Alex McKinnon Sues NRL

T

Tiger_Watto

New member
DECEMBER 19 2016 - 8:53AM

**Alex McKinnon sues NRL after tackle left him paralysed**

Former Newcastle Knights player Alex McKinnon has reportedly launched legal proceedings against the NRL for the tackle that left him paralysed in 2014.

According to News Corp, McKinnon sent a legal letter to the NRL last week to instigate proceedings for compensation. It is reported that Melbourne Storm's Jordan McLean, who made the tackle, will also be personally pursued.

McLean was suspended for seven-games for the dangerous throw that led to McKinnon's paralysis.

He is currently employed indirectly by the NRL, as he works in player-recruitment for the NRL-owned Knights.

It is believed that NRL chief Todd Greenberg was made aware of a compensation claim six weeks ago in a meeting with McKinnon. He reportedly told McKinnon to "do what you have to do" during the meeting, which was reported as cordial.

At the time of his injury, then NRL boss Dave Smith promised McKinnon a job in rugby league for life.

It is an unprecedented move to launch legal proceedings against a governing body for compensation for an injury suffered in the sport. Individual players have been pursued in the past, but never the NRL as a body.

The Melbourne Storm have also been made aware of the letter to the NRL and the impending lawsuit.

It is the second lawsuit to make headlines this week, after Cronulla Sharks veteran Anthony Tupou joined ex-teammates in suing the premiers for the 2011 supplement scandal.

He joins Ben Pomeroy, Albert Kelly, Dean Collis, Broderick Wright, Josh Cordoba, Isaac Gordon, Paul Aiton, Nathan Gardner, Stewart Mills, Nathan Stapleton and Stuart Flanagan; none of whom are still contracted to the club.

Fairfax Media

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/alex-mckinnon-sues-nrl-after-tackle-left-him-paralysed-report-20161218-gtdrx2.html
 
@Cultured Bogan said:
This will get ugly.
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inevitable really, but I dont agree in sueing the player.

General Insurance was only going to pay X amount which was never going to be enough to support Alex for the rest of his life.

Going for the full $20M liability insurance through the courts is where this was always destined at some stage, and I feel everyone at NRL HQ knew it would happen. I doubt this will cost the NRL, but moreso their insurer.

Reading some of the commentary on news feeds is somewhat disappointing though. How anyone can blame Alex and begrudge him from taking this action is beyond me?!
 
@Tiger Watto said:
@Cultured Bogan said:
This will get ugly.

inevitable really, but I dont agree in sueing the player.

General Insurance was only going to pay X amount which was never going to be enough to support Alex for the rest of his life.

Going for the full $20M liability insurance through the courts is where this was always destined at some stage, and I feel everyone at NRL HQ knew it would happen. I doubt this will cost the NRL, but moreso their insurer.

Reading some of the commentary on news feeds is somewhat disappointing though. How anyone can blame Alex and begrudge him from taking this action is beyond me?!
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I don't begrudge him as such, The fact that he has to do it through the courts is a bother - But not a surprise. Professional Rugby League has been around for a while, They should have figures on all levels of disability (or death) signed off on ready to front.
However, I do hope he's ready face the suggestion that he threw himself into the tackle - The insurance companies legals won't hesitate to slow it down and point it out to him….
 
He should be entitled to the same amount as all others similarly Incapacitated as per the Work Cover scheme, nothing more, nothing less. If then the NRL or others decide to give him more and/or a job, then good luck to him.
 
headline ignores he is also personally suing jordan mclean…pretty unfair in my opinion. its not like it was done maliciously, if that goes through and mclean is found guilty this sport will get VERY ugly very quickly.

players like taniela, dwyer and many more who had their careers ended and still have disabilities today, have a precedent to sue people involved in the relevant tackle from now on
 
Interesting to see how this pans out…

Not without precedent ..Didn't McCraken sue Kearney for ending his career...?
 
@Geo. said:
Interesting to see how this pans out…

Not without precedent ..Didn't McCraken sue Kearney for ending his career...?
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And the Storm I reckon….
Pretty sure he won.

However, That tackle was very, very different.
 
It's really not that big of a deal…

Just like any compensation these days most legal people would advise to hire a lawyer.

you would think the NRL would come to a settlement fairly early on in the piece to stop the media onslaught. Alex's lawyer would talk up a long trail to get a higher payout..

I am sure that Jordan also has some kind of insurance in his contract and if not you would imagine the NRL to also cover him or else ever player would start industrial action tomorrow to ensure that they would have said insurance before they went to training tomorrow.

It's just like when you have a work compo claim or an injury claim after an accident. Your not really suing the person (This case jordan) you are suing the insurance company for the maximum payout.

(I will just re-iterate what I said in the above sentence, yes you are suing the person, and he may have some financial loss (higher premiums etc.) however you would wager that this outcome would not place any major financial bourdon on Jordan directly.
 
I have nothing against him suing. That's his right. But, I'm not sure of the morality of letting the NRL help raise money for him for an age, and THEN suing them.
 
@batboy said:
@Geo. said:
Interesting to see how this pans out…

Not without precedent ..Didn't McCraken sue Kearney for ending his career...?

And the Storm I reckon….
Pretty sure he won.

However, That tackle was very, very different.
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McCraken only sued the storm, went for 1.5millon damages but only got 90000 because of successful business ventures in NQ. This is according to Radiosport in NZ today when the story broke about Alex M today. However, the judge made a ruling payment would have been more, except he made a lot of money as a developer (don't know why that matters).

Apparently there was an interview in the last couple of months on TV (Aust)where McKinnon said he may go down this route about suing the NRL- had not made up his mind. McLean is a surprise however. So the NRL should be not surprised, I feel for McLean.

Question for anyone. Do you feel after the McCraken case, has the NRL made the game safer since then? Think about the wrestle etc, all the twisting etc of a player who can't do much. I don't think this will go to court. The wrestle as it stands in the NRL is going to be a problem, I'd argue it may even be more unsafe. After the McCraken tackle the NRL will be expected to have a duty of care to make sure career ending tackles are less likely, with the wrestle (2006)you could argue the opposite.
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PS apparently it has cost $100000 just to get McKinnon out of bed for 1 yr(obviously, for the help, not like forum some forum members who would not get out of bed for that). So while the NRL and Knights have been supportive, he now realizes the costs.
 
@pHyR3 said:
headline ignores he is also personally suing jordan mclean…pretty unfair in my opinion. its not like it was done maliciously, if that goes through and mclean is found guilty this sport will get VERY ugly very quickly.

players like taniela, dwyer and many more who had their careers ended and still have disabilities today, have a precedent to sue people involved in the relevant tackle from now on
Click to expand...

Completely fair. Mclean deliberatley did an illegal act that resulted in the injury. Yes he didn't mean to break his neck, but he deliberately reached down and lifted. The consequences of this illegal act were catastrophic and he deserves to be sued for everything.

I dont feel sorry for Mclean one bit. He had Mckinnon, then reached down and lifted.
Yes there are worse tackles all the time, and everyone is unlucky at the result of Jordans tackle, no doubting that, but he chose to do the illegal act, and he deserves to be punished as a result Alex's injury.

If i hit someone with my car speeding and injure them, i get charged with neg driving causing harm, if i do the exact same thing but the victim dies, then im charged with Manslaughter. Same illegal act, different consequences, different punishment.

Mclean hasnt been punished at all for what he did.

Im all for Alex suing Mclean. He may even have ancase agaisnt the practices employed by Melbourne. He definitely has a case againt the NRL for not punishing lifting tackles adequately to deter players doing them.
 
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