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Update on mega lawsuit against the WWE (featuring Ashley, Animal, Shane Douglas, Stamboli, etc)

12K views 81 replies 44 participants last post by  save_us_spike 2 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
This is not all the 50+ people who are in the lawsuit, just the ones I think would be most familiar to most people.


Ashley






Mark Jindrak






Johnny "The Bull"







There are more I'd like to post, notably, Earl Hebbner's Jazz and Rodney Mack's, Saturn, …. and especially Shane Douglas and Sabu since very little of their careers were in WWE. I guess if they wanted to sue ECW or WCW, technically they have to sue the WWE since they own them now.




In other news, the trials are being postponed again.

Cliffs:

- Ashley is suing for "emotional distress", being told to have matches with no real training and possibly sexual harassment.

- Stamboli is suing for physical health issues and saying he was fined a bunch of money for wearing a hat on a bus.




I wonder if the lawyer handling this case contacted all these former WWE wrestlers and talked them into doing this or if they came to him with intentions to sue the WWE.
 
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#25 ·
Its hard to know who to believe in this situation.

On the one hand...yeah, some people could certainly be fudging their situations to either cash in, settle old grudges or both.

At the same time, when this many people speak out against WWE, including some like CM Punk who had tons of money and was very candid about WWE's poor medical practices...it kind of starts setting off alarms that there really IS something wrong and its not just a few disgruntled people making shit up.

Not to mention that some of this shit is so flat out obvious that it can be figured out without actual testimony. In the 90s (not as sure about the 80s), wrestlers routinely had contracts where if they didn't work, they didn't get paid. I remember in one WCW broadcast during a PPV where they actually started ripping on talent on their own roster for being smart enough to get contracts that stipulated they'd still get paid even if they had to take time off for an injury. In particular, they were shitting on guys who would sign these big guaranteed contracts and then "claim" they were injured, just so they could sit home, collect a paycheck and not work. Unfortunately, it got to the point where anyone missing time for an injury was kind of eyed as faking it. Unless you were a really top tier star like Austin or Rock, no work meant no pay. You think Steve Blackman was making an income if he was injured?

And their recklessness with their talent at times was really quite crazy. Look at Mick Foley at KOTR 1998. The abuse that poor fucker took that night is legendary. Here's a quick rundown of the injuries he received just in that match:

King of the Ring 1998, June 28. In the unforgettable Hell in the Cell match, Mick suffered a concussion, dislocated his left shoulder, bruised some ribs, internal bleeding, numerous puncture wounds, and dislocated his jaw, which was put in place during the match. And various reports state that Mick lost between one and a half teeth to three teeth.
And yet he STILL had to hobble out there for the main event to get smacked around some more and take a Stunner from Austin. Look, I get the mentality that the show must go on. That being said, you didn't even have to TEST Foley to know he'd taken way too much punishment. Just watch the match and that's all the evidence you need. Yet they still sent him out to risk further injury or making his current ones even worse because they had a fake show to do. And this was at the period when WWE was great. There's no way this would fly today. Its dangerous, and the plaintiffs need only show a tape of that famous HIAC match to the court to establish that there is precedent for WWE sending clearly injured workers out to continue working because the show was more important than their well being. Now these wrestlers currently have to prove that WWE neglected their injuries, not Mick's, but that being said, it certainly would help color a jury's perception of the mindset at the time. If WWE were fine sending Mick out there when he was obviously hurt, is it such a stretch to believe they'd tell their other talent to do the same thing on a nightly basis? And nobody better try telling me that it was Mick's decision to go out there. The dude has a concussion, he was in no state to be making decisions for himself.

WWE better thank their lucky stars Mick isn't suing because against him, with footage of that match alone, they'd lose.

I'm also not even looking at other matches like the TLCs. Anyone remember TLC 3 on Smackdown? Benoit broke his neck during that match. A month later he took significant time off for fusion surgery, but not before he had to wrestle Austin on Smackdown a week later in Edmonton and delivered 10 German Suplexes, falling onto his BROKEN NECK, losing the tag titles to the Dudleys on another Smackdown and then also had to work a triple threat with Jericho and Austin at KOTR 2001. Why? Well the show must go on. No you morons, not when a dude has a broken neck. Its not some minor injury like a bruised foot or something. Broken. Neck. You can DIE from it.

So...with 2 pretty well known cases of WWE sending out seriously injured workers to continue wrestling anyway...MAIN EVENTERS, mind you...it doesn't shock me in the least that they'd not give proper treatment to wrestlers or strong arm them into working when they shouldn't have been.

While some of these cases may not be completely legit, I'm sure a few of them are and WWE should have to answer for them. If not having to pay out for them, something at least needs to happen to get them to change their ways from this ridiculously out of date method.
 
#3 ·
Most wrestled before and after WWE how can they pinpoint fault with WWE if most only wrestled a very brief period in WWE then went on to wrestle elsewhere for years. I mean Sabu is the most laughable i mean nobody forced him to do that dumb dangerous shit yet now he's running to WWE with a hand out
 
#4 ·
Isn't WWE covered by the fact they are independent contractors? This lawsuit seems frivolous yet I can't help but sympathize with the talent. Hopefully this does serve some purpose and reform future contracts and health disputes though I'm sure more than half the plaintiffs are just looking for an easy payday as WWE will most likely settle.
 
#27 ·
I believe them all, cause as long as WWE doesn´t pay for health insurance and disability why would they care? The show must go on. I don´t think anybody needs convincing anymore that Vince or Steph are horrible human beings.

The problem in many cases is that the defense will say: If you were sexually harrassed or severely injured, why did you not see the police, an independent doctor or hospital at the time. Of course that would mean you´d be fired quickly. Nevertheless that´s what this will likely come down to, especially when they have independent contractor status. And this is one WWE can´t settle on, cause they´d open a can of snakes. Worms ain´t big enough.
 
#45 ·
Ashley literally worked as an escort

Sabu worked ECW and TNA, as well as House of hardcore before an after WWE

Vito worked indies to a couple years ago

Jindrak worked in Mexico and for MTVs LLUSA after WWE

The issue is that they all did shit away from WWE. Why isn't Turner being sued? WHy isn't HEyman?
 
#57 ·
Any decent judge will look over this and throw it out purely on the fact a big chunk wrestled before and after WWE so how can they be specific and say it was WWE? Ok the ones who only wrestled for WWE might have a long shot but guys like Sabu are gonna get laughed out of court if evidence is shown of his batshit insane wrestling style. Besides nobody is saying WWE is perfect but Sabu claiming WWE is at fault is fucking laughable when you see his career was mostly him throwing himself off things but your teling me that he's saying WWE was at fault for his "injuries".
 
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#6 ·
I have the feeling a lot of this is BS and some people trying to cash in. That being said it does not mean there might not be some merit to some of the issues. Just because wrestling is a rough trade does not mean WWE is free from having a safe working environment. If they put their employees in unsafe situations knowingly just to keep the cash coming in they are guilty.

As far as the large number, often case actions are better than single suits. First off it saves time but also gives more ammo when trying to prove your case. I just hope justice is done and everyone gets what they deserve to get. That is for both sides.
 
#8 ·
Well, some of the stuff I absolutely believe, like them sending Ashley to have matches with no real training. It was obvious in the matches.

I wonder if a lot of people are suing because even though their injuries happened in WCW and ECW, WWE bought them out so technically they would be the ones responsible?
 
#10 ·
Jindrak still salty because he was kicked out of evolution so he wants to join the wash up and nobody cares about suing list lol. Ashley is delusional, one minute she thought she was invited to raw by stephanie when it was a fake Twitter account. She's suing for what? She sucked in the ring so what's her reason?
 
#12 · (Edited)
Does Droz still have a job with the WWE behind the scenes? I know he did for a long time.

The lawyer handling this case has been involved in other lawsuits against the WWE. Also, I had no idea Animal was John Laurenitis's brother.



Everything she's suing for I included in the thread under her picture. It's a good read whether you agree with it or not.
 
#11 ·
This lawsuit is a real paradox for me.

As much as i know WWE are/where not the greatest employers in the world at times,
A lot the cases involved in this lawsuit do seem to be just a quick money grab.

I know a lot of pro wrestlers go through some real serious drug,alcohol financial and health issues.
That its never nice to see but pro wrestling is a vocation, No one forces you to do it. Everyone knows the risks involved.

Its a real shame more people don't have the outlook Darren Drozdov has.
 
#19 ·
She was terrible. I saw her at New York Comic Con back in October. She was sitting at a table with a big poster saying "Former WWE Diva Ashley Massaro", so she's happy to try and use WWE for a quick buck in other ways. No fans were near her and I wasn't a fan, so I didn't bother.

The points in the lawsuit may be valid- I totally believe she wasn't trained properly- just throwing in my two cents and agreeing that she absolutely sucked.
 
#18 ·
It's a tough line of work. Unless WWE was negligent in treating injuries, or of hiring incompetent doctors, etc., getting hurt while under their employ is not worthy of a lawsuit. You're gonna get hurt being a pro wrestler/sports entertainer, period.

Again, barring neglect and the intent of covering up injuries, WWE shouldn't owe anything, IMO.
 
#20 ·
Unless WWE was negligent in treating injuries, or of hiring incompetent doctors , etc., getting hurt while under their employ is not worthy of a lawsuit. You're gonna get hurt being a pro wrestler/sports entertainer, period.

Again, barring neglect and the intent of covering up injuries, WWE shouldn't owe anything, IMO.
There is lots of evidence to support that they are in fact negligent.

Unless WWE was negligent in treating injuries, or of hiring incompetent doctors , etc., getting hurt while under their employ is not worthy of a lawsuit. You're gonna get hurt being a pro wrestler/sports entertainer, period.

Again, barring neglect and the intent of covering up injuries, WWE shouldn't owe anything, IMO.
There is lots of evidence to support that they are in fact negligent.
 
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