Don Henderson files $10.25 million law suit against Dennis Wideman and the Flames

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I seriously don't know how you could possibly make the case that getting cross checked from behind away from the play by one player is an acceptable risk of a ref. I can think of only one case where this happened and it's this one. A hockey rink is a dangerous place but it's not the wild west where anything goes.

apparently in MarkGio's world getting a blind side cross check to the back is A-OK... that's all a part of the game of hockey...

Spearing is also acceptable as well as sucker punches...

all part of the game!

[Flames_Gimp]

lmao sure he's that injured

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I seriously don't know how you could possibly make the case that getting cross checked from behind away from the play by one player is an acceptable risk of a ref. I can think of only one case where this happened and it's this one. A hockey rink is a dangerous place but it's not the wild west where anything goes.

Whoa, let me be clear, I'm not personally making any case. I'm saying Mr. Henderson knows it's possible he can get struck by a player unsuspectingly from anywhere and goes to work accepting that possibility. Just like I know I can die during my commute to work and nevertheless start my engine up. But no, such an incident is never acceptable and I don't even know why these guys are even on the ice surface to begin with.

Oh wait, they get paid a few hundred grand for three hours work only 82 games a year. That's why! Meanwhile iron workers or whoever bust their hump in more dangerous trades and they do it 8 hours a day 240 times a year for a mere fraction of that. And they don't get to sue because of the workers' compensation acts.

I'm not saying I blame Henderson for doing what he's doing and I feel bad for his suffering. I just don't buy the whole ignorance argument. North America is way too litigious and it seems like anybody who has anything bad happen to them deserves a payday.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by DionTheDman

I practice this area of law for a living, and reading people's misinformed comments here and elsewhere about this claim is giving me a headache.

Any useful info with the humble brag?

Sure he is legally well within his rights...he certainly wouldn't be the first person to be totally full of #### and looking for a payday. I know for a fact him and Wideman shared a laugh about it 5 mins after it happened. I was less than 10 feet away from them.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by DionTheDman

I practice this area of law for a living, and reading people's misinformed comments here and elsewhere about this claim is giving me a headache.

Is the headache preventing you from working?

I smell a lawsuit against CP coming up.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by DionTheDman

I practice this area of law for a living, and reading people's misinformed comments here and elsewhere about this claim is giving me a headache.

Is a migraine headache from these comments preventing you from elaborating on your comment? Why come out and say that only to crawl back into your shell?

[Titan]

Originally Posted by Burner_29

Between NHL/NFL concussions, other general sports injuries and now this I wonder how many years "contact" sports have left?

This is just pathetic... so many things wrong with this picture and I'll blame it squarely on lawyers. $10M, loss of future earnings, laundry list of injuries... it all wreaks of blood sucking lawyers.

LAWYERS = NG

Until you or someone you care about is hurt by someone else's negligence. Then who you gonna call?

[Iniggywetrust]

Originally Posted by Titan

Until you or someone you care about is hurt by someone else's negligence. Then who you gonna call?

Dennis Wideman?

[Strange Brew]

Unfortunate black eye for the Flames organization.

He was probably already done due to his play, but coupled with this, Wideman won't see the ice in an NHL game again.

[Zarley]

Originally Posted by DionTheDman

I practice this area of law for a living, and reading people's misinformed comments here and elsewhere about this claim is giving me a headache.

Ugh, lawyers.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

apparently in MarkGio's world getting a blind side cross check to the back is A-OK... that's all a part of the game of hockey...

Spearing is also acceptable as well as sucker punches...

all part of the game!

Apparently in your world being _________ is A-OK.

I never said these things are acceptable just because they're apart of the game. Does spearing happen? Yes, probably once or twice a season. Drasaitl just took a ####ing weapon to another man's balls, and him and his victim are going to play against each other two damn days later.

Ask any hockey player if they think they can be speared on any given game. Why does spearing continue to happen if it's not acceptable? I mean to suggest it SHOULD NEVER happen ever, then why does it happen once in a while?

Let's take a more serious situation as an example. Do roofers fall to their death? Yes, all the time. So what, do you think roofers tell themselves "Duh.... I didn't know I could fall off a roof. Gulp?". Do they continue to climb up that roof everyday? Does that mean I believe and support these roofer's should fall to their deaths? Christ no! Do I think it's unacceptable?! Yes, no roofer should die on the job, ever.

But let me tell you something -- and I'm sure many can attest to this -- you will not believe how many god awfully stupid people out there climb on roofs without even the slightest consideration for their own well-being. And the company, who gives them harnesses and tells them they could be fired if they're not tied off, gets charged and fined and pays an increase in WCB premiums when that roofer falls.

I'm sorry but Henderson knew he could get hit and have back problems and could experience a retirement in pain and misery. He knew that before Wideman and not that it's acceptable that these things happen, but yes, it is a part of the game.

I wish it didn't happen, but I mean the guy isnt exactly doing that bad. He knew it could happen. He makes a decent living doing it. He comes to work even after several close calls and injuries and even spinal SURGERY. And even after all that it happens again and he's going to make millions in a lawsuit from the occupational hazards.

And so I'm unreasonable because I'm asking why he's even on the ice, instead of doing his job safer? I can't ask why he's not wearing protective equipment? I'm sorry, but if I'm a roofer and I know I can fall, id at least be wearing a harness.

[PaperBagger'14]

For $10.25 mil, can he play goalie for 2 years?

[Kjesse]

He claims 10 million in lost income, or there about.

I'd like to know how a NHL referee makes the kind of money claimed.

Garbage claim, his lawyer should be shamed.

[bluejays]

The good thing about this lawsuit is he's suing the NHL. We know they're hardliners, run by Bettman. I hope Bettman takes it to trial and doesn't settle. The lawsuit really seems frivolous when you look at the video of the hit.

[Yoho]

Why is this thread full of blaming the victim?

Does anyone think Henderson has any less right to sue for damages than Moore in Colorado did?

I get he's not a player, but anyone that saw that go down shouldn't be shocked this had a huge chance of going to court.

What Wideman did was assault IMO, and Henderson deserves a chance to fight for damages.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Why is this thread full of blaming the victim?

Does anyone think Henderson has any less right to sue for damages than Moore in Colorado did?

I get he's not a player, but anyone that saw that go down shouldn't be shocked this had a huge chance of going to court.

What Wideman did was assault IMO, and Henderson deserves a chance to fight for damages.

I know what you're saying, but you can't be serious that this is nearly the same thing. The Moore incident was a full out swing which was planned and for lack of a better phrase, hunted down. The Wideman hit was a shove from behind where no blood was shed or bone broken. I can see perhaps a little whiplash (not being a doc or anything), but how can a reasonable person suffer much from what happened. Unless the guy has a preexisting condition, how can this be believed?

[iamca]

Originally Posted by Robbob

The loss of 10 million in future earnings seems a little off considering he was retiring.

How long would it take for a linesman to make say 1 million?

[Yoho]

A defenceless person that gets railroaded from behind into the boards by Widemans aggressive act.

Would it elicit all those signs and symptoms for me? No probably not.

But I'm not Henderson, and Wideman 100% put himself in that position.

[iamca]

According to scoutingtherefs.com:

NHL Referee and Linesmen Salaries
Based on the data below, adjusted for inflation from the time reported, estimated NHL officials’ annual salaries as of 2013-14 as:

NHL Referees: $165k – $360k+
NHL Linesmen: $110k – $235k+

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Why is this thread full of blaming the victim?

Does anyone think Henderson has any less right to sue for damages than Moore in Colorado did?

I get he's not a player, but anyone that saw that go down shouldn't be shocked this had a huge chance of going to court.

What Wideman did was assault IMO, and Henderson deserves a chance to fight for damages.

I fully blame Wideman. It was arguably the most ridiculous play ever by a Flame and I simply can't defend his actions on this one. What Henderson is doing is not surprising in the least.