{"id":298146,"date":"2023-12-02T09:24:51","date_gmt":"2023-12-02T09:24:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/?p=298146"},"modified":"2023-12-02T09:24:51","modified_gmt":"2023-12-02T09:24:51","slug":"gavin-henson-joins-england-rugby-world-cup-aces-in-brain-injury-legal-claim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportslifetale.com\/rugby-league\/gavin-henson-joins-england-rugby-world-cup-aces-in-brain-injury-legal-claim\/","title":{"rendered":"Gavin Henson joins England Rugby World Cup aces in brain injury legal claim"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Charlotte Church’s ex-partner and former Wales back Gavin Henson has joined a number of England legends in taking legal action against rugby’s governing bodies after suffering brain injury symptoms. The likes of Phil Vickery and Mark Regan, who helped England to win the World Cup in 2003, are among 295 players seeking damages from World Rugby, the RFU and the Welsh Rugby Union.<\/p>\n

All three players were on a list of 226 names published on Friday after lawyers asked for reporting restrictions regarding their anonymity to be lifted at the high court in London. Former England scrum-half Harry Ellis and ex-Wales captain Colin Charvis are other prominent names on the list, which consists of many retired players from the early 2000s.<\/p>\n

The group are seeking damages from World Rugby, the RFU and WRU, who have been accused of negligence and failing in their duty of care by not implementing reasonable measures to protect health and safety. All three bodies strongly refute the claims and have criticised the players\u2019 legal teams for withholding medical records and delaying the case.<\/p>\n

It comes after the court ruled the players must wait until next year for their application for a group litigation order (GLO) to be decided. Jeremy David Cook, the senior master in the case, argued that it was not possible to grant the application without having detailed medical records of the 295 players involved.<\/p>\n

JUST IN: <\/strong> School rugby linked to rising number of head injuries<\/strong><\/p>\n

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“Unless the medical records are prepared properly, we\u2019re going to have a lot of issues,” said Cook. “The very least one needs in a case of this kind is medical records. In an individual injury case, the first thing you ask for in order to verify someone\u2019s history is a proper medical report.<\/p>\n

“There is a process and it must be fair. When one produces a condition and prognosis report, one must supply a medical history. It seems to me that it is absolutely basic. There is no liability without causability injury.”<\/p>\n

The case relates to the players in question suffering from neurological issues, which they blame on playing the sport. It is one of three similar cases brought forward by legal firm Rylands Garth, which also represents former rugby league and football players.<\/p>\n