A former team doctor for Penn State is suing the University and head coach James Franklin after he claims he was let go after he reported Franklin pressured him to clear injured players
Dr. Scott Lynch filed the lawsuit in Dauphin County on Friday. In the lawsuit, Lynch says Franklin tried to interfere with his decisions on multiple occasions.
Lynch claims that he lost the job because he reported these incidents.
Lynch was removed as director of athletic medicine and orthopedic physician of the football team in March. He was hired as the team’s orthopedic physician in 2013 and director of athletic medicine in 2014.
Lynch is requesting more than $50,000 in damages under Pennsylvania’s whistleblower protection law.
Penn State Health, one of the defendants in Lynch’s suit, issued a statement Monday following the news.
“In February 2019, Penn State Health administrators decided to change leadership for athletic medicine and the delivery of care for Intercollegiate Athletics. This transition was completed with the best interests of student-athletes in mind, given the increasing complexity and growing demands of sports medicine, as well as health care in general,” said the statement.
“While we reject Dr. Lynch’s claims and will vigorously defend our program and its representatives, we remain grateful to him for his five years as director of athletic medicine for Intercollegiate Athletics and for his continued association with Penn State Health.”
Neither Penn State football nor Franklin have yet to comment on the lawsuit.
