateful the Maragos family finally got a measure of justice. But, this is only the beginning in our effort to demand further accountability for professional sports franchises and ethical treatment for athletes. This jury’s verdict serves as a reminder that any team’s doctor, in any sport, who jeopardizes the well-being of its players due to contractual obligations or financial incentives, will be held accountable for their misconduct.”
Another of Maragos’ medical malpractice lawyers stated after the verdict: “This case and this jury may have changed the course of history by now forcing these team doctors and trainers to stop worrying about when a player might return to play and start thinking about the next 50 years of a players life.”
Maragos started his career with the San Francisco 49ers, played with the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks in 2014, and signed a three-year contract to play for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014.
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