Disney, Paramount can’t escape lawsuit over risks of filming football movies
James Swartz2021-04-16T06:51:52-04:00September 16, 2020|
Mr. Swartz, our Managing and Principal Attorney at Swartz & Swartz P.C., is a nationally recognized and respected trial attorney as well as consumer advocate. His practice focuses on cases involving negligence, torts, products liability, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and other claims involving catastrophic injuries. Visit My Profile
Football has returned, but what will be the fate of other productions — including football movies — proceeding despite known health risks? In the era of COVID, there’s quite a few of them.In a perhaps surprising ruling, a Los Angeles judge has allowed the family of deceased football player Darryl Hammond to move forward in a wrongful death lawsuit targeting Disney and Paramount Pictures.The suit accuses the studios of concealing information about the risks of head injuries from football. Hammond, who played 15 years of arena football, was an extra on the 2005 film The Longest Yard, starring Adam Sandler and Chris Rock, as well as the 2006 film Invincible, starring Mark Wahlberg. The complaint speaks to how the studios allegedly wanted violent scenes and directed him to be repeatedly tackled during rehearsals and filming.In response to the suit, the studios argued that Hammond’s family has blurred the differences between a professional football career and a limited role in a choreographed motion picture. But for now, the allegations are enough to move to discovery in the eyes of L.A. Superior Court Judge David Sotelo.
Mr. Swartz, our Managing and Principal Attorney at Swartz & Swartz P.C., is a nationally recognized and respected trial attorney as well as consumer advocate. His practice focuses on cases involving negligence, torts, products liability, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and other claims involving catastrophic injuries.
