Father Of Star Quarterback Sues Helmet Maker For Son's Death

LOS ANGELES, CA — The father of a onetime star high school quarterback whose 2016 drowning was allegedly tied to the brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is suing the makers of the helmets the young man wore, alleging a negligent design contributed to his medical condition.

Darren Hamblin, the father of 22-year-old Cody Hamblin, brought the wrongful death/negligence/fraud suit Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court against helmet manufacturers Riddell Inc. and Schutt Sports as well as other parties, including two Van Nuys-based businesses, EB Sports Corp., and RBG Holdings Corp. The suit seeks unspecified damages.

Riddell and Schutt Sports representatives could not be immediately reached.

Cody Hamblin had been a quarterback at Miamisburg High School in Fayetteville, Ohio. He was fishing with his grandfather on a boat on May 29, 2016, when he had a sudden seizure and fell overboard, drowning within a minute, the suit states.

"His arms went out in front of him," Darren Hamblin previously said. "He dropped everything and just froze and he just went over. He went in the water went straight down. No bubbles. No fight. No nothing. Never came out."

Cody Hamblin had played football since he was 8 years old and wore Riddell and Schutt Sports helmets from that time through high school, according to the lawsuit.

Darren Hamblin did not know until September 2016 that his son had CTE until a posthumous medical test because the disease can only be diagnosed after death, the suit states.

The plaintiff also was unaware of the long-term effects of repeat brain injuries and relied on Riddell and Schutt Sports to provide his son with helmets that would protect him, the suit states.

The companies have known since 2000 that those who wear their football helmets and sustain impacts within a certain level of severity have a 95 percent chance of having a concussion, the suit states.

City News Service; Photo: Shutterstock