Many women have come forward accusing Harvey Weinstein of harassment and abuse. But now the disgraced film producer claims he’s the victim, as he’s filed a lawsuit against Chrysler over a car accident that left him paralyzed.
According to TMZ, Harvey’s claims stem back to an accident that occurred in August 2019 in Bedford, New York. Harvey was driving a Chrysler Jeep, which the company reportedly provided to him while he was doing work on an upcoming movie.
When a deer ran into the middle of the road, Harvey said he was forced to swerve. However, despite trying to brake, the car continued rolling. The ex-producer suffered a multitude of injuries, which court documents say have “rendered [him] paralyzed.” Harvey has had to rely on a walker to get around for the last few years.
In the lawsuit, Harvey claims the Jeep’s braking system was faulty, which is why he couldn’t come to a complete stop fast enough. He’s seeking at least $5 million in damages.
Harvey worked on a variety of high-profile films during his career, including Pulp Fiction, reservoir Dogs, and Shakespeare In Love, for which he won an Academy Award for producing. He co-founded Miramax with his brother Bob Weinstein before they created The Weinstein Company together.
However, Harvey’s reputation was forever tarnished in 2017 when allegations began emerging about his sexual misconduct. The allegations eventually paved the way for the #MeToo movement.
The infamous producer was eventually charged with rape in New York in 2018. He was later found guilty of two felonies in 2020 and received a sentence of 23 years behind bars. Last year, he was extradited to Los Angeles to face further charges.
TMZ notes that the reason Harvey didn’t launch his lawsuit against Chrysler earlier was because of all the legal chaos he’s been under.
Months after the accident, Harvey was in the headlines after undergoing a 3-hour back operation. His attorney, Donna Rotunno, had to release a statement at the time denying the reports of his surgery were an attempt at earning public sympathy.
“I was dismayed to see all the press coverage incorrectly stating that Mr. Weinstein was trying to garner sympathy at his court appearance last week,” the attorney stated.
“Mr. Weinstein was in a serious car accident in August, which resulted in a concussion and has now necessitated the need for back surgery later this week,” she continued. “He has been using a walker to assist him as the back pain has increased.”
“He wanted to leave the walker in the car, so it did not appear that he was looking for sympathy, as he is not. The press surrounding his physical condition is mean spirited and false,” the attorney concluded.
Harvey just filed the lawsuit, so it will likely take a while before it’s heard in court. Chrysler has already responded to the case, but only to say it won’t be providing further comment. "We do not comment on pending litigation. We intend to vigorously defend our product against these claims,” a representative stated.
It looks like Harvey will be spending a lot more time in court in the near future.