WWE is facing a lawsuit filed by Florida resident Richard Bryant, who claims he suffered injuries after attending a Friday Night Smackdown event in Orlando back in July 2022.
The suit alleges that he suffered injuries due to “negligence and carelessness” of the company as they failed to “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.”
The suit also alleges that he suffered the following injuries that may end up being permanent, including “traumatic rupture of his right ear drum, bilateral tinnitus, hearing loss in his right ear, and psychological harm.” The suit states he has taken on and is likely to further face expenses for medical treatment.
Bryant is demanding $15,000 in damages as a result. According to court documents obtained by PWInsider.com, WWE received an extension from the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut to respond to the suit by June 3rd.
There was a similar lawsuit from a fan who attended WrestleMania 38, where the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held up a previous decision from the District Court of Tarrant County, Texas, noting WWE was correct in its case that any issues would have to go to arbitration as he based it on an agreement he entered when using the ticket. The District Court of Tarrant County, Texas, had dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, only for him to file an appeal before it was dismissed, and he was told that he would have to go to arbitration to seek any damages. It was sent to private arbitration, and there has been no word since then.
