Moore files suit

[Jovorock]

Former Colorado Avalanche player Steve Moore and his family have filed a multi-million dollar civil lawsuit against Todd Bertuzzi and the Vancouver Cancuks in Ontario court, CBC News reports.

Moore's lawyer Tim Danson filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in Ontario Superior Court. The suit names Bertuzzi, Orca Bay Limited Partnership, Orca Bay Hockey Inc. and the Canucks as defendants.

Moore, along with his parents, are seeking $15-million for loss of income, $2-million in punitive damages and $1-million in aggravated damages. Jack and Anna Moore, who are also named as part of the lawsuit, are seeking $1.5-million in damages.

There is no date yet for the suit to be heard.

In October of 2005, a judge in Colorado dismissed a lawsuit filed in the United States against Bertuzzi, saying that since the incident in question happened in Canada and that all the defendants in the case are Canadian or Canadian-based, any case would be best handled in Canada.





"British Columbia bears the most significant relationship to Moore's claims," Denver district Judge Shelley Gilman wrote in her decision.

Moore hasn't played since March 8, 2004 when Bertuzzi grabbed him from behind, punched him in the head and drove his head into the ice. Moore suffered three fractured vertebrae in his neck, a concussion and other injuries.

Bertuzzi was suspended indefinitely by the NHL and was charged by Vancouver police with assault. He pleaded guilty, and was then sentenced to probation and community service.

After missing 13 regular season games and the entire Stanley Cup playoffs in 2004, the NHL reinstated Bertuzzi last August.

Bertuzzi is currently playing for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.

(Files from Canadian Press were used in this report)

[TheBrass]

Hockey players run the risk of a career ending injury any time they step on the ice. Regardless of circumstances, this is one of those unfortunate things that CAN happen. Bertuzzi was punished by the league and the Canadian justice system; while Steve Moore may not feel totally vindicated there is a point at which he will have to let things go and move on with his life. No amount of money is going to bring back the career that he worked his entire life towards, and for the loss of that I do feel a lot of sympathy for him. But there are many others who had careers ended in less spectaular and newsworthy fashion that have found ways to deal with that loss.

[CHtoo]

So what is the rationale of his parents in the lawsuit?

Why do they feel they deserve any money or recompense????

[Tinner]

time for this saga to end!

[TheBrass]

I have not read anything which states the motivation of Moore's parents, but my first assumption that it would be in payment for any time spent caring for him post-injury.

[SectionNDeserter]

Former Colorado Avalanche player Steve Moore and his family have filed a multi-million dollar civil lawsuitWould he have even made a million dollars playing the rest of his career in Switzerland or wherever scrubs like him end up when his contract ended at the end of that season with the Avalanche? Much less over a million dollars? My question is where he got this multi-million dollar figure from... I am sure that anything he learned at Harvard wouldn't be hindered by his injuries, and would certainly make him much more money than he could have ever made playing hockey (with his skills).

[Sput]

15 million is more than Moore would have made in anybodies wildest dreams. Given the 24% roll back the players took, the average callup players salary, and his 'life expectantcy' in the NHL, Moore will be lucky to come away with 3-5 million, mostly for 'damages', and not in lost wages. I persoanlly didn't even know Harvard HAD a competitive hockey system, so I'm sure his education will cover most of his lost wages.

Hopefully this thing will get tossed out, again, and the saga ends soon. Not only for Burtuzzi, but because the public is frankly tired of hearing Steve Moore's whine.

[langdak]

So what is the rationale of his parents in the lawsuit?

Why do they feel they deserve any money or recompense????

Maybe they are looking for money because of the fact they had to change his diapers and refill all his bottles.

Steve Moore is beating a dead horse, everybody has moved on

I hope he enjoys paying all the legal bills with the money he ISNT going to win

[nivek_wahs]

Headline on sportsnet.ca:

Moores: The suit people

---
I found that kinda funny :D

[Jovorock]

When a car accident victem gets hurt and you are a para or quad and sue the insurance company you usually get $1-4 million. You then have to pay for your own personal care after that. Does Moore think he deserves more money than a person in a wheel chair?

When did the fractured neck happen, when Bertuzzi punched him, when Bertuzzi fell on him, when Nikolishin jumped on Bertuzzi, when Pronger jumped on Nikolishin? I know experts will offer their advise either way, but how can you prove when it happened?

Can Moore get money for for the 04/05 season, the NHL was on strike. Players went to Europe at a fraction of their NHL pay, I can't see him being able to get back pay or not that much.

I would guess Moore might get $2-4M only and I sure hope the parents get shut out. Moore's parents are even more of a piece of crap than their son. I have never heard of a accident victem's parents ever getting money from a insurance company. What is the difference between this situation and a drunk driver permantly injuring you son in a car accident?

I think the person in a wheel chair is alot worse off than Steve Moore!

[TheBrass]

Jovo - for the most part I totally agree with you, I just have a couple of small points to add. There are a lot of situations where the parents are awarded money in a settlement, one of my employees was awarded a monthly stipend from ICBC after his son was run over by an out of control driver on the sidewalk. This money was awarded based on the assumption that he would need parental care for the majority of his life. Fortunately this was not the case and when his son was old enough to move out on his own, that stipend was transferred to the son to help pay for his own aid.

I realize it's not really a comparison of apples to apples, as anyone can tell that dealing with a free market insurance company or with a private citizen is totally different than dealing with a crown corporation. And for the record, I too feel that Moore's parents are acting out of the most disgraceful kind of greed I have ever heard of..........perhaps sour grapes that he won't be paying off the mortgage and supporting them in retirement?? I hate to cast that kind of taint on anyone, but this case is just so far fetched that it makes my head hurt thinking about it.

Let's save litigation and huge settlements for people who truly have a claim to the money that they are asking for. This strikes me as more of a schoolyard battle (he stole my lunch money!) and I for one wish that it would go away.

[The_Vulk]

I hope Moore WINS his civil suit.

That goon bertuzzi had already admited (in court) of his guilt in the act which Moore is suing over. Such an assault has not yet been properly remedied in the courts.


And the timing of the suit was because of the stature of limitations. Up till now, Moore had still hoped of resuming his hockey career and was working to that end. But since his injures at the hands of bertuzzi have proven to be too much, his legal team had to file now, or they never could anymore.

And since Moore CAN'T play hockey, in any league, being still injured, what he could make if someone would sign him....

[SectionNDeserter]

what he could make if someone would sign him....If he was lucky, $20000USF per season.