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As reported earlier today by PWInsider.com, Cassandra Frazier, the widow of the late Nelson Frazier Jr. filed a 124-page wrongful death lawsuit against WWE, claiming that Frazier's fatal heart attack in 2014 were directly caused by the years of abuse he placed on his body while working for WWE from 1994-2008 over several different runs.
PWInsider.com has acquired a copy of the lawsuit which claims, "Mr. Frazier died February 18, 2014 at the age of 43 as a result of injuries he sustained as a result of wrestling for the WWE. Plaintiff seeks compensation and such further relief as justice may require for accumulation of long-term chronic injuries, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), financial losses, pain and suffering, expenses, loss of enjoyment of life, and intangible human losses suffered by the Plaintiff as a result of WWEs willful, wanton, reckless, and grossly negligent and other conduct and omissions, which resulted in Mr. Frazier suffering repetitive serious head injuries, brain trauma, concussions, other serious injuries, and eventually the heart attack which took his life."
The lawsuit cites that Frazier was never properly educated as to the risks he took medically and that WWE featured a culture that sent wrestlers back into the ring when they shouldn't have been cleared, even citing Frazier once performing while ill with pneumonia.
The lawsuit lists a large number of wrestlers who passed away while working for WWE or in the years following their WWF runs, including some who barely, if ever worked for the company (Anthony Durante aka Pitbull 2) or who had not worked for the company in almost two decades (Eddie Gilbert).
The lawsuit claims, "Mr. Frazier, in turn, relied on the WWE's deceptive statements and efforts to conceal medical evidence, resulting in his misinformed belief that concussive events and wrestling with serious illnesses and injuries did not present serious life-threatening risks. Nelson Frazier, was in an inferior bargaining position to WWE, as well as an inferior position to know the scope of risks to which WWE insisted he participate. As a result, he regularly returned to wrestle prematurely, despite suffering injury from a previous match, without adequate time to heal. Subsequently, as Mr. Fraziers health further declined, the WWE did nothing to help him manage or treat his injuries and wrestling related medical conditions."
The lawsuit lists what appears to be every single wrestling appearance that Frazier made while working for the company, noting after each, "Upon information and belief, he sustained head and other long-term injuries by competing in this event."
The lawsuit also claims that WWE, "hired doctors whose sole purpose was to downplay and conceal the long-term risks of head injuries from wrestlers, rather than, as wrestlers believed, protect them from harm. In this additional way, WWE deceived wrestlers like Nelson Frazier Jr."
The lawsuit cites comments made by CM Punk on Colt Cabana's podcast last year as proof cementing those claims. There is a lot of language discussing the NFL's concussion issues and trying to connect WWE to it in a similar way, noting they were not only the promoter of record but oversaw the medical well being of their talents.
The lawsuit also cites WWE's cardiovascular testing, claiming that their tests should have shown that Frazier Jr. likely would have needed medical assistance and that the testing either never happened or was presented in a poor manner. The lawsuit claims that WWE's responsibility to Frazier should have continued after he was "shown the door."
The lawsuit claims that Frazier dealt with a number of medical issues towards the end of his life that left him "penniless" as he was forced to pay cash to deal with them, including:
"Frazier had lost most of his short-term memory, could not remember discussions from moments or days ago and had a difficulty performing basic tasks due to his inability to recall events or appointments. Frazier suffered from severe migraines for which he sought medical attention. Frazier suffered from severe depression for which he sought medical attention. Frazier had suffered long-term brain damage from his WWE career."
The lawsuit also claims Frazier had indentations in his skull and lumps in his head where scar tissue had formed permanently. The lawsuit also claims he suffered from severe anxiety, apathy, blurred vision, slurred speech, dizziness, sleeping problems, cervical spine arthritis, impulse control problems and many other issues.
It should be noted that after Frazier departed WWE, he continued to wrestle and did so for several years.
Cassandra Frazier is asking for a trial by jury and seeking compensatory and general damages for herself and Nelson Frazier Jr.'s estate.
WWE likely has not been served with the lawsuit as of this writing and has not yet responded to PWInsider's request for comment.
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