One year ago wide receiver David Bell announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 24, citing a life-threatening off-field injury. Now, he’s suing doctors for over $300 million as potential recompense.
On Thursday, Merson Law and Brad Sohn Law released a statement announcing that Bell is suing the Jefferson Health System and 14 others over an alleged conspiracy and career-ending surgery stemming from what was described as an “unnecessary ‘core muscle repair’ surgery” that nearly killed Bell and ended his career.
The press release states that Bell was the subject of a “financial scheme” to have him undergo surgery based on “misrepresented pelvic MRI findings” that he was not otherwise eligible for. The surgery allegedly resulted in a “severe injury to his femoral artery” that required emergency surgery.
“The complaint alleges that [William Meyers, M.D.] and other defendants participated in a financial scheme that induced Bell to undergo surgery based on misrepresented pelvic MRI findings. According to the lawsuit, Bell was not a candidate for the procedure, which allegedly caused a severe injury to his femoral artery. Bell required emergency vascular treatment that the complaint describes as ‘life-saving but career-ending.'”
David Bell’s Career
Bell played three years of college football at Purdue from 2019 to 2021, becoming one of the most productive receivers in school history. His 232 receptions for 2,946 yards and 21 touchdowns all rank in the top-five in Boilermakers history. His 240-yard performance against Iowa in 2021 remains the second-best single game performance by a receiver in school history.
Bell parlayed his strong college career into an NFL contract. He was selected 99th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2022 NFL Draft and saw plenty of time on the field over his first two seasons.
Between 2022 and 2023, Bell had 38 receptions for 381 yards and three touchdowns. His final game came in Week 2 of the 2024 season, where he suffered a hip injury and was subsequently placed on season-ending injured reserve.
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The lawsuit was filed today in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County.
Lead attorney Brad Sohn called the findings “nothing short of astonishing.” Co-counsel Nathan Werksman said that what happened to Bell was “just plain wrong” and “totally preventable.”
