I can't believe she got a dime

PrincessArky

LONGVIEW, Texas (AP) -- An East Texas car dealership has settled a lawsuit filed by the widow of a man who killed himself just after dropping out of the dealership's widely recognized Hands on a Hardbody contest.
Details of the settlement between Patterson Nissan and Chalala Gutierrez, the wife of Richard Thomas Vega II, will be
confidential. Court documents show damages sought in the lawsuit include funeral costs, lost income of about $600,000 and court costs.
Vega dropped out of the 2005 endurance contest just before a scheduled rest break 48 hours into the event.
Witnesses and law officers say Vega crossed the street and broke into a K-Mart where he broke into a gun case then shot himself. Gutierrez alleged in her suit that the dealership was negligent in organizing and conducting the contest. She says the dealership failed to "provide a safe environment for contestants" and did not provide personnel to restrain contestants who "temporarily lost their sanity."
Dealership attorney Adam Allen says Patterson Nissan is happy with the result.
The contest was featured in a 1995 documentary. It has not been restaged since Vega's death. The suit was settled late Thursday.


http://www.ktbs.com/news/Case-settle...contest-15508/

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Ya can't hide redneck might as well be proud-Tracy Lawrence

Jenefer3

I'm thinking they did it more to end the lawsuit than anything. I don't understand that whole "provide a safe environment for contestants" and did not provide personnel to restrain contestants who "temporarily lost their sanity." Why in the heck would one think that contestants needed restraining? If someone drops out, then aren't they legally entitled to leave? To restrain someone would just lead to another lawsuit....and heck, I think we've all temporarily lost our sanity at some point. Safe environment? It's not like he injured himself at the contest. The world has become lawsuit happy.

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Jolie Rouge

I agree with the idea that they settled rather then deal with the negative publicity - I don't think any judge could have found against them. The man dropped from the contest; left the premise; commited a crime ( breaking into Kmart ) then committing a possibale felony ( breaking into a gun locked gun case ) before killing himself. Tragic - yes. Actionable - questionable.

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Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

dv8grl

They didn't find those guys who made that woman hold her Pee for a Wii guilty & liable. I don't see how this car-dealership should be liable!

mesue

Well once someone goes without sleep for a prolonged period they can become psychotic and do things they normally would not do.

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Ignorance is bliss but the question is can we afford it?

LuvBigRip

But he made the choice to get involved in this contest. What the hell happened to personal responsibility. Bunch of crybaby namby pamby's we are cultivating.

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It all goes downhill from here

PrincessArky

yep there is no such thing as personal responsibility anymore because society just seems to cave and blame someone else

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Ya can't hide redneck might as well be proud-Tracy Lawrence

mesue

Yes he made the choice while he was healthy and sane, to be in the contest.

As I said, it has been proven through clinical studies, that people who go for a prolonged period of time without sleep will become psychotic. The studies do not state that some people will become psychotic, the studies reveal that all people will eventually become psychotic, if sleep deprived for a long period of time. Because we are all different, our levels of lack of sleep are different and so it is hard to tell when someone will go from being sane to psychotic.

This is known medical fact, it is not theory. Once one becomes psychotic, personal responsibilty becomes questionable.

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Ignorance is bliss but the question is can we afford it?