View Full Version : Lekkas to sue Hawks?
MaccaHawk
16 Jan 2006, 19:30
Don't know if you've seen it, but just read a story in the Herald Sun that Lekkas is considering the suing the Hawks over his stroke and getting compensation (its a work related injury).
The article reads like this:
"FORMER Hawthorn star Angelo Lekkas is on the brink of legal action against his former club after negotiations for compensation for his career-ending stroke broke down.
Seven months of talks have failed to resolve the issue, which appears headed for court action at a cost of several hundred thousand dollars.
Lekkas and his lawyer will meet Hawthorn's legal representatives in a last-ditch effort this week to avoid protracted legal action.
Any legal argument would centre on whether Lekkas's injury was football-related and detail the club's treatment of him following his stroke. One source said Lekkas had an "unbelievably strong case".
No harm to Lekkas, as he may well be due the money, but this is just not what we need at the start of a new season...
can someone fix the title of this thread?
HAWKS HEROES
16 Jan 2006, 20:01
lock this it is already too much on hhq and i do not want fights here too!
MaccaHawk
16 Jan 2006, 20:16
Sorry, obvious typo...
Mr.Likeable
16 Jan 2006, 20:51
OTOH, we all love Ang and we'd like to see him treated well.
OTOH, M. Khouri (Ang's manager) seems to have a bit of a habit of bringing the media into disputes in a way that's not necessarily helpful.
Given the possible causes of stroke in professional sport, it would surely be an extremely ugly court-case if it got that far.
Grendel
16 Jan 2006, 23:49
Typo fixed Macca, and how is beautiful Glasgow nowdays anyway, long while since I've been (79) there. :( Good to see true Hawks all over the world, cheers.
MaccaHawk
17 Jan 2006, 00:08
Hi Grendel. Glasgow is fine - a bit cold and wet at the minute (as usual!) but good nonetheless. We've got a small footy community thriving over here now, with 1 team in Glasgow and 2 in Edinburgh. Hopefully we can make a big push and get a 2nd team in Glasgow in the next 12 months. You should check out our sites: www.sarfl.org.uk (http://www.sarfl.org.uk) and www.glasgowsharks.co.uk (http://www.glasgowsharks.co.uk)
Been following Hawthorn for about 3-4 years now and am hoping to see us making our way back up the ladder in the next few years. If our ability to close out in the final quarter has improved from last year, I'm optimistic we can make a decent push for 8th in the ladder (and an incredible finals berth), although in the short term I'd settle for any improvement in our position...
Go Hawks!
kimbopen
17 Jan 2006, 10:58
Having had several conversations with Ang, and finding him to be a rather quiet, shy and unassuming bloke, I honestly feel that he would be highly embarrassed by having all of this ******** about his finances brought out into the open.
This has all the hallmarks of his manager strategically "releasing/leaking" personal information to the agents of evil, aka The Hun.
I also noticed that the Hun had advertised it as being "exclusive", so I assume that Khouri picked who he spoke with.
For mine, it also speaks volumes that Ang wasn't prepared to comment on it.
As I said when this was brought up several months ago (again, Khouri had opened his big mouth), Ang should severely chastise his manager, kick him into the middle of next century, then sack his sorry arse, because it's clear to me that all Khouri is concerned about is the loss of his cash cow.
To be perfectly honest, I don't think that this issue has anything to do with anyone apart from Ang, his lawyer, and the club with their legal eagles.
Somehow, if his manager has anything more to do with it, sadly I think we will be hearing more of this than is absolutely necessary.
Roughie
17 Jan 2006, 20:38
This is sad, I really like Ang. But his injury wasnt "career ending" he did return for a good ammount of matches (I dont no the exact number). But if the stroke was brought on by football and if Ang requires medication or any other health care I think we should give him some money in support but not the whole $300 K.
Mr.Likeable
17 Jan 2006, 21:23
On tonight's news a story that Lekkas (Khouri) is suing for medical negligence by the football club and $1m. Khouri was talking a lot. He says he has lawyers who are taking it on for nothing (very strange words at the outset of such a case) because it's so clear cut.
I would guess that this move pretty much guarantees that the AFL will back Hawthorn to the hilt in this case, and Ang will end up under horrendous personal pressure.
MaccaHawk
17 Jan 2006, 23:44
Previous stroke + horrendous personal pressure = likelihood of suffering further stroke increased.
Wonder if his advisers have thought of that before going with this aggressive strategy?
For "lawyers taking it for no cost" read "lawyers are on no win, no fee". Meaning, if he does win, the lawyers will take a huge slice of whatever he gets because of them acting... Probably leaving him in much the same position as Hawthorn were first offering him (or worse), plus Hawthorn greatly out of pocket...
Previous stroke + horrendous personal pressure = likelihood of suffering further stroke increased.
Wonder if his advisers have thought of that before going with this aggressive strategy?
For "lawyers taking it for no cost" read "lawyers are on no win, no fee". Meaning, if he does win, the lawyers will take a huge slice of whatever he gets because of them acting... Probably leaving him in much the same position as Hawthorn were first offering him (or worse), plus Hawthorn greatly out of pocket...
Khouri on SEN this morning left little doubt in my mind they're talking to Slater & Gordon (though it could be Maurice Blackburn Cashman). Given the legal industry is my area of employment, though I'm not a medical negligence expert, there are a couple of points I wish to raise:
1. The figure being bandied about by Khouri would appear to be severely inflated as the actual loss to Lekkas arising from the injury appears minimal.
2. He did return to playing, thereby minimising his damages which is viewed favorably by a court, but the key here is whether the club and/or doctor breached it's duty of care in not properly referring Lekkas for a CT scan within the first 24 hours after he suffered the injury.
3. I have little doubt Khouri realises his client stands to get more $$$ if they can run to the media and start threatening multi-million dollar court actions and ruin the club's reputation that way, than getting bogged down in 2 or 3 years of litigation, requiring numerous medical reports and evidence provided from treating physicians.
4. I presume Hawthorn have already advised their insurer, and the insurer is standing behind the club and playing hard ball, by only offering $15K provided a waiver is signed. The veracity of that waiver is questionable and may well be tested in a court if Lekkas signed, and then suffered any complications which could be linked back to the initial injury and alleged mis-diagnosis.
Apparently Ian Robson was going to speak to Kevin Bartlett this morning to provide the club's right of reply.
HAWKS HEROES
18 Jan 2006, 15:53
LOCK IT
kimbopen
18 Jan 2006, 16:22
Khouri is a parasite of the highest order, and probably should be strung up by the balls for convincing Ang that this was the way to go.
There are no winners here.
LOCK IT
Mate, give it up - if you don't want to talk/read about it then don't, but stop bitching about it. I don't/won't read HHQ - I get the majority of my Hawks news (and some opinions that I regard highly) from this board. I'd like to keep it that way.
While I can understand Lekkas' fear of the "real world" with its "real salaries", I'm very dissapointed that he would try to milk the club he's played for all his career. Should've just gone to North like all the other whinging tossers.
HAWKS HEROES
18 Jan 2006, 18:05
Mate, give it up - if you don't want to talk/read about it then don't, but stop bitching about it. I don't/won't read HHQ - I get the majority of my Hawks news (and some opinions that I regard highly) from this board. I'd like to keep it that way.
While I can understand Lekkas' fear of the "real world" with its "real salaries", I'm very dissapointed that he would try to milk the club he's played for all his career. Should've just gone to North like all the other whinging tossers.
hey its ok i am over it now
lekka is a loyal person could have taken more money but didn't to stay at the hawks he is intitled to put a claim in like any one else injured at work simple as that !
Grendel
19 Jan 2006, 07:21
Cheers for the input Scribe, my limited knowledge of DOC is what I think is making for the clubs stance to be on a bit of rocky ground.
Hopefully it can resolve itself before it gets ugly.. or uglier I suppose.
crazy_hawks_fan
19 Jan 2006, 11:14
LOCK ITI actually saw this on channel seven news on Monday night. It wasn't on any other news. So I might have to agree with you here but it is great for a debate on whether he should or shouldn't sue the hawks.
missionpossible
19 Jan 2006, 14:24
In all honesty this can just be a typically stupid media hyped situation where they only tell half of they story.
It could be as simple as Lekkas having a Income protection/trauma insurance cover and he has lodged a claim with the insurer and the insurer is actually trying to recoup its cost.
If it is not the situation I must say I am very much against players suing clubs unless there is obvious negligence from the club.
I dont know this case well enough but if the doctors first reaction was concussion I think that would be a fair assessment but when it didn't subside they appear to have done the right thing and investigated further.
HAWKS HEROES
19 Jan 2006, 16:31
I actually saw this on channel seven news on Monday night. It wasn't on any other news. So I might have to agree with you here but it is great for a debate on whether he should or shouldn't sue the hawks.
it has only been in the sun as well not seen it in the age
MaccaHawk
20 Jan 2006, 02:38
Saw this quote in an Age article:
"Lekkas' manager, Jacques Khouri, author of many of the recent headlines involving his client, said he was 'no longer at liberty' to freely discuss the case but conceded for the first time since he began accusing Hawthorn of a lack of compassion and flagging a million-dollar medical negligence claim that he was "confident" of a settlement."
He's obviously been told to get in line by Lekka. Good for him...
Why doesnt the club just save face and pay the 150k to the poor bloke who has obviously been a great servant. The footy club has to remember that its the players that are the face of the footy club, not our CEO or Vice President, and if players (ex or not) are sueing the club because they havent stuck to there obligation as an employer then it looks bad all around.
If Lekkas was to go to court he would win hands down, however if i was him i wouldnt want to be seen trying to play Soccer now.......
Memo to HFC: Pay the 150k, save face and move on!!!
[QUOTE=tige19]
If Lekkas was to go to court he would win hands down, however if i was him i wouldnt want to be seen trying to play Soccer now.......QUOTE]
Precisely the reason (combined with his return for 9 games last year) that his compensation claim is speculative at best.
[QUOTE=tige19]
If Lekkas was to go to court he would win hands down, however if i was him i wouldnt want to be seen trying to play Soccer now.......QUOTE]
Precisely the reason (combined with his return for 9 games last year) that his compensation claim is speculative at best.
Lekkas argument is that IF and he would have been able to physically play again that the risk of another stroke would increase.
cheers
Beckers
20 Jan 2006, 16:11
Should've just gone to North like all the other whinging tossers.
:D Imagine the cr@p we are going to cop if North win the premiership:eek:
HAWKS HEROES
20 Jan 2006, 16:37
Saw this quote in an Age article:
"Lekkas' manager, Jacques Khouri, author of many of the recent headlines involving his client, said he was 'no longer at liberty' to freely discuss the case but conceded for the first time since he began accusing Hawthorn of a lack of compassion and flagging a million-dollar medical negligence claim that he was "confident" of a settlement."
He's obviously been told to get in line by Lekka. Good for him...
saw that and about time that guy shut his big mouth !
for those who do not know he is not playing soccer so stop saying he is he is just trying to keep fit he is running and kicking the footy not tackling or head butting etc he would not jepourdise [forgive spelling] his health that way !
he has a right to put a claim in let them work it out in private like it should have been in the first place and leave it at that!