Former Vikings defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd has filed a lawsuit against a prominent surgeon over an allegedly botched operation that took place in September 2016.
According to ESPN.com, the lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in Florida and names multiple defendants, including Dr. James Andrews, who has performed hundreds of surgeries on athletes over the course of his medical career. Other defendants in the case include the anesthesiologist that worked during the Floyd operation, the two fellows who aided in the surgery and the Andrews Institute. Floyd is seeking a total of $180 million.
According to Floyd's lawyer, Brad Sohn, the reason his client is seeking so much money is because Floyd believes he could have made at least $180 million if the surgery hadn't ended his career. Floyd, who was selected by the Vikings with the 23rd overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, never earned a second contract because he was never able to play again after the operation.
"We believe that if Sharrif had not been the victim of the medical negligence we allege, he would've been paid commensurate with some of the top players at his position, if not some of the top defensive players in football," Sohn said this week, via Sports Illustrated.
When Floyd originally went under the knife in September 2016, he thought the operation was going to be a routine arthroscopic knee surgery. However, that's apparently not what happened. According to the lawsuit, Floyd ended up undergoing a more "significant procedure" which led to permanent nerve and muscle damage. Floyd's team believes the damage was caused partially by a pain blocker that was incorrectly administered.
At the time, Floyd thought the operation would sideline him for 3-4 weeks, but instead, the surgery ended his career. Floyd played one game in 2016 before suffering the injury that led to his knee surgery.
Floyd has also been fighting with the Vikings to get some of the money he believes he was owed for the 2017 season. As a first-round selection, Floyd was given a four-year deal with a team option for a fifth year. Since the Vikings picked up the option in May 2016, Floyd thought he would be getting $6.8 million for the 2017 season. However, the Vikings put him on the non-football injury list that season, which meant they didn't have to pay him. Floyd filed a grievance with the NFLPA and was eventually paid $2 million by the Vikings, according to ESPN.com.
As for the lawsuit, it's expected to go to trial in late 2019 after a discovery process that could go on for nearly a year.
