ESPN's Motion to Dismiss Jason Pierre-Paul Lawsuit Denied

On Thursday, a judge denied a motion filed by ESPN and reporter Adam Schefter to dismiss an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit brought against them by New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

According to Sports Illustrated's Michael McCann, U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke denied the motion via a bench ruling.

Pierre-Paul's lawsuit stems from a tweet Schefter sent in July 2015 that featured the defensive end's medical chart after he was involved in a July 4 fireworks accident that resulted in his right index finger being amputated:

According to the New York Daily News' Michael O'Keeffe and Ginger Adams Otis, Schefter and ESPN tried to have the suit dismissed on the basis of First Amendment protections.

"Today's ruling is a recognition of Jason's right, as a professional athlete, to oppose the publication of his medical records without his consent," Pierre-Paul's attorney, Mitchell Schuster, said in a statement.

Now that the motion has been dismissed, the case can go to trial. However, McCann cautioned that such a course of action is "unlikely to occur."

"Chances are ESPN will offer Pierre-Paul a substantial amount of money to end the litigation through a settlement," McCann wrote.

McCann added that based on precedent, a settlement in the seven-figure ballpark "seems like a safe bet" since ESPN has the financial resources to pay it.

In February, the Miami Herald's Daniel Chang reported an operating-room nurse and a secretary were fired "for accessing the information in violation of federal patient-privacy laws."

Chang also reported Jackson Memorial Hospital settled a lawsuit that stemmed from the violation of Pierre-Paul's privacy.