Peters: Newfangled crutch to blame for reinjured tendon

By Jonathan Lai, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Posted: August 10, 2012

Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters is suing the maker of a modified crutch and walker he was using during his rehab from a ruptured Achilles tendon, claiming he would have returned to play this season had the device not broken and caused him to reinjure himself.

Attorneys for the five-time Pro Bowler filed suit against the Roll-A-Bout corporation Thursday morning, alleging strict liability, breach of warranties, and negligence. According to the complaint, Peters began using Roll-A-Bout's crutch and walker alternative, the SW-T-500 model, soon after undergoing surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon in April. The Eagles purchased the device for Peters, who used it as he began recovery.

The device is designed to fit patients between 5'4" and 7'0" and up to 500 pounds, according to the website. The filing lists Peters as approximately 6'5" tall and weighing 350 pounds. But design issues led to failure, the claim says.

Peters was using the device for its intended purpose, the filing says, when "in the kitchen of his home, the metal upright broke just below the handlebars, causing [Peters] to fall, resulting in another rupture to his right Achilles tendon."

That second rupture led to another surgery; Peters, who had personally expected to return to the field in November, is now likely to miss the entire season, his attorney said in a phone interview. Peters is now seeking potential lost wages from missing more time than originally expected, along with compensation for pain and suffering.

A company official at Roll-A-Bout declined to comment, saying that the company has not received the lawsuit.

Contact staff writer Jonathan Lai at (215) 854-5151, jlai@philly.com or on Twitter @elaijuh.

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