Tyrod Taylor seeks $5 million in malpractice suit against Chargers team doctor

Tyrod Taylor has sued a Chargers team doctor for malpractice

Tyrod Taylor has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Los Angeles Chargers team doctor David S. Gazzaniga and the Newport Orthopedic Institute.

The suit is because Taylor suffered a punctured lung while being treated for a rib injury before a game in 2020, ESPN reported. Taylor suffered the punctured lung before a September 20 game that season when Gazzaniga attempted to administer a pain-killing injection.

Per the report:

Taylor, 33, alleges in the lawsuit that he suffered “severe physical pain resulting in hospitalization, physical therapy, emotional distress and other past pain and suffering.”

Taylor’s attorneys also contend that Gazzaniga’s “negligence, carelessness and other tortious, unlawful and wrong acts … caused [Taylor] to lose position as the starting quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers for the 2020 season,” just before he was scheduled to become a free agent.

“As he returned to free agency,” the lawsuit contends, “he entered as a back-up quarterback as opposed to a starting quarterback. The economic difference between a starting quarterback’s salary and a back-up quarterback salary is at least $5,000,000 and is more than likely much greater. The exact amount of such past and future loss is unknown to [Taylor] at this time, and he will ask leave of this Court for permission to amend this Complaint to set forth the total amount when ascertained.”

Gazzaniga remains employed by the Chargers, whose quarterback Justin Herbert suffered fractured rib cartilage in their loss to the Chiefs on Thursday.

Taylor currently is a backup quarterback for the New York Giants.