Report: Greg Brooks sues LSU, medical center after brain surgery left him 'permanently disabled'

Former LSU defensive back and team captain Greg Brooks Jr., whose career ended after the discovery of a brain tumor last fall, is suing the school and its affiliated medical center for negligence, according to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports.

Per Dellenger, Brooks is accusing coaches of inaction and trainers of misdiagnosis, while also levying claims against the surgeon who operated on him. Yahoo Sports obtained the 13-page lawsuit, which was filed in August, earlier this week, and it “unearths unreported details of the timeline of events last year related to Brooks’ unexpected turn of events,” he’s “now (a) “permanently disabled” man who still, a year after surgery, cannot walk.”

According to the suit via Yahoo Sports, Brooks began to feel symptoms while at football practice last August, prior to his emergency brain surgery in September. Before an MRI scan discovered the brain tumor, the former Tigers defensive back participated in two football games.

In the legal filing per Dellenger, Brooks “accuses the coaching staff of encouraging him to practice and play while ill by threatening his starting position, and he levies claims against team trainers for not appropriately diagnosing his condition and refusing, for weeks, to recommend him to a neurological specialist.”

Moreover, Brandon Gaynor, a surgeon at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, is having the most serious accusations levied against him: “Brooks alleges that he was left with ‘catastrophic neurological injuries’ and is ‘permanently disabled’ from the brain surgery performed by Brandon Gaynor,” Dellenger wrote.

“During the surgery, Brooks says he suffered ‘multiple strokes’ from ‘acts of malpractice.’ Those alleged acts are being addressed in a medical review of malpractice claims that the family has filed.”

In addition to Gaynor, the lawsuit also names several LSU coaching and training staff members, as well as medical center doctors. Dellenger noted the list includes head coach Brian Kelly, then-defensive coordinator Matt House, then-safeties coach Kerry Cooks, head athletic trainer Owen Stanley and team doctors Stephen Etheredge and Vincent Shaw.

In the time since the lawsuit was filed, both LSU and Our Lady of the Lake released statements to Yahoo Sports when reached earlier this week, which Dellenger included in his piece.

“First, and foremost, our prayers remain with Greg for his continued healing and recovery. Due to patient privacy laws and pending litigation, we can’t comment on specific individuals or situations,” a statement from the hospital said, via Dellenger. “The neurosurgical team at Our Lady of the Lake is among the most experienced in Louisiana and they give our patients the best opportunity for a positive outcome in any circumstance. Providing excellent healthcare to those we serve is our top priority.”

As for the school’s statement: “While LSU cannot comment on ongoing litigation, Greg Brooks remains in our thoughts and prayers as he continues to work through the rehabilitation process. Since the beginning of our agreement with our Championship Health Partner, Our Lady of the Lake, they have provided exceptional medical care for our student-athletes in all of our sports,” Dellenger communicated.

Additionally, the former LSU football player his family did not respond to a request for comment from Yahoo Sports.

In conjunction with his medical lawsuit, Dellenger provided the information that Brooks is also accusing LSU of disclosing confidential medical information that was “false and misleading” using his name, image and likeness without his consent; and refusing to transfer ownership to him of a donation fund in his name through the LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation.

“An NCAA policy does exist requiring documentation of qualifying medical expenses for distribution purposes of such funds,” Dellenger wrote. “LSU did not address the fund in its statement.”

Yahoo Sports added that the hearing for the lawsuit has been scheduled before Judge Tiffany Foxworth-Roberts on Feb. 10, and “in the most recent filing on Oct. 7, Brooks’ attorneys requested a subpoena for LSU, its board of supervisors and the Louisiana office of the commissioner of the administration.”