Thaindian News

Washington, Sep 16 (ANI): Hulk Hogan has filed a lawsuit against the lawyers who defended him and his son Nick Bollea following a 2007 car crash, alleging that they cheated him out of over 1.5 million dollars.

The semi-retired pro-wrestler filed a lawsuit in the Pinellas County on Monday against two attorneys, Morris “Sandy” Weinberg Jr. and Lee Fugate, of the firm Zuckerman Spaeder LLP.

According to papers filed in the court, Hulk’s automotive insurance company Progressive was obligated to cover all necessary legal costs.

But the lawyers allegedly failed to notify him of that, and continued to bill at excessively high rates.

Hulk also claimed that Progressive attempted numerous times to communicate with him over the incident, but the Zuckerman Spaeder legal team did not make him aware of their letters.

He alleges that by the time he understood his entitlements, the relationship with the insurers had been “terminated”.

“It is common knowledge throughout the legal profession experienced in such matters, especially in the area of insurance defence litigation and personal injury law, that automobile insurance policies include the aforementioned duty to defend the insured, as well as any permissive user, should a civil suit arise or the possibility of a civil claim exist,” Fox News quoted the lawsuit as saying.

The 44-page suit further stated: “Defendants made no effort to advise of this important fact. Defendants were further aware, or should have been, that Bollea had no experience in the area of insurance.”

On the other hand, Hogan has also alleged that he not only paid the big bucks for 17 months until he reached a point where he “couldn’t afford” the fees anymore, but he was billed unawares for time spent on the case by paralegals too.

“The charges made by Terry Bollea are simply baseless. The Bollea’s came to Zuckerman Spaeder under very difficult circumstances. Both Terry Bollea and his son faced the threat of criminal prosecution and civil litigation. Zuckerman Spaeder, working with a co-counsel, achieved a very favorable result in the criminal case. We absolutely dispute and will contest the claims made against us,” a rep from Zuckerman Spaeder said in a statement.

Hogan is suing for unspecified damages and Progressive declined to comment on the incident. (ANI)