A jury in Charleston, S.C., after three...
A jury in Charleston, S.C., after three hours of deliberations, ruled against Marc Buoniconti, who was seeking $22.5 million in damages in a negligence suit for an injury that left the former Citadel linebacker a quadriplegic.
However, Buoniconti, 21, will receive $800,000 from a July 1 settlement with the school and trainer Andy Clawson. The agreement was revealed by Citadel attorney Bruce Miller after the verdict, which exonerated team physician Dr. E.K. Wallace Jr.
Buoniconti, the son of former Miami Dolphins star Nick Buoniconti, was starting middle linebacker for Citadel when he broke his neck while making a tackle against East Tennessee State on Oct. 26, 1985.
The lawsuit alleged that Wallace was negligent in treating a neck sprain Buoniconti suffered several weeks before the accident. The defense contended that Buoniconti was to blame for the accident because he speared the opposing running back--hitting him with the top of his helmet in violation of football rules.
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