During a pre-season game, Novak injured his leg which had recently suffered a severe hematoma during a practice. Novak contracted a staph infection in the leg which caused a permanent disability. In June 2002, Novak sued the team physician for malpractice and sought $7.8 million in compensation.[4] The judge eventually dismissed the case.
In 2010, Novak teamed up with his brother, Jack, and licensed architect, Jim Cramer to launch Novak Brothers, a real estate planning and development company. In June 2011, Novak Brothers broke ground on The Brownstone at The Summit, a community of custom single-family homes inspired by 19th-century brownstones found in Chicago and New York. The Brownstone is part of The Summit at Rivery Park, a 36-acre mixed-use development located in Georgetown, Texas.