April in Celebrity Personal Injury Law: Hulk Hogan, Notorious B.I.G., Owen Wilson
Posted on Friday, April 30th, 2010
It’s a Friday, so let’s do something we almost never do on the GJEL blog: talk about celebrities. This month we’ve taken on some serious issues, including the dangers of distracted driving, inadequate DUI laws, and the continued criticism of Toyota’s recall blitz. But it’s time to take a minute to pause and think about developments in personal injury law among the rich and the famous.
- Earlier this month, Hulk Hogan settled a lawsuit against his son, who pleaded no contest to charges of reckless driving that allegedly contributed to an accident that left a 19-year-old Marine brain damaged. Soon after, it was reported that Hogan is taking legal action against his son’s insurance company, Wells Fargo Southeast, claiming that the company did not advise him to purchase an adequate policy, putting his $30 million fortune at risk.
- We’ve all been waiting for a resolution to the mystery of who killed iconic rapper Notorious B.I.G. thirteen years ago. This week, a judge dismissed a wrongful death suit against the city of Los Angeles filed on behalf of B.I.G.’s family. The attorney for the late rapper’s estate, Bradley C. Gage, said the dismissal is actually good news because it opens up the possibility for authorities to arrest murder suspects.
- Finally, Owen Wilson is being sued by Clint Brewer, a paparazzo who claims that the actor’s brother Andrew shoved him while he tried to get a photo of the Zoolander star. Brewer is seeking more than $500,000 in medical expenses and general damages. The lawsuit says says that due to Wilson’s “willful, wonton and malicious conduct, the plaintiff became terrified and suffered severe and extreme mental and emotional distress.”
Note: Avvo’s NakedLaw blog rounds up a weekly list of “Top Ten Celebrities Behaving Badly.” Here’s last week’s list, which includes Lindsay Lohan, Steven Seagal, and Larry King. This week’s includes Halle Berry, Conan O’Brian, and of course, Lindsay Lohan.
Photo credit: Tsar Kasim
