A radio contest that went wrong caused the wrongful death of a Sacramento woman in 2007 led to a $16.6 million wrongful death settlement awarded to her family.
In January of 2007, Jennifer Strange, 28, competed in the “Hold Your Wee for a Wii” contest held by KDND, a radio station in Sacramento, and it was there that Strange’s wrongful death was caused by water-intoxication.
“I think the message of the verdict is these stations need to be more cognizant of what they’re doing and they need to take the time to do the research to make sure no one’s harmed,” said La Teshia Paggett, a juror in the case.
Billy Strange is seen here talking to reporters after exiting a courtroom in Sacramento where he and his family received a $16.6 million wrongful death settlement. Jennifer Strange, Billy's wife, died as a result of a radio contest gone wrong. (SOURCE: The Sacramento Bee)
Our wrongful death lawyers know radio stunts like these happen every month, almost. Some stunts or contests are more dangerous than others, of course. Drinking water may seem harmless, but if you hold it for too long, an imbalance of salt and electrolytes can build up causing the brain to swell. If the brain swells up, there is a possibility of a build-up in intracranial pressure (or ICP), which can lead to seizing or brain damage.
With a condition that serious, even if it doesn’t cause wrongful death, wouldn’t you want to hold whoever is responsible for your condition?
Entercom Sacramento, part of the parent company known as Entercom Communications Corp., didn’t follow the company’s guidelines promising the video game system to the winner of the contest. Were proper safety precautions taken? Was research done to ensure that drinking too much water was not a problem?
Strange’s family was awarded about $1.5 million dollars in economic damages and another $15.1 million for pain and suffering. The lawyer representing Strange’s family said he believed it is the largest wrongful death settlement given by a jury in Sacramento.
Our wrongful death attorneys believe that Strange’s family deserved compensation for Jennifer’s wrongful death. The largest wrongful death settlement given by a jury in Sacramento, may still not be, however, any kind of replacement for anyone’s wife or mother.
Please contact us for a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney — we speak both English and Spanish — at (800) 655-6585. Click here and you may also submit your case for a Free Review. No fee if no recovery.
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Tags: Entercom Sacramento LLC, Jennifer Strange, KDND 107.9 FM
