In June 2022, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal made a lighthearted comment about potentially suing a Beverly Hills hotel after he jokingly fell and hit his head. This remark was in reference to a $5,000,000 lawsuit filed by a woman from Beverly Hills against GEICO. She claimed the company was responsible for her contracting a sexually-transmitted disease in a car insured by them. During an interview on The Big Podcast with Spice and Turner, O’Neal was asked about the lawsuit, which led him to wonder if he could sue a hotel if he were to fall and injure himself on their premises.
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As an endorser for the Government Employees Insurance Company, the 51-year-old humorously mentioned that falling down and getting hurt was something that happened to him frequently. It’s clear that O’Neal’s remarks about suing the hotel were made in jest, and he was not serious about pursuing legal action.
Shaquille O’Neal once joked about suing Beverly Hills Hotel after falling down and hurting his neck
O’Neal’s association with GEICO goes beyond being an endorser for the insurance company. He is also known to have a stake in GEICO, which is why he was initially asked about the lawsuit. However, it is worth noting that GEICO managed to avoid legal consequences and did not have to pay the demanded $5.2 million in compensation. The outcome resulted in GEICO escaping legal scrutiny and avoiding the financial burden associated with the lawsuit.
During their conversation, Shaq, Spice, and Turner found the lawsuit in question to be unique and amusing. They laughed at the absurdity of the situation. This prompted O’Neal to jokingly ponder whether he could sue a hotel if he were to accidentally fall and injure himself on their property. This light-hearted remark was made in jest, highlighting the humorous nature of the discussion.
“I have a question because it happens quite often. The last time I was at a Beverly Hills hotel, I wasn’t paying attention, and I hit my thing so hard, cracked my head, and I fell. So I lay down, I was like, ‘okay.’ To say I would fall and break my head? Seriously, can I sue?”
During their conversation, the group delved into the topic further. They discussed the criteria that would need to be met for a potential victim to be successful in such a lawsuit. They concluded that the company would have to demonstrate negligence for the plaintiff to have a valid case. Shaq expressed satisfaction with the information he had learned and jokingly claimed that he would remember it for future reference.
Shaq was on the receiving end of legal notice himself
Despite Shaq’s lighthearted jokes about suing a Beverly Hills hotel, he has encountered legal troubles of his own recently. Like many other celebrities, O’Neal received legal notices related to the collapse of the centralized cryptocurrency exchange, FTX. The company experienced a significant downfall in late 2022, following a period of apparent success.
In his interview with CNBC, Shaquille O’Neal clarified that he had no direct involvement with FTX. He explained that his role was limited to being a spokesperson for the company. He also claimed he filmed a single commercial on their behalf.
“A lot of people think I’m involved, but I was just a paid spokesperson for a commercial.”
In addition to being named in the lawsuit, O’Neal has faced accusations of attempting to evade legal proceedings. However, it is unlikely that Shaq would be overly concerned about any potential financial consequences resulting from being sued. After all, he has a net worth of $400 million!
