On a recent episode of Dobashi’s Radio Takedown, veteran independent grappler Diafullah Dobashi welcomed attorney Konstantine Kyros, a Boston-based lawyer with almost 20 years of experience in the legal field. Kyros discussed the basis of his pending lawsuits against WWE, the most recent of which was filed on behalf of Vito LoGrasso and Evan Singleton. The official site for Kyros Law Offices states that the WWE “failed to warn and engaged a campaign of disinformation about the nature of the head injuries wrestlers sustained in WWE events leading to long term disabling injuries and death.” Kyros also represents Billy Jack Haynes in his suit against WWE.
“I have to be a little careful to keep my answers from impacting my existing clients and their individual cases,” Kyros began. “But I will be as forthright as I can subject to that limit … I think wrestlers and the community need to understand the claims and the nature of these cases and make an educated decision about whether to support these cases and the goals of these lawsuits … The cases could not be brought unless wrestlers themselves feel that the WWE has done them harm, either through negligence or misconduct.”
Kyros said that he expects we will see thousands of instances of brain damage suffered by wrestlers, adding that he expects that there will be further litigation surrounding such injuries. He said that according to his clients’ theory, WWE had an obligation to stage matches in such a way that would prevent such injuries as well as a duty to warn performers that their work could result in serious injuries. Kyros likened wrestlers’ risks of head injuries to workers who experience health problems after breathing in harmful chemicals or asbestos on at job site. He explained that WWE is the target of ligation because that is where most of the injuries take place.
The attorney said that money isn’t necessary the motivating factor in filing claims against WWE, noting that in civil disputes people often file cases because they feel that they have been wronged or victimized in certain ways and that compensatory damages are the manner in which justice manifests itself for litigants.
“Suing the WWE is not an easy way to make money,” said Kyros. “This is a long and hard fight. If, as a lawyer, I was simply out to make money, there are plenty of other cases that I could bring—cases that have already been fought and won many times over—cases types that many lawyers make a good living on … Suing the WWE is not going to be an easy task simply to make money. Anyone who thinks that any of these wrestlers who are bringing these cases just to make a quick buck is just plain wrong.”
Kyros noted that he takes cases against WWE on a contingency fee but said he is a believer in his cause and wants to get compensation for his clients. It’s worth noting that in addition to compensatory damages, the pending suit includes a demand that WWE create a “medical monitoring program” for wrestlers.
