The fan lawsuit filed against WWE over hearing damage sustained at a 2022 Smackdown taping has a trial start date. As reported in May, the company was hit with the lawsuit from Richard Bryant, who alleges that he suffered injuries from a July 2022 taping in Orlando, Florida. PWInsider reports that a trial date has been set for August 18th if the case is not settled beforehand.
As previously reported, WWE was granted an extension by the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut to respond and have until July 3rd to do so.
Bryant is seeking $15,000 in damages and accused WWE of negligence and carelessness, claiming that they 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.”
Bryant also claims that some of his injuries, which include include “traumatic rupture of his right ear drum, bilateral tinnitus, hearing loss in his right ear, psychological harm,” may be permanent and has had medical expenses for treatment, with more such expenses likely.
