That Stunt Didn’t Turn Out Too Well

LAS VEGAS (CN) - A man who tried to set a Guinness world record for the "Fastest Time to Jump Through 10 Panes of Tempered Glass" sued truTV, claiming it tampered with his equipment, then as he lay hospitalized, had him sign a waiver which it misrepresented as insurance papers.

Jesus Villa on Tuesday sued High Noon West LLC, Courtroom Television LLC dba truTV, Turner Broadcasting Systems, and Time Warner, in Federal Court.

Villa claims he agreed to allow truTV to film his world record attempt at the "Fastest Time to Jump Through 10 Panes of Tempered Glass" for the TV show "Guinness World Records Gone Wild."

The film crew was to provide approved safety equipment for the record attempt, Villa says in the lawsuit.

He says he successfully completed his practice run after having the crew make some adjustments to the safety gear. But unknown to Villa, he says, the TV crew made further adjustments between the successful test run and the actual record attempt days later on July 12, 2013.

Villa claims the defendants "committed intentional acts expressly aimed" at him, with "said acts causing harm, the brunt of which has been suffered" and "which the defendants knew was likely to be suffered."

Although truTV officials agreed to provide for his safety, Villa says, the crew "knew or should have known that the aforementioned modifications would harm or result in substantial risk of harm," and that they "acted with conscious disregard for plaintiff's health and safety."

Villa says he was hospitalized with "substantial bodily injuries." While hospitalized and "in an incapacitated state," he says, truTV representatives told him to sign some paperwork that they claimed was necessary for his insurance and health care.

He claims they "made such representations with the intent of inducing plaintiff to waive certain rights to bring claims against defendants and to avoid compensating him for his time, expense and injuries."

Villa says the defendants are using those documents to deny paying him.

He seeks punitive damages for fraud and negligence.

He is represented by Peter S. Christiansen.

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