'Transformers 3' Stunt Injury Spawns Lawsuit

An accident on the set of Transformers 3 has led to a major lawsuit against Paramount Pictures and Ryerson Inc., a metal distributor from Chicago. Cabriela Cedillo was thrilled when she landed a role as an extra on the Transformers film. She was making minimum wage but was excited about the opportunity as she wanted to become a feature actress.
However, on September 1, things took an irreversible turn for the worse. It's "something that certainly should never have happened, something that we believe occurred as a result of carelessness," said her attorney, Todd Smith. Smith was speaking of the stunt injury accident that left Cedillo brain damaged, paralyzed on the left side and with her left eye stitched shut.
According to the lawsuit, it happened when Cedillo was driving her blue Scion as part of a stunt, The Chicago-Tribune reports. Three flatbed trucks and two stunt cars approached at high speed on the other side of the road. The stunt cars were being pulled with steel cables. Tragically, a metal bracket welded to one of the vehicles broke, flew across the street and sliced the hood of Cedillo's car, smashed her windshield and hit her directly in the head.
Paramount Pictures has apologized for the stunt injury.
Cedillo is currently at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Though she cannot speak, she has written notes to her family telling them that she loves them and that it will be alright.
For a quick review, the general cause of action is likely to be negligence. To prove a case of negligence you must prove duty, breach, legal causation, factual causation and damages. Generally, there is a duty to exercise "reasonable care" for the safety and property of others. To learn more about negligence, check out the links below.
Related Resources:
- Proving Fault: What is Negligence? (FindLaw)
- Search Chicago Injury Lawyers (FindLaw)
- What is Comparative Negligence? (FindLaw's Injured Blog)
- Personal Injury FAQ (provided by Cohen, Snyder, Eisenberg & Katzenberg, P.A.)
- Catastrophic Injuries (provided by Winters & Yonker P.A.)