[sureLoss]

http://www.tsn.ca/montador-s-family-to-sue-nhl-1.281028

The family of Steve Montador is planning to launch a lawsuit against the NHL in the wake of news the late defenceman suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, widely known as CTE.

The disease, which can only be diagnosed after death, is closely linked to Alzheimer’s Disease and is believed to be caused by repeated brain trauma. Scientists have said CTE has been tied to aggressiveness, memory loss, and alcohol and drug addictions.

Before his death in February, Montador, 35, retained Chicago lawyer Bill Gibbs to represent him as a plaintiff in the concussion case against the NHL. Gibbs told TSN that Montador’s family has advised him to proceed with a lawsuit against the NHL.

Gibbs said he’s uncertain where he’ll file the case, but expects to do so within the next month.

Gibbs said he’s also unsure whether Montador’s estate would sue the NHL independently or as part of the broader concussions lawsuit against the league.
“The first thing that strikes me with hm is that someone at 35-years-old could be gone and number two, that he had such widespread disease in his brain from repetitive hits,” said Gibbs, a lawyer with the law firm Corboy and Demetrio. “It’s scary, really disturbing. At an age when the world is supposed to be ahead of you, instead his world was ending with a deteriorating and decaying brain.”