saw this on another forum

[Adam Keep]

I've seen many people quit Strongman Contests due to injuries, and I've even seen the USA banned from International Strongest Man competition because US lifters are too quick to sue someone when they hurt themselves. Wah!!

So tell me which is more important: Outright strength & power - like in Powerlifting or

Bullet-proof joints and muscles - to keep the body together during a Strongest Man contest:

Which is more important for competitive Strongmen and/or StrongWomen contest?

How wacky does this sound? Jesse, how many contests have you benn sent home from because you are an American with the likely possibility to sue?

[Corey DuCharme]

The comment is a bit off, but I think there is some validity to it. I am only going from vague memory, but isn't liability and stuff why they originally moved the WSM contest from the US to exotic locations? Also, wasn't there a lawsuit involved when silly Franco thought it was a good idea to run with a fridge on his back?

Not sure, just throwing it out there for more knowledgeable people to comment on. If so, seems crazy when there are many other dangerous sports played every day in the US, even by little kids.

[MattxBurns]

Isn't there anything on the entry form that states the organization doesn't take responsibility for any injuries or occur? I know that on all of the entry forms I've filled out for powerlifting meets state that.

[DaneGarreau]

Isn't there anything on the entry form that states the organization doesn't take responsibility for any injuries or occur? I know that on all of the entry forms I've filled out for powerlifting meets state that.

Yea there is. Once you sign your name, if your injured, it's on you. No one affiliated with the contest is held responsible.

[Scott Markowitz]

Yeah, the entry forms say that, but trust me - any lawyer worth his salt could get around that. Torts is a first-year law class, and they teach why everything is always somebody else's fault. In some states you can only recover the percentage of fault (i.e., if you are doing something stupid with a log and it falls on your head, and the jury finds that it's 65% your fault for being stupid, 25% the promoter's fault for leaving you alone to be stupid with his log, and 10% the manufacturer's fault for a design flaw/lack of warning labels - "WARNING - DROPPING WEIGHTED LOG WHEN IT IS DIRECTLY OVER YOUR HEAD MAY CAUSE INJURY" - then you can only recover 25% of your damages from the promoter and 10% from the manufacturer). In some states if you're more than 50% at fault, you can't recover at all. In others, you can recover the whole enchilada from anybody who contributed (i.e., if the promoter has no money, you can go after the manufacturer for everything).

That said, every strongman competitor I've ever met are honorable people and take responsibility for their own stuff anyway.

[Jay Hagadorn]

The comment is a bit off, but I think there is some validity to it. I am only going from vague memory, but isn't liability and stuff why they originally moved the WSM contest from the US to exotic locations? Also, wasn't there a lawsuit involved when silly Franco thought it was a good idea to run with a fridge on his back?



Franco sued WSM when HE broke his leg. He is from Italy though, not the US. If anyone could come up with a legit example of a strongman suing for injury in a contest (other than Franco)I'd be very surprised...

[Corey DuCharme]

Franco sued WSM when HE broke his leg. He is from Italy though, not the US. If anyone could come up with a legit example of a strongman suing for injury in a contest (other than Franco)I'd be very surprised...

The attack on American competitors is the part of the comment that I thought was goofy.

Here is what I was trying to say. Franco was able to bring a lawsuit against TWI because of the American court system. As Scott stated, "it's somebody elses fault" is a basic part of American civil law. We all know there are lawyers foaming at the mouth to make a case. My point is, Franco was able to make a case out of it in America quite easily. (Who knows, it may have even been a lawyers idea)

The courts in Zambia or other past WSM locations probably operate differently. They may not care if a strongman broke his leg running with a Fridgidaire strapped to his back. Legally there may not be much recourse a person could seek.

That is why I thought the contests were moved to less "lawsuit friendly" countries. I'm not condoning his lawsuit or any others. (Typically I can not stand lawsuits) My point/question was, did they move the contest for this reason?

Also, to agree with you Jay, I think the lack of lawsuits in our sport further supports the fact that strongman athletes are honorable people.

Oh yeah, I'm not hating on lawyers either. I know we need them, and most of them are good people.

[Alan Benninga]

10% the manufacturer's fault for a design flaw/lack of warning labels - "WARNING - DROPPING WEIGHTED LOG WHEN IT IS DIRECTLY OVER YOUR HEAD MAY CAUSE INJURY"

- then you can only recover 25% of your damages from the promoter and 10% from the manufacturer)

I think you mean to say "You may be rewarded 25% of your damages from the promoter and 10% from the manufacturer" Recovering or Collecting on the judgement may be another thing.

[Paul Neuhaus]

Collecting from a promoter is easy. They're all suppose to carry insurance. Not doing so would be stupid. I sure wouldn't want a lein on my house because I was too lazy to get insurance for the contest. Besides, the policies are cheap and can be covered by contest sponsorship money.

[Mac Smith]

Waivers don't mean SQUAT!!!! I started and ran the semi pro football league that exist in New Mexico for five years. Every years we required waivers from players, coaches, and staff, but I was sued several times by players who were injured and once I was sued by a spectator that wouldn't adhere to the sideline markers and was injured during a game. Even after repeat warnings and video taped evidence, the courts still found in her favor. Insurance in mandatory when promoting any event, be it a spelling bee to a strongman contest.

[Nikhil Rao]

at least tell me the person who said that wasn't European, because they are just as bad if not worse. England in particular is terrible in this regard. Maybe not as far as tort which I have little to no knowledge of, but as far as a general state of mind.

[Ian Duggan]

...and once I was sued by a spectator that wouldn't adhere to the sideline markers and was injured during a game. Even after repeat warnings and video taped evidence, the courts still found in her favor.
Which is crazy because if you stand over the recommended line at a football game, even after repeated warnings, and you get hurt as a result, how can that possibly be somebody else's fault?!

I can't imagine there are many strongmen who would do something like that. For starters they'd never hear the end of it from their fellow competitors...

[Scott Markowitz]

I think you mean to say "You may be rewarded 25% of your damages from the promoter and 10% from the manufacturer" Recovering or Collecting on the judgement may be another thing.

Good point. I have several judgments that are pretty useless, as the people they're against have no inclination to pay and have nothiing to garnish.

TWI could be sued here, even if the contest wasn't held here. It happens a lot (well, some). Basically if they do any business here, they can be sued here.

Waivers are basically only good to serve as a notice that "hey, it's possible that I can get hurt doing this." Of course, most people know this ahead of time, or else they have no business doing anything like strongman.

...and I hate on lawyers all day. I am one. :EL:

[ClayEdgin]

It was my understanding that the WSM was held elsewhere because those sites paid the most money.

Anyone can sue for anything in any country. The merits of the case are determined by who has the better lawyer!

[Alan Benninga]

Collecting from a promoter is easy. They're all suppose to carry insurance. Not doing so would be stupid. I sure wouldn't want a lein on my house because I was too lazy to get insurance for the contest. Besides, the policies are cheap and can be covered by contest sponsorship money.

You're assuming the insurance company is just going to pay up. They can drag the claim on and on and on and on. I don't know about your state, but in mine, a personal residence, amedities, and vehicle are not up for grabs in that type of suit. I assume that's what you mean when you mention the lein on your house.

[Paul Neuhaus]

I assume that's what you mean when you mention the lein on your house.
If someone were to sue me and I didn't have insurance, then they could come after my assets, and put a lein on my house. With the contest insurance, my assets are untouchable because the insurance company would be liable to pay the suit.

[Ryan Rhodes]

If someone were to sue me and I didn't have insurance, then they could come after my assets, and put a lein on my house. With the contest insurance, my assets are untouchable because the insurance company would be liable to pay the suit.

Unless the judgement exceeds your coverage; happens all the time, too. That's why some folks carry a personal umbrella policy; just in case.

[Ryan Rhodes]

Speaking off all this, does anybody who hqs a training group ever get leary having people training at their place and possibly injuring themselves etc.? I really do try to be all inclusive and generate as much interest in strongman as possible by increasing participation locally, but in the back of my head, I'm screening/discriminating every person that wants to come over. Maintaining a balanced group training dynamic and preventing injury/steering clear of lawsuitrs are things I spend a lot of time annoying myself with. Giving someone the once over for compatibility, tenacity and ability isn't too difficult, but making a judgement of character isn't something you can do without really getting to know somebody.

[Eric Jett]

Speaking off all this, does anybody who hqs a training group ever get leary having people training at their place and possibly injuring themselves etc.? I really do try to be all inclusive and generate as much interest in strongman as possible by increasing participation locally, but in the back of my head, I'm screening/discriminating every person that wants to come over. Maintaining a balanced group training dynamic and preventing injury/steering clear of lawsuitrs are things I spend a lot of time annoying myself with. Giving someone the once over for compatibility, tenacity and ability isn't too difficult, but making a judgement of character isn't something you can do without really getting to know somebody.

The way you do that is maybe getting them to lift with you as well. Lifting together really tells you what someone is like.

[TomWalker]

unfortunately, my friend slipped on a platform while squatting (240 @ 80kg, his opener) due to talcum powder being left on it from earlier deadlifting

he broke a few bones in his ankle, tore ligaments, and 6 months later its still swollen

this is in scotland and he didnt get a penny, no lawyer would take him on

[D.Norris]

It was my understanding that the WSM was held elsewhere because those sites paid the most money.

Anyone can sue for anything in any country. The merits of the case are determined by who has the better lawyer!


Clays rite, the reason WSM are in foreign countrys is because normally that country is trying to boost its overall tourism so by paying for most of the exspensive they get free advertising!