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BALTIMORE - Christopher Cotillo suited up in his double-denim bench shirt and readied himself for the 530-pound lift. Flanked by spotters at the 2003 powerlifting meet held at a Maryland high school, Cotillo pressed the barbell up. But in mid-air it faltered, and came crashing down on the champion powerlifter’s face.
Cotillo was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center with a shattered jaw.
Three years later, Cotillo’s negligence lawsuit against the American Powerlifting Association and others stemming from that failed lift has yet to go before a jury.
But an appellate court ruling Wednesday brought it one step closer: The Court of Special Appeals ruled that Cotillo’s assumed risk in the meet didn’t include the spotters’ special instructions not to touch the barbell unless ordered to do so.
“They specifically told [the spotters], whatever you do, don’t grab that bar unless a judge tells you to,” said attorney Kimberly Alley, who represented Cotillo on behalf of a Baltimore law firm. “Well, in effect that’s taking all spotting out of the event.”
A judge in Calvert County, where the meet was held, earlier entered a summary judgement in favor of the defendants before the case could go to trial.
After reviewing a video clip of the meet, the judge said the barbell came down so fast it “made prevention of the injuries impossible by human spotters.”
“He was trying to break a record for his age and weight class,” said attorney Samuel Shapiro, who represents the powerlifting association. “I guarantee if the spotters had touched the bar, he would have been livid.”
Shapiro said he planned to appeal Wednesday’s ruling, while Calvert County schools attorney Jason Beaulieu said he was considering what step to take next.
Alley said Cotillo’s recovery has been long and painful. That double-denim shirt was supposed to provide support to help him lift perhaps 150 pounds more than he could raw, according to the ruling, but it ripped and the barbell crashed down.
Cotillo was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center with a shattered jaw.
Three years later, Cotillo’s negligence lawsuit against the American Powerlifting Association and others stemming from that failed lift has yet to go before a jury.
But an appellate court ruling Wednesday brought it one step closer: The Court of Special Appeals ruled that Cotillo’s assumed risk in the meet didn’t include the spotters’ special instructions not to touch the barbell unless ordered to do so.
“They specifically told [the spotters], whatever you do, don’t grab that bar unless a judge tells you to,” said attorney Kimberly Alley, who represented Cotillo on behalf of a Baltimore law firm. “Well, in effect that’s taking all spotting out of the event.”
A judge in Calvert County, where the meet was held, earlier entered a summary judgement in favor of the defendants before the case could go to trial.
After reviewing a video clip of the meet, the judge said the barbell came down so fast it “made prevention of the injuries impossible by human spotters.”
“He was trying to break a record for his age and weight class,” said attorney Samuel Shapiro, who represents the powerlifting association. “I guarantee if the spotters had touched the bar, he would have been livid.”
Shapiro said he planned to appeal Wednesday’s ruling, while Calvert County schools attorney Jason Beaulieu said he was considering what step to take next.
Alley said Cotillo’s recovery has been long and painful. That double-denim shirt was supposed to provide support to help him lift perhaps 150 pounds more than he could raw, according to the ruling, but it ripped and the barbell crashed down.
Bwahahah!!) and accept that he is taking part in a dangerous sport.
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