FOOTBALL PLAYERS AREN’T EMPLOYEES

A Texas state appeals court has said Kent Waldrep Jr., a TCU football player paralyzed in a 1974 game against Alabama, was not a school employee at the time of his accident and should not collect disability payments that come with the employee classification. Waldrep, who founded the National Paralysis Foundation, initially sued in 1997. A Travis County jury rejected his claim. The Third District Court of Appeals refused to overturn that decision June 15th. Waldrep is considering an appeal to Texas Supreme Court.

Since 1992, catastrophic injury insurance policies have been available to NCAA athletes. Waldrep says his suit is not about the money, but about protecting kids from financial devastation. The court, in what could be a ray of light for Waldrep supporters, said not to view its decision too broadly because college athletics and insurance coverage have changed dramatically since Waldrep’s injury in 1974. Their decision was based solely on 1970s evidence and policy forms.