'Transformers 3' Stunt Victim Sues Studios
Tuesday, October 5th, 2010 9:33PM CDT
Categories: Movie Related News, People NewsPosted by: Mach Views: 62,228
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A lawsuit filed Tuesday claims a 24-year-old Chicago woman injured during filming of the "Transformers 3" movie last month in northwest Indiana has suffered serious, permanent brain damage.
The accident happened Sept. 1 on a vacated portion of Cline Avenue in Hammond, Ind. Filming was being done with stunt vehicles in some of lanes of traffic while extras were driving their own cars in other lanes, a release from the law firm of Power Rogers & Smith said.
The full article can be found here.
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Posted 11 hours agoPosted by SLUGSLINGER81 on October 5th, 2010 @ 9:53pm CDT
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Posted by Anonymous on October 5th, 2010 @ 10:03pm CDT
Posted by NuclearConvoy on October 5th, 2010 @ 10:32pm CDT
Posted by 5150 Cruiser on October 5th, 2010 @ 10:34pm CDT
Posted by Bumblevivisector on October 5th, 2010 @ 10:36pm CDT
GO-GO, POW-ER RO-GERS!!!
Yeah, sorry, I'll shut up now...
Posted by NuclearConvoy on October 5th, 2010 @ 10:37pm CDT
Bumblevivisector wrote:Yeah, what else can you say except...
GO-GO, POW-ER RO-GERS!!!
Yeah, sorry, I'll shut up now...
I'm a horrible person for finding that hilarious.
Posted by vulgar_wraith on October 5th, 2010 @ 10:41pm CDT
Posted by Colinus Maximus on October 5th, 2010 @ 10:51pm CDT
Posted by Novawave on October 6th, 2010 @ 12:05am CDT
I don`t personaly care about the monitary loses of dreakworks or paramount.
i certainly hope the damage is not severe.
my thoughts go with her.
Posted by Jap on October 6th, 2010 @ 1:42am CDT
Everyone is out for a dollar, i'd like to say i'm surprised this happened, but i'm not.
Posted by griftimus prime on October 6th, 2010 @ 1:45am CDT
Posted by Screamfleet on October 6th, 2010 @ 2:26am CDT
NuclearConvoy wrote:The question is, wouldn't a movie studio make an extra sign a waiver if they were going to be involved in a sequence where there might be stunts?
That's exactly the issue. She wasn't suppose to be involved in the stunt. She was in a car. If she was injured by like, another extra in a running crowd scene. Too bad, that's what the waiver covers. You were well aware you would be running in a crowd next to other people. You can't sue the guy that knocked you over, or the studio.
It might say "even if you die, you agree not to sue"
It's obvious something went wrong and things did not go as planned. She was not suppose to be involved in the stunt.
We'd have to see what the waiver actually says. Regardless, this isn't a frivolous lawsuit.
One thing she wont be able to do, is stop the scene from being used. A lawsuit with a waiver is going to be about negligence. It happens. However, if they want to used the shoot, which contains her injury. Good luck stopping that. Paramont could have had all kinds of waivers, but the release form an extra signs. You sign over it all to the studio. Any funny little thing you do in the background, any involvement, you get your 1 time paycheck, that's it.
Posted by Ravage XK on October 6th, 2010 @ 2:35am CDT
Even if she had filled in some form signing away all her rights and claims then I would still expect the studio/production to support her with everything she needs to have as normal a life as possible after a life changing event that was in no way her fault.
Posted by Mr_Xevoz on October 6th, 2010 @ 4:58am CDT
Jap wrote:She needs to muscle up.
Everyone is out for a dollar, i'd like to say i'm surprised this happened, but i'm not.
But she wasn't supposed to be involved in the stunt. It was a terrible accident, but I don't think she should be blamed for suing them.
Posted by Lord Grimlock on October 6th, 2010 @ 6:04am CDT
Posted by NuclearConvoy on October 6th, 2010 @ 6:44am CDT
Posted by Mr_Xevoz on October 6th, 2010 @ 7:04am CDT
NuclearConvoy wrote:I am AMAZED at the serious asshattery going on here. I don't believe the studio should be entirely liable, but not feeling sympathy for someone who was hurt in a horrible accident is a serious act of douchebaggery. Id like to assert that I have NOTHING to do with these people.
Indeed. I have a motto I usually abide to, "Forums are the Devil, stay away from them at all costs." This just shows me that it holds true.
Posted by NuclearConvoy on October 6th, 2010 @ 7:07am CDT
griftimus prime wrote:if she has brain damage. how can she file a law suit?
If her brain damage isnt crippling she could file, and if it is crippling, whoever has her Power of Attourney can file on her behalf
Posted by D-340 on October 6th, 2010 @ 8:04am CDT
NuclearConvoy wrote:I am AMAZED at the serious asshattery going on here. I don't believe the studio should be entirely liable, but not feeling sympathy for someone who was hurt in a horrible accident is a serious act of douchebaggery. Id like to assert that I have NOTHING to do with these people.
QFT. And I wanna add, I bet if this were any other flick, everyone would be screamin' "SUE,SUE,SUE!, F@#$ HOLLYWOOD!" But being that it's Transformers, they all turn into ignorant douche canoes. The extra's doin' what she feels she needs to do. Yeah, it was a freak accident, but she wasn't supposed to be directly involved in the stunt. Someone's gotta be liable.
Posted by dragons on October 6th, 2010 @ 8:12am CDT
Posted by Matrix. on October 6th, 2010 @ 8:29am CDT
Lord Grimlock wrote:i dont feel sorry for her hope she reads the forums at seibertron.com thats the price she pays for being an extra i dont feel one bit of sympathy
You... don't feel sympathy for a woman who didn't sign up to have her life put in danger and who's still in hospital with serious, permanent brain damage due to the seeming negligence of the movie studio?
I'd suggest you see a psychiatrist. And any other person who's claiming she somehow deserved it or it's her fault. Those are some serious sociopathic issues you have.
Not to mention utterly dispicable. My God.
Posted by kup1986 on October 6th, 2010 @ 8:32am CDT
Novawave wrote:My one Concern would be the extent of brain damage she suffered.
I don`t personaly care about the monitary loses of dreakworks or paramount.
i certainly hope the damage is not severe.
my thoughts go with her.
Same here.
Too bad that so many people in today's society have lost the ability to sympathize with other human beings.
Posted by Kingpun on October 6th, 2010 @ 12:04pm CDT
Posted by Windsweeper on October 6th, 2010 @ 4:08pm CDT
There are too many posers out there who think it's cool to come across as ruthless. Others think they're better or smarter than everyone else.
These misguided individuals need to learn that compassion is not a weakness. It is in fact our greatest strength.
Again, all the best to the girl involved.
Posted by Autobot032 on October 6th, 2010 @ 4:13pm CDT
She's slowly regaining use of her body and the left side is paralyzed.
She was involved in a stunt she wasn't supposed to be in.
They're only asking for $50,000.00
....they have every right to sue. Some of you are... Well, I can't say what I'd really like to say, but your little displays here are despicable.
I hope you lot and the Bay headhunters all pack up and leave the fandom. We're better off without you.
dragons wrote:dont need to ses spychic to see that coming, i dont know how story ended but someone died on batman darknight set not sue if they got sued but moslty when i hear people sueing i hate it you look at my car funny im suing you most of these sueing cases happen on judge judy that should not even be considerd taking sue action against this one i dont know
I can't even read this. I've tried time and again to see if I could figure out what you're saying. Try again? O_o
Posted by Screamfleet on October 6th, 2010 @ 4:45pm CDT
Windsweeper wrote:I hope she recovers soon.
There are too many posers out there who think it's cool to come across as ruthless. Others think they're better or smarter than everyone else.
These misguided individuals need to learn that compassion is not a weakness. It is in fact our greatest strength.
Again, all the best to the girl involved.
Head injuries can be terrible and awful. She might have a really really hard time in a few years. You can get a concussion one day, recover in a week to a month, and not notice the damage that's been done for a year.
I understand people getting upset over lawsuits. I think americans sue each other too often. I dont think this is the case. I can put myself in this womans place. Thinking "awesome I get to be an extra in this movie" and then she becomes seriously injured.
Posted by Flashwave on October 6th, 2010 @ 6:33pm CDT
Autobot032 wrote:Her one eye has been sewn shut.
She's slowly regaining use of her body and the left side is paralyzed.
She was involved in a stunt she wasn't supposed to be in.
They're only asking for $50,000.00
....they have every right to sue. Some of you are... Well, I can't say what I'd really like to say, but your little displays here are despicable.
I hope you lot and the Bay headhunters all pack up and leave the fandom. We're better off without you.dragons wrote:dont need to ses spychic to see that coming, i dont know how story ended but someone died on batman darknight set not sue if they got sued but moslty when i hear people sueing i hate it you look at my car funny im suing you most of these sueing cases happen on judge judy that should not even be considerd taking sue action against this one i dont know
I can't even read this. I've tried time and again to see if I could figure out what you're saying. Try again? O_o
Thank you for posting actual fact. I'll be completely honest "Get Over It" has also been playing in the back of my mind since this happned. I fully agree that a suit for loss and recovery is well deserved. But the people who have been ranting about suits to become millionaires are not completely off-base. Too many people have corrupted the system that way, and it's sad. 50K, sounds fair to me. Should cover med quite nicelyl, giver her enough to continue her normal life, while not on our (The movie goer's) dime. I'm all for compensation like this.
What Dragons said:
Didn't need to be psychic to see that one coming. I don't know how the story ended, but someone died on the Batman:Dark Night set. Not sure if they got sued but mostly when I hear people suing I hate it. "You look at my car funny; I sue you!" Most of these suit cases happen on Judge Judy, that should not even be considered suit action. [As far as] taking suit action on this one I don't know.
Did I interpret that about right? No offence meant.
Posted by lowman_x on October 6th, 2010 @ 8:31pm CDT
I mean... just wow.
I have never, ever, seen such a lack of empathy for another human being than I have just read on this forum and I work with some seriously socially messed up people in my job.
To say I'm disgusted and more than a little disturbed is an understatement.
Posted by Vicalliose on October 6th, 2010 @ 10:33pm CDT
Anyone who doesn't side with the woman is a cruel soulless shell of a human being.
They decided last minute to put her in a scene she wasn't meant to be in, and they should pay for their incompetence.
Posted by 5150 Cruiser on October 6th, 2010 @ 10:47pm CDT
Its good to here that she seems to be only coleting what seems to be medical bills. I would have thought that they would have acumilated to more than $50,000, but hey, if thats what their asking for for than that seems more than fair for the production team.
I'm just glad to see that this isn't some out of control lawsuit for 10's of millions of dollars. Like i said, i don't wish, nor does anyone deserve harm to come to them. But when working as an extra, even if your aren't directly involved in the stunt there is still an inhirt risk that somthing can go wrong and you could be hurt. I wish her and her family the best and will hold her in my prayers.
Posted by Screamfleet on October 7th, 2010 @ 1:56am CDT
Posted by Lord Grimlock on October 7th, 2010 @ 6:40am CDT
Posted by Autobot032 on October 7th, 2010 @ 7:04am CDT
Lord Grimlock wrote:first off if she didnt sign on to do the stunt what is she doing on the transformers set in the first place so no i dont feel sympathy and if she did sign on to be in the stunt scene she should have understood the consequences she should have understood the dangers
Have you tried reading the story of what happened? At all?
She signed on to be an extra in a scene.
She was driving her own vehicle for that scene.
While this was going on, they were filming a stunt that had NOTHING TO DO WITH HER. NOTHING. That stunt failed, miserably, and she was badly hurt, through no fault of her own. She never signed off on a stunt that had nothing to do with her. She was hurt when it was least expected and completely out of her control. She did nothing wrong, she did what was asked of her and she was gravely injured for it.
A steel cable snapped through her windshield, slashed her head like the cable was a whip, and because of this she wrecked her car a mile down the road, into the median divider.
She's paralyzed on the left side, her eye is sewn shut so her eye doesn't dry out and fall out of her head, she has barely any motor function in a great deal of her body and she's slowly starting to regain bits and pieces of her day to day as she heals.
And all for a stunt that didn't involve her. She got hurt, it's their fault, not her's, and she deserves any compensation they give her.
So, let's try this one more time:
1.) She filmed her scene as she was asked to do.
2.) They were filming a stunt for another scene at the same time, and her driving scene and the stunt were not the same scene and had nothing to do with each other.
3.) The tow cable snapped, a cable they were to check and certify as being safe, and it cut through her windshield and her skull, leaving her potentially paralyzed for the rest of her life.
4.) She signed a waiver for being an extra in the scene she was meant to be in. She did not sign a waiver for stuntwork, nor was she to be involved in said stunt.
It's their fault, not her's.
Next time you want to pick on someone in her situation, you read the WHOLE story before you start rattling off your mouth. Making uninformed, ignorant posts such as these only make us, the fandom, look bad by association with you.
Why are you being so cruel to someone who did nothing wrong and isn't even suing? It's her family suing, not her. She's debilitated and most likely it'll be permanent and the fee that the family is asking for will cover only some of her medical bills. They're not in this to make money, they're not trying to rob anyone blind.
How dare you.
*shakes head in disgust*
EDIT: Need proof? Here you go.
a metal object struck Gabriella Cedillo's personal 2006 Toyota. It went through the windshield and hit the 24-year-old driver who was not a stunt professional or member of the stunt personnel. The Toyota hit the inner median concrete barrier wall and had extensive damage to the driver's side. UPDATE: WLS-TV reports a similar tow-rig setup broke the day before.
And this little gem, coming from Paramount itself:
Paramount just weighed in with me to say that the injured extra was not involved in the stunt, that her car was not involved in the stunt, that a "freak accident caused her injury", that she and her car were more than 500 feet from the stunt
So now, you tell me...how did an extra, 500 feet away bring this upon herself? The rig failed the night before, and it failed during her scene. She was FIVE HUNDRED FEET AWAY and the force of that metal coming at her, was enough to cut her windshield and her SKULL.
They clearly say she wasn't involved in the stunt, yet she still ended up getting hurt.
Are you getting the picture now? At all?
Posted by Matrix. on October 7th, 2010 @ 10:43am CDT
We need a mod or something - these are exactly the kind of comments that get picked up by tabloid newspapers and used against online fandoms. It could reflect VERY poorly if people were to see this.
Posted by Dead Metal on October 7th, 2010 @ 10:50am CDT
I feel sorry for her and do hope that she comes out OK in the end, and that the paralysis is only temporary and goes away after medical treatment.
I'm still not really in favour of suing and pretending like this was all Paramount's fault but the sum seems to be calculated to cover the medical treatment plus a few expenses related to it and not to get rich from her misfortune so I do hope they win.
Posted by Covenant on October 10th, 2010 @ 7:39am CDT
But in regards to some of commentary in this topic; Seriously? WTF.
Posted by D-340 on October 10th, 2010 @ 8:44am CDT
Autobot032 wrote:Lord Grimlock wrote:first off if she didnt sign on to do the stunt what is she doing on the transformers set in the first place so no i dont feel sympathy and if she did sign on to be in the stunt scene she should have understood the consequences she should have understood the dangers
Have you tried reading the story of what happened? At all?
She signed on to be an extra in a scene.
She was driving her own vehicle for that scene.
While this was going on, they were filming a stunt that had NOTHING TO DO WITH HER. NOTHING. That stunt failed, miserably, and she was badly hurt, through no fault of her own. She never signed off on a stunt that had nothing to do with her. She was hurt when it was least expected and completely out of her control. She did nothing wrong, she did what was asked of her and she was gravely injured for it.
A steel cable snapped through her windshield, slashed her head like the cable was a whip, and because of this she wrecked her car a mile down the road, into the median divider.
She's paralyzed on the left side, her eye is sewn shut so her eye doesn't dry out and fall out of her head, she has barely any motor function in a great deal of her body and she's slowly starting to regain bits and pieces of her day to day as she heals.
And all for a stunt that didn't involve her. She got hurt, it's their fault, not her's, and she deserves any compensation they give her.
So, let's try this one more time:
1.) She filmed her scene as she was asked to do.
2.) They were filming a stunt for another scene at the same time, and her driving scene and the stunt were not the same scene and had nothing to do with each other.
3.) The tow cable snapped, a cable they were to check and certify as being safe, and it cut through her windshield and her skull, leaving her potentially paralyzed for the rest of her life.
4.) She signed a waiver for being an extra in the scene she was meant to be in. She did not sign a waiver for stuntwork, nor was she to be involved in said stunt.
It's their fault, not her's.
Next time you want to pick on someone in her situation, you read the WHOLE story before you start rattling off your mouth. Making uninformed, ignorant posts such as these only make us, the fandom, look bad by association with you.
Why are you being so cruel to someone who did nothing wrong and isn't even suing? It's her family suing, not her. She's debilitated and most likely it'll be permanent and the fee that the family is asking for will cover only some of her medical bills. They're not in this to make money, they're not trying to rob anyone blind.
How dare you.
*shakes head in disgust*
EDIT: Need proof? Here you go.a metal object struck Gabriella Cedillo's personal 2006 Toyota. It went through the windshield and hit the 24-year-old driver who was not a stunt professional or member of the stunt personnel. The Toyota hit the inner median concrete barrier wall and had extensive damage to the driver's side. UPDATE: WLS-TV reports a similar tow-rig setup broke the day before.
And this little gem, coming from Paramount itself:Paramount just weighed in with me to say that the injured extra was not involved in the stunt, that her car was not involved in the stunt, that a "freak accident caused her injury", that she and her car were more than 500 feet from the stunt
So now, you tell me...how did an extra, 500 feet away bring this upon herself? The rig failed the night before, and it failed during her scene. She was FIVE HUNDRED FEET AWAY and the force of that metal coming at her, was enough to cut her windshield and her SKULL.
They clearly say she wasn't involved in the stunt, yet she still ended up getting hurt.
Are you getting the picture now? At all?
I commend you on this sir, but you're trying to teach sense to the senseless. This guy is an asshat moron who humanity would be better without.
Posted by Albershide on October 13th, 2010 @ 2:20am CDT
http://www.tmz.com/2010/10/12/transform ... -to-blame/
Thanks to TFW2005.
Posted by Autobot032 on October 13th, 2010 @ 3:36am CDT
Albershide wrote:Producers cleared of all charges:
http://www.tmz.com/2010/10/12/transform ... -to-blame/
Thanks to TFW2005.
Well, I didn't want Bay or the producers to suffer, but someone should be held accountable.
Paramount made a promise to compensate her, I hope they stand by it.
Regardless of whether or not it was a freak accident, she wasn't supposed to be a part of the stunt and they included her anyway.
That, to me, says liability.
Posted by Dead Metal on October 13th, 2010 @ 10:07am CDT
TMZ has posted an exclusive article explaining that Paramount was cleared and not liable for what happened to the extra.
Click here to read the original article on TMZ.
Posted by Dead Metal on October 13th, 2010 @ 10:10am CDT
Autobot032 wrote:Albershide wrote:Producers cleared of all charges:
http://www.tmz.com/2010/10/12/transform ... -to-blame/
Thanks to TFW2005.
Well, I didn't want Bay or the producers to suffer, but someone should be held accountable.
Paramount made a promise to compensate her, I hope they stand by it.
Regardless of whether or not it was a freak accident, she wasn't supposed to be a part of the stunt and they included her anyway.
That, to me, says liability.
No she was not included, they where filming two scenes at the same time, just because the stunt they where filming for one scene went wrong and effected her while doing a different scene does not mean that they included her in the stunt.
Posted by First-Aid on October 13th, 2010 @ 10:34am CDT
Posted by Liftgate on October 13th, 2010 @ 10:47am CDT
The studio is responsible for accidents related to the filming of their movie, period. Unless extras were required to sign a waver which totally gave up all rights (which would be very lengthy, convoluted, not to mention outright shady), then the studio will have to compensate her for medical cost and physical disabilities she may be left with.
I certainly hope this girl never reads what some of you here and other pieces of garbage have wrote on other sites.
Posted by Liftgate on October 13th, 2010 @ 11:11am CDT
Sorry, that's good though. Your noble intentions wouldn't have anything to do with the fact she's cute, would it? No, just kidding, that's a really nice idea you have. The studio should handle things, but you never know, maybe if they don't step up.
Posted by Blackstreak on October 13th, 2010 @ 11:35am CDT
Posted by Dead Metal on October 13th, 2010 @ 12:12pm CDT
First-Aid wrote:Call me sentimental, but I really think that if she ends up needing help with medical bills and other things down the road (which Paramount should cover but I've dealt with workers' comp and they are a--holes and stall as much as possible) that we as a collector's community should put something together involving all of the fansites to help out. She's really kind of a part of Transformers lore now (for all the wrong reasons) and I think we should support her.
That's actually a good idea, wouldn't be the first time we rooted together do do something similar.
Posted by Liftgate on October 13th, 2010 @ 12:44pm CDT
Blackstreak wrote:It's unfortunate she was paralyzed, unfortunate the accident happened at all. I would think at minimum her hospitalization and medical bills were already covered, if not by Paramount then by Workman's Comp.
You could be right there, I dunno how workers comp works in a situation like this. I'll echo what First-Aid said about workers comp though, in that it's almost a joke and frustrating to no end. I got hurt at work once and the workers comp rep I spoke to on the phone twisted every word I said and hit me with so many "Do You Still Beat Your Wife" questions that I wanted to reach through the phone and strangle him. It's really a horrible process, completely Catch 22.
Posted by RK_Striker_JK_5 on October 13th, 2010 @ 1:15pm CDT
Posted by Redimus on October 13th, 2010 @ 1:40pm CDT
The News Post wrote:Transformers 3: Paramount cleared of liability!
The lawyers may have ruled that Transformers 3 isn't Paramount's fault, but I still hold them responsible!
Posted by Megatronsdemise666 on October 13th, 2010 @ 3:35pm CDT
uhm
where do i starty marty
uhm i would feel bad if i were the producers
if i were bay i would give her a extra when the DVD/ Blu-ray comes out
or at least suck her in as sams sick aunt and the go visit her?
idk but i would feel bad and do that
even if im a decepticon lover >.<
BUNNIES RULE