Ex-UCLA OL John Lopez Flies $15M Lawsuit Against Jim Mora, Staff and NCAA

Former UCLA offensive tackle John Lopez has filed a $15 million lawsuit against the school, former head coach Jim Mora and the NCAA.

Per TMZ Sports, Lopez said in the lawsuit he attempted suicide through a combination of over-the-counter and prescription medications in 2016 as the result of repeated concussions he suffered in practices during his three years with the program.

Lopez alleges Mora and the coaching staff rushed him back onto the field after suffering his first two concussions during practice in August 2013 and August 2014. He described the drills after his second injury as "unnecessarily brutal."

Per TMZ, Lopez also said he was "ridiculed for being injured" and his teammates were "encouraged" to hurt him.

A third concussion suffered in December 2015 forced Lopez to leave the team. The California native also said he experienced "drastic changes in his demeanor" as a result of the head injuries.

A UCLA spokesperson issued a statement to TMZ Sports:

"While we cannot comment on the specific details of a pending lawsuit, we want to make it clear that the health and safety of our student-athletes is UCLA's top priority.

"We strongly deny and will defend ourselves against the allegations made in the lawsuit. We handle every injury with the highest standard of care, and take potential head injuries very seriously. As one of the world's leading research institutions, and a partner in the largest-ever concussion research study conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense and NCAA, we believe our concussion protocol is among the strongest in the country.

"Our team physicians and sports medicine staff work hand-in-hand on diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, and they are the only individuals who determine when a student-athlete is cleared to participate in their sport; coaches are not involved in these decisions."

Mora spent six seasons as head coach at UCLA before being fired in November 2017. 

Lopez committed to the Bruins in August 2012 and officially enrolled in school the following June.