Former NFL Player David Bell Sues for $300 Million Over Alleged Surgery Scheme
The lawsuit claims an unneccesary surgery nearly killed the former Browns receiver and ended his career.
Former NFL wide receiver David Bell has filed a civil lawsuit seeking more than $300 million in damages, alleging that an unnecessary core muscle surgery performed by Jefferson Health entities and surgeon William Meyers M.D. nearly killed him and prematurely ended his professional football career. The lawsuit was filed Thursday in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County.
Bell, 25, claims in the suit, obtained by The Post, that Meyers and other defendants persuaded him to undergo a procedure described as the "Meyers Repair," which he was told would be a low-risk surgery to address residual pain from a previous hip injury. However, Bell alleges he awoke from the procedure having suffered a "vascular injury" that necessitated emergency vascular reconstruction surgery at Thomas Jefferson Hospital, narrowly preventing fatal blood and limb loss.
The lawsuit further contends that the defendants have built their reputation on misrepresented pelvic MRI findings to justify surgeries. It alleges that these MRIs were fraudulent and served as cover-ups for questionable procedures, forming a financial scheme that prioritized profit over patient health. Bell states he was a victim of this alleged scheme when he sought treatment from Meyers and Dr. Adam Zoga, among others, and was deemed a surgical candidate for the "Meyers Repair" based on a pelvic MRI performed on May 19, 2025.
Jefferson Health has not yet responded to requests for comment.
"What happened to David Bell, an elite NFL athlete, ruined his career and never should have happened. We will get full justice for him and put an end to the conspiracy that lead to this career ending injury, as we have alleged," Bell's attorneys, Nathan Werksman and Brad Sohn, said in a statement to The Post.
Bell, an Indianapolis native, played in the NFL for three years after being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Purdue. His most productive season was in 2023, when he recorded 14 receptions for 167 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games. His final NFL game occurred in Week 2 of the 2024 season, where he sustained a season-ending hip injury unrelated to the surgery that is the subject of the lawsuit.
"We undertook a year-long investigation into this matter in which a number of truly world-leading surgeons and radiologists examined the matter, with many of them doing so on a no-fee basis. The findings were nothing short of astonishing and give us a high degree of confidence we can prove that hundred of millions of dollars going to Dr. Bill Meyers, Dr. Adam Zoga, Jefferson, and the Vincera Institute to perform these surgeries were prioritized over the basical medical principle of First Do No Harm, as we have alleged in the Complaint," Sohn stated in a press release.