WWE has one less lawsuit to be concerned about after reaching a settlement with a fan who complained of hearing loss after attending an event. In March of last year, Richard Bryant filed a lawsuit against WWE alleging that attending a July 2022 taping of SmackDown in Orlando, Florida.
Bryant alleged that WWE’s “negligence and carelessness” caused his injury as the promotion failed to adequantely warn of the dangers to hearing that pyrotechnics can bring. Now, PW Insider reports that a settlement has been reached. Judge Robert N. Chatigny stated that there is no longer a need to rule on where the case will be tried or whether it should be moved to arbitration. Bryant had been requesting $15,000 in damages, though it’s unknown if he received this number in the settlement.
This isn’t WWE’s first time facing lawsuits related to noise levels. In January 2023, Marvin Jackson filed a suit against WWE after attending WrestleMania 38. This case was dismissed in May 2023 after the courts granted WWE’s request to compel arbitration.
WWE’s Legal Issues
While this matter has been resolved, WWE remains locked in several legal battles. The Janel Grant lawsuit against WWE, Vince McMahon, and John Laurinaitis launched in January 2024 continues to cast a shadow over the promotion, despite the exits of both McMahon and Laurinaitis. In addition to this, the Ring Boy lawsuit, alleging that WWE and the McMahons failed to properly protect minors from predatory advances, is another matter the promotion is dealing with.