Paul Hornung Sues Football Equipment Manufacturer Riddell: Details, Comments

Green Bay Packers legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Paul Hornung has reportedly sued football equipment manufacturer Riddell, citing the helmet-maker's inability to protect him from concussions as a factor that has contributed to his deteriorating mental health.  

According to the Associated Press (via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Hornung's attorneys filed the lawsuit on Thursday, seeking "unspecified damages."

"It's our policy not to comment on pending litigation," Riddell spokeswoman Erin Griffin said in an email, according to the report. 

Citing the lawsuit, the AP reported that the 80-year-old Super Bowl winner and former MVP revealed that he was previously diagnosed with dementia. 

"Studies dating back to the 19th century linked head trauma to permanent brain damage, but Riddell failed to communicate the danger to Mr. Hornung," attorney William T. Gibbs said in a statement, per the AP. 

In March 2014, a jury in Los Angeles deemed that Riddell was not liable for a severe head injury that was suffered by a high school football player, according to the Los Angeles Times' Corina Knoll. 

Just over a year later, a judge approved the terms of the NFL's concussion lawsuit settlement that applied "to all players who retired on or before July 7, 2014," according to CNN's Steve Almasy and Jill Martin. 

Per the terms of the settlement, retirees could reportedly receive maximum settlement payments in the range of $1.5 million to $5 million.