A multi-million pound brain injury lawsuit against rugby authorities has come under close scrutiny after former England professional Will Green accused his lead lawyer of pressuring him to lie about dementia.
At a recent court hearing, as reported by the Telegraph, Green claimed lawyer Richard Boardman’s firm, Rylands Garth, coerced her into taking part in a “no win, no fee” legal action despite contradictory medical evidence.
Green, who enjoyed a successful career at Wasps, revealed he was demanding thousands of dollars in legal and medical costs after Rylands refused to sign up. The judge ruled that Rylands misrepresented the service and described his engagement letter to Green as “vague, confusing and highly confusing”.
Green told the court that despite a second brain scan carried out at Harley Street, Rylands continued to pressure him to join the case.
“I feel pretty abused by them,” Green said. “How can you file a class action concussion case without even knowing you have a brain injury?”
Despite informing Rylands of the conflicting medical opinions, Green claimed the company sent several emails pressuring him to sign up. The court ruled that Rylands had failed to demonstrate the reasonableness of his medical and legal costs by charging Green £5,500 for the test, which cost just £1,600 for the Harley Street test, which was provided free of charge through the RFU.
A spokesman for the Rylands defended their actions, claiming the engagement letter was clear and had since been amended. The firm has filed lawsuits on behalf of nearly 300 former players, including World Cup winner Steve Thompson, who claim they suffered brain damage from blows to the head during their careers.
But Green’s testimony raised questions about how Rylands recruited vulnerable players, with Green accusing the company of breaching the Solicitors Regulatory Authority’s code of conduct. “I think it would be amazing if other people were treated that way,” Green said.
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