(CNN)Former Philadelphia Eagles captain Chris Maragos has been awarded $43.5 million in a lawsuit against his doctors over a career-ending knee injury.
The jury at the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas found that orthopedic surgeon James Bradley and Rothman Orthopaedics were negligent in the medical malpractice case, causing harm to two-time Super Bowl-winning safety and forcing him to end his NFL career prematurely.
Bradley was found to be 67% negligent ($29.2 million) and Rothman Orthopaedics 33% ($14.3 million), according to court documents.
"This case and this jury may have changed the course of history by now forcing these team doctors and trainers to stop worrying about when a player might return to play and start thinking about the next 50 years of a player's life," Maragos' lawyer, Dion G. Rassias, said in a statement.
The case centered around a meniscus tear that Maragos' representatives said Bradley and Rothman Orthopaedics failed to treat and the decision to advance his rehabilitation from injury, which caused further damage to his knee.
The 31-year-old suffered the injury during a game against the Carolina Panthers on October 12, 2017, which was later diagnosed as a torn right knee posterior cruciate ligament.
Safety Chris Maragos of the Philadelphia Eagles scores a touchdown against the St. Louis Rams on October 5, 2014.
Bradley performed the surgery on Maragos' knee and his treatment and recovery was also overseen by Rothman Orthopaedics, but Maragos' representatives said his rehabilitation was advanced too soon despite an MRI in 2018 showing he was still suffering from a partial tear.