Family awarded $16.5 million for wrongful death in 'Hold Your Wee for a Wii' contest
By Laura June 
posted October 30th 2009 2:29PM
posted October 30th 2009 2:29PM
Way back in January of 2007, we reported on the Strange family, who were suing Sacramento radio station KDND-FM for the wrongful death of Jennifer Strange, who was found dead in her home after competing in a contest to try to win a Nintendo Wii. The contest -- "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" -- involved seeing who could drink the most water without urinating, and Jennifer, who did not win, left the studio and later died. Her autopsy later showed signs of water intoxication. Yesterday, a California jury ruled a wrongful death in the case, and ordered Entercom Sacramento LLC, a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based Entercom Communications Corp., to pay $16.5 million dollars to her family as a result of the actions of the radio station's employees.
No matter how you look at it and no matter what you think there's a Husband without his best friend and three kids who will grow up without a Mom. I wouldn't wish that on anyone for any amount of money in the world. :(
who knew water could kill :|
I did. I just wasn't fully cognizant that merely drinking it was enough.
I find it funny how some of you people a she, as an ADULT, should be responsible for her own action
also think that
the event holder, because they make contestant signed a piece of paper, should be FREED from all responsibility.
wat?
Now, I'm not supporting or defending either side but they both paid for their action:
one side lost $16.5 million
other lost her life
Now, to me, the former is getting the better half of the deal. I think it's only FAIR that other party is also punished for this extremely stupid and unfortunate event.
Some of you argued that "she as an adult, she be held accountable for her own stupidity". Using that same logic, should the event group (several ADULTS and none came up and said this is a bad idea) be held accountability BE HELD responsibility for THEIR stupidity.
I'm just saying...
A lot more cold hearted people here that I thought. Despite whatever you think of the lawsuit the woman died for most likely reasons she did not have prior knowledge of and from what we can tell was not told about.
It is not "common knowledge" that water poisoning even exists. Most of you are even thinking that it was the holding of her urine that killed her which is absolutely wrong. A couple guys posted what actual water poisoning is in here....read it.
Even if you don't believe they should have won the money, try not to be an ass just because you are sad you don't have that money and someone else does. You don't always have to be lucky or rich to need a lesson in humility.
Best post so far.
you guys are heartless...
I'm insulted, but I'll settle for 12 million.
16 Mil to replace your mothers love.
'hold the pee' wont cause 'water intoxication', the cause is drinking too much water.
The radio station employees were stupid. But what ever happened to PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY? If I tell you I'll give $100 to the person that can fall from the greatest height, should you have the right to sue me for $16.5 million dollars after you die from jumping off a building?
And where did they come up with $16.5 million from? It sure wasn't lost wages, as I doubt anyone that would go through so much effort to get a console makes that in three lifetimes. Being the victim of a mistake shouldn't mean winning the lottery.
The legal system in the US pisses me off.
Make that 30 lifetimes.
I believe people that enter into actions of their own free will should also know the consequences of their actions. If they do not realize that damaging their body will hurt them, I feel sorry for the rest of society have to tolerate the day to day ignorance of these people. Yes tragic that a person died, but suing over her own stupidity? That my friends is 16 million for being a jackass. Darwin should win 16 million from people like this.
An appeals court will get it reduced significantly, and the attorney will take a huge chunk of that.
Down rank me if you want but this is stupid! This was just a tragic accident. It's not like they asked her drink anything other than water. The radio station could have just gave the family some cash to settle but they are hardly at fault $15.6 mill. Whatever happened to personal responsibilty in this country. Condolences to the family.
There is no such thing as personal responsibility in America anymore.
Seriously. Most people stop doing something when they feel pain. She worked in the medical field, and didn't have enough logical sense to stop when she started to hurt? Hope the remaining family thinks about where that money came from every time they spend a dollar.
I'd rather "Smoke some weed for a Wii".
So according to more than half of you, if I held a poison drinking contest that ended up in the death of a woman, I shouldn't be held responsible at all? Because hey, it's common sense that poison will kill you... It's her fault if she's stupid enough to do it...
Well fuck you.
Exactly... what you said. Not the fuck you part, the first part.
If you come up to me and say, "Hey, I'm running a contest and if you drink this poison and live I'll give you a Wii." Do you think I'm going to do it??!? No, I'm going to tell you to go fuck yourself and then I'm going to call the cops.
What a stupid thing to ask, "...if I held a poison drinking contest that ended up in the death of a woman, I shouldn't be held responsible at all?"
The really shitty thing is that 200 years ago a lot of good people fought and died to establish America as an independent, sovereign nation based on a few very specific principles, not the least of which is that we are responsible for ourselves and our actions, and that it's NOT the role of the government (read: courts) to mediate such stupid-ass things. We are capitalists, not communists. Life isn't fair. She drank a bunch of water and it killed her. The fact is, it WASN'T a poison drinking contest - it was a water drinking contest... and you're an asshole.
Well Michael, you'd have to read all of the posts first before deciding whether I'm an asshole or not. Plenty of people here were saying how it is common sense that you'll die from too much water. And because it is common sense, all the fault lies with the woman for accepting such a competition. And that the woman should be fined instead for her stupidity.
According to those people, I could very well hold a "who can drink the most poison" contest and go free of charge if someone ended up dying in it. And even charge the contestants for being so damn stupid to even participate.
The guy who spurs you into jumping off a cliff is also to blame for you jumping off that cliff. Same goes for the water drinking.
I can't believe the sickos on here supporting the radio station. Let me guess... you'll still be all lolling and trolling if it was your mom or your sister that had died? No, didn't think so.
This woman was told repeatedly by the radio station that medical professionals said it was perfectly harmless at the same time as real medical professionals were phoning in to tell the station that it could be fatal.
Complete and utter callous neglect. In addition to fining the station, the person who ignored the phone calls should be tried for manslaughter as well.
Its fun making up facts to support your case, huh?
Again, no one is saying the radio station wasn't stupid. What people are saying is that the woman was also stupid and a GROWN ADULT needs to be responsible for their own actions.
Considering the grown adult made a choice of her own free will and waived all liability citing that she was taking responsibility for herself, the idea of putting all the blame on the radio station and to fine them such a massive sum of $16 million is ludicrous!
I know our government throws around trillions like its nothing, but do you have any real concept of how much sixteen MILLION dollars is? At all? Most people work their entire lives to pay off a $350K house. Sixteen MILLION dollars because a grown woman made a decision of her own free will that resulted in her own death.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. OWN UP TO IT.
Well said ducman69.
Actually Ducman69 you are saying the radio station wasn't stupid. If it's the woman's fault for entering the contest, what about the idiots who set up the contest and ignored the risks? What about their responsibility? Personal responsibility doesn't stop at a corporate logo and capitalism doesn't mean anything goes just to make a buck. The radio station misled her about the risks of the contest. Why shouldn't they be held responsible as well? A person lost their life in part out of her own stupidity and in part due to a corporation's stupidity. So why should the corporation be allowed to dodge responsibility?
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY! OWN UP TO IT!!
My 2 cents:
Yeah the radio station failed in their responsibility in not researching risk and warning people, but no that is not worth 16 million of fail but more like 100-200 grand tops.
And no the women is not without blame, she did a daft thing that obviously is unhealthy while being a parent and not being in a position to act like a dumb drunk teenager, but she's free to do so of course, but it should be taken into account when you say 16 million, 16 million? come on now.
Plus, she signed a waiver before participating. She didn't have to sign that, she didn't have to participate. They didn't make her.
Who are you to judge how much a life is worth?
Well, seems somebody has to and the people that normally handle these things are obviously not up to the task.
And actually a life isn't worth money at all, you don't buy them, slavery was abolished I think to recall reading..
Also aren't these things judged by a 'jury of peers'? Am I not just as able as the next man therefore?
16.5 Million dollars is like sooo many Wii's
how horrible that this happened....they should take out her kids so there is less of a chance of it happening again. Preventative measures are needed, people.
maybe gatorade wasn't on sale that day
Yeah... sad. I listen to this radio station and they can be silly.
stupid people do stupid things...
then, even more stupid people award them stupid amounts of money in settlements.
darwin
Why is everyone still being an ass on here?
all of you are cold hearted
it just seems people here wished they had this money. mostly these dumb kids
I guess most people don't realize that ANYTHING is toxic if you consume enough of it... including water.
What a sad story.
I know about water poisoning because there has been a few kids that have died from drinking too much water while high on Ecstacy.
Maybe the real reason for the 16.5 million is that it becomes *news* this way.
Consequently, a lot people are educated that drinking too much water can get your body balance severely out of control and potentially results into death. Fewer people will get the idea of making or attending such a contest, which is *both* stupid in it's own right.
Neglecting warnings from professionals was criminal ignorance, and would have brought you rightfully to court in most countries. Of course compensation would not have reached the magnitude provided here. However, in the US these sums are often reduced in the appeal trial.
The fact that she died for trying to win something for her kids is utterly sad though.
Kabe
If the Ad Council would simply release a PSA on water intoxication none of this would have happened.
The family will never be the same. Everytime they see any reference to the Wii, they won't be able not to think of their deceased loved one.
http://www.xn--burunestetii-nyb.net