Account
2 Lawsuits Against Deshaun Watson Add Claims of Negligence and Gross Negligence
April 8, 2022
Two women suing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson have added claims of negligence and gross negligence to their lawsuits, according to USA Today's Brent Schrotenboer.
The women, who are among the 22 suing Watson and accusing him of sexual misconduct, insist he knew of his sexual tendencies in massage appointments but did nothing to avoid them, Schrotenboer added.
The attorney for the 22 women, Tony Buzbee, told Schrotenboer:
"Deshaun Watson has denied he acted intentionally; we believe strongly that we will prove he did. We have also added a claim for negligence allowing a jury to assess liability for unreasonable and imprudent conduct as well. This claim is just another through which the jury can assess liability and damages against him. We will likely add this claim for most of the cases, although perhaps not all."
With these claims, more evidence can be secured before trial, according to Schrotenboer.
The news comes after Schrotenboer reported earlier this week that a judge ruled Watson would have to disclose his sexual history with the 18 massage therapists who issued statements of support for him.
Watson refused to answer the questions previously.
The Clemson product is currently only facing civil lawsuits after grand juries declined to indict him on 10 criminal complaints alleging sexual assault and misconduct. He also faces a possible NFL suspension under the league's personal conduct policy.
The 26-year-old has denied any wrongdoing.
The 22 lawsuits against Watson stem from last year, when he was still a member of the Houston Texans. The three-time Pro Bowler sat out the entire 2021 campaign after requesting a trade, and he was eventually dealt to the Browns in March.
Watson is expected to be the Browns' starting quarterback in 2022. However, if he is suspended, Baker Mayfield could command the offense if he's not traded before the start of the season.