WWE is currently the subject of a lawsuit filed by a fan who claims to have suffered hearing damage after attending a SmackDown TV taping in 2022.
Pwinsider is reporting that the plaintiff, Richard Bryant, filed the lawsuit in March, alleging that WWE’s “negligence and carelessness” caused his injuries.
Bryant further claims that his injuries, which include a traumatic rupture of his right ear drum, bilateral tinnitus, hearing loss in his right ear, and psychological harm, may be permanent. Additionally, he alleges that he incurred expenses for medical treatment and is seeking damages amounting to $15,000.
In an attempt to move the lawsuit from the Superior Court of Connecticut, Judicial District of Stamford, to the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, WWE filed a motion to have the case heard in federal jurisdiction. This move was necessary because the plaintiff, Richard Bryant, and WWE were in different states.
WWE states in the filing, “More particularly, the Plaintiff alleges that he was an invitee of the premises and was seated next to the stage at the venue when pyrotechnics went off, and the blast was so loud that it allegedly caused the Plaintiff to lose almost all hearing in his right ear. In the sole count of the complaint, the Plaintiff alleges negligence against WWE and that, as a result of this supposed negligence, he suffered personal injuries.”
Bryant claims, “WWE did not adequately warn of the dangers of pyrotechnics, failed to test the effect of pyrotechnics on the premises, failed to operate the pyrotechnics with reasonable care, failed to hire, select, train and supervise reasonably competent employees, failed to implement and enforce reasonable policies and procedures for the safe use of pyrotechnics, failed to use ordinary care in the administration of pyrotechnics, failed to warn Plaintiff of the potential effects of use of pyrotechnics, any and all other acts determined to be negligent or grossly by the tier of fact.”
It is worth noting that the lawsuit also mentions Bryant’s foot injury, the details of which are unclear.
The lawsuit states that Bryant was forced to use crutches to limit motion and pain and promote healing in the left foot. Additionally, he can no longer participate in physical activity as he did before the incident and will likely require surgery.
While the outcome of this lawsuit is yet to be seen, it is worth mentioning that a similar case was filed last year by a fan named Marvin Jackson, who sued WWE for hearing injuries sustained at WrestleMania 38. The courts ruled in favor of WWE, stating that the claims would have to be settled in arbitration based on the agreement made by the plaintiff when he used the ticket.
WWE is currently the subject of a lawsuit filed by a fan who claims to have suffered hearing damage after attending a SmackDown TV taping in 2022.
Pwinsider is reporting that the plaintiff, Richard Bryant, filed the lawsuit in March, alleging that WWE’s “negligence and carelessness” caused his injuries.
Bryant further claims that his injuries, which include a traumatic rupture of his right ear drum, bilateral tinnitus, hearing loss in his right ear, and psychological harm, may be permanent. Additionally, he alleges that he incurred expenses for medical treatment and is seeking damages amounting to $15,000.
In an attempt to move the lawsuit from the Superior Court of Connecticut, Judicial District of Stamford, to the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, WWE filed a motion to have the case heard in federal jurisdiction.
This move was necessary because the plaintiff, Richard Bryant, and WWE were in different states.
WWE states in the filing, “More particularly, the Plaintiff alleges that he was an invitee of the premises and was seated next to the stage at the venue when pyrotechnics went off, and the blast was so loud that it allegedly caused the Plaintiff to lose almost all hearing in his right ear. In the sole count of the complaint, the Plaintiff alleges negligence against WWE and that, as a result of this supposed negligence, he suffered personal injuries.”
Bryant claims, “WWE did not adequately warn of the dangers of pyrotechnics, failed to test the effect of pyrotechnics on the premises, failed to operate the pyrotechnics with reasonable care, failed to hire, select, train and supervise reasonably competent employees, failed to implement and enforce reasonable policies and procedures for the safe use of pyrotechnics, failed to use ordinary care in the administration of pyrotechnics, failed to warn Plaintiff of the potential effects of use of pyrotechnics, any and all other acts determined to be negligent or grossly by the tier of fact.”
It is worth noting that the lawsuit also mentions Bryant’s foot injury, the details of which are unclear.
The lawsuit states that Bryant was forced to use crutches to limit motion and pain and promote healing in the left foot. Additionally, he can no longer participate in physical activity as he did before the incident and will likely require surgery.
While the outcome of this lawsuit is yet to be seen, it is worth mentioning that a similar case was filed last year by a fan named Marvin Jackson, who sued WWE for hearing injuries sustained at WrestleMania 38. The courts ruled in favor of WWE, stating that the claims would have to be settled in arbitration based on the agreement made by the plaintiff when he used the ticket.