Bishop's University reaches settlement with brain-damaged football player

A former varsityfootball player who sued Bishop's University in Quebec after suffering a brain hemorrhageduring a 2011 game has reached asettlementwith the university.

Kevin Kwasny's lawyer's officeconfirmed an out-of-courtsettlement was reached Thursday, the daythe case was supposed to go to trial.

Had the case proceeded to court, it would have been "one of the largest personal injury lawsuits involving a Canadian university," one of Kwasny's lawyers, Jamie Kagan, told CBC News in an email.

Lawyer RobertKuglertold CBC the settlement will help Kwasny get the therapy and care he needs.

"Kevin requires a number of different kinds of therapy in order to improve his speech," said Kugler. "In order to improve his co-ordination, in order to improve his memory, in order to improve various aspects of his life."

The details of the settlement are confidential, and the settlementdoesnot include an admission of liability, according to a joint statement from bothKwasny'sfamily and the university.

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Forced back into game: lawsuit

Kwasny, who is now 27,filed a lawsuit against theuniversity in Sherbrooke, Que., after he claimed his coaches forced him back into a game despite showing symptoms of a concussion after a blow to the head.

Kwasny,originally from Winnipeg,was in his third season with the Gaiterswhen he complained of nausea and dizziness during thegame in September 2011, according to the lawsuit.

Shortly after returning to the field, he was hit again and suffered a major brain bleed. He was taken off the field as he began vomiting and lost consciousness.

He was rushed to hospital, where he was put into a medically induced coma and underwent emergency surgery to relieve pressure on his brain.

None of these claims havebeen proven in court.

Struggled with basic tasks

Kwasny told CBC News in 2013 that as a result of his injuries, he lost the ability to perform basic tasks, such astying his shoes orcutting his food.

"I lost my girlfriend. I lost my eyesight. I've lost use of the right side of my body.And I've lost my fact that I could have been in the CFL today had this not have happened to me," Kwasnysaid at the time.

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