Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Walking Dead Stuntman

The mom of a stuntman who was fatally injured on the filming set of The Walking Dead has started a wrongful death lawsuit. The wrongful death lawsuit was filed after the stuntman was killed on July 12, 2017, after falling on the set of the show.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Blames Poor Set Standards for Accident

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed against AMC and other associated parties. The plaintiff alleges that unreasonably low budgets led to safety precautions that did not meet standards, leading to the fall and death of her son.

“My goal is to do everything I can to protect other stunt performers and to ensure their safety on the set in the future,” said the stuntman’s mother who filed the lawsuit. “The industry is not doing enough to maintain basic safety guidelines for these performers. Worst of all, they’re scared to speak up.”

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed in Gwinnett County state court on Jan. 23 and argued that the unsafe and cheap production used to generate The Walking Dead led to a fall that ultimately killed her son on the set. The wrongful death lawsuit alleges that the stunt coordinator and the director are also responsible for the episode in which the fall occurred. Another actor shooting a scene with the deceased also fell at the time of that accident.

Some of the most common incidents leading to injuries are those involving workers falling from heights. As with construction sites, a TV or movie set is a dangerous place for trip and fall and slip and fall accidents, both of which can lead to catastrophic injuries or death.

The mother who filed the wrongful death lawsuit says that in addition to holding the production company and other relevant parties accountable for the death of her son, she also wishes to raise awareness about safety standards that are used on production sets to ensure that stunt performers are protected now and into the future. According to her statements in the wrongful death lawsuit, the industry has not done enough to make sure that basic safety guidelines are met for performers and others working.

A head injury occurred after a high fall accident when the stuntman dropped more than 20 feet from a balcony and onto a concrete floor. The accident happened during a rehearsal of the stunt.

He was barely breathing and was hardly conscious at the time that he was transported to Atlanta Medical Center. He was declared legally dead later that evening. The stuntman was only 33 years old at the time.

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration previously issued a citation to Stalwart Films for failing to provide adequate protection from fall hazards directly in conjunction with this accident. Additionally, a fine of more than $12,000 was assessed against the company which is the highest allowed for a one-time serious violation.

According to research, it is believed that the stuntman who suffered fatal injuries in this accident was first to die on a U.S. set since 2000.

If you or someone you know has been hurt by a catastrophic injury or if you have lost a loved one because of such an accident, you may be entitled to compensation.

Consulting with the experienced attorneys at Bradley Grombacher is strongly recommended- fill out the form on this page to get started. 

Note: Bradley/Grombacher is not representing the plaintiff in this lawsuit.