UCLA football player conditionally settles suit over playing injuries

A former UCLA football player who sued for injuries he says he suffered while playing for the Bruins has tentatively settled the part of his case against the UC Regents.

John Lopez played offensive tackle for the Bruins from 2013-16. On Tuesday, Pamela Tahim Thakur, Lopez’s lawyer, filed court papers with Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Mark H. Epstein stating that the plaintiff’s claims against the organization have been conditionally resolved. No terms were divulged and the court papers also did not say what conditions must be met for the settlement to become final.

The court papers indicated that a request for dismissal of the case will be filed by June 27.

In March, a settlement was announced between Lopez and the NCAA, but no terms were revealed at that time either. Lopez filed the suit in May 2019.

In a sworn declaration, the 27-year-old Lopez says the pressure to play while injured was indoctrinated in UCLA players by the coaches and that he has not healed from his time playing football.

“Due to my mental and physical disabilities resulting from the injuries I suffered while playing football for UCLA, I have been unable to return to school to obtain my college degree and I have not been able to work even a part-time job since leaving school,” Lopez says.

In their court papers, NCAA attorneys stated the organization did not owe a “legally-cognizable duty” to Lopez, had “no direct oversight or control over student-athletes” and that Lopez “sustained head injuries while in college that were unrelated to his football participation.”

Two other ex-UCLA players, Poasi Moala and Zachary Bateman, filed similar suits. Moala played offensive tackle, tight end, fullback and guard for the Bruins from 2013-16 and reached a settlement of his suit in March. Bateman played offensive tackle for UCLA in 2015-17 and his suit is still awaiting trial.

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