Magomed Abdusalamov has agreed to a $22 million injury settlement with the state of New York for injuries sustained in a fight in 2013. The award is believed to be the largest personal injury settlement the state has ever made. The Court of Claims of New York approved the settlement agreement on Friday.
For those not familiar, the 36-year-old Abdusalamov was the victim of improper care and the delay in receiving the proper attentionl likely caused a blood clot in the fighter’s brain. He was forced to take public transportation to a hospital after the fight. An investigation of the New York State Athletic Commission revealed improper conduct and training related to the medical care on the night of the fight.
Abdusalamov still is in need of medical help. His speech is limited, is paralyzed on his right side and unable to walk due to multiple strokes he sustained. His wife cares for him and his three daughters. As the lawsuit continued, the family went into $2 million in debt as they had to help with his around the clock care.
For the fight, he was paid just $40,000 and received only $10,000 (the full payout) from a mandatory minimum insurance policy.
Payout Perspective:
The settlement should help with the care of Abdusalamov for what may be the rest of his life. It will also help with the family and the education of his three daughters as it is clear he cannot provide for them financially. The judge has to confirm these type of settlements as the money will likely be put in a trust of some sort with a legal guardian overseeing the spending so that it is not used for other purposes. We note the amount of money he was paid and the minimal payout he received from insurance. You may recall that boxing promoters protested the raise in insurance rates. The increase was due in part to this incident as the insurance now requires a $1 million traumatic brain injury provision.
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