Former LSU Football Player Greg Brooks Jr. Sues School and Medical Center Over Brain Tumor Surgery
Greg Brooks Jr., a former LSU football captain whose career was cut short by a brain tumor diagnosis, has filed a lawsuit against LSU and its affiliated medical center, accusing them of negligence. The lawsuit, filed in August in East Baton Rouge Parish, alleges inaction by coaches, misdiagnosis by trainers, and malpractice by the surgeon who performed his brain surgery.
Brooks, who went from a star SEC safety with NFL potential to being “permanently disabled,” claims that his condition was mishandled from the onset. The lawsuit reveals new details about his health crisis, which began during an August 2022 football practice and culminated in emergency brain surgery in September. Brooks alleges that coaches pressured him to play despite his symptoms, threatening his starting position, and that team trainers failed to properly diagnose his condition, delaying a referral to a neurologist for weeks.
Brooks further claims that the surgery performed by Dr. Brandon Gaynor at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center left him with “catastrophic neurological injuries,” including multiple strokes, resulting in his current inability to walk, use his right hand, or speak effectively. His lawsuit asserts that Gaynor lacked the proper expertise to perform the complex surgery and that Brooks’ neurological issues stem from this malpractice.
The lawsuit also names several LSU coaching and training staff, including head coach Brian Kelly and former defensive coordinator Matt House, accusing them of negligence. Both LSU and Our Lady of the Lake issued statements expressing their continued support for Brooks’ recovery but declined to comment on the specifics due to the ongoing litigation.
Brooks’ lawsuit also accuses LSU of disclosing confidential medical information, using his name and likeness without consent, and mishandling a donation fund set up in his name.
A hearing is scheduled for February 2024.