Attorneys on both sides have been arguing over whether Entercom Communications Corporation should be held liable for Jennifer Strange's California wrongful death. The company owns KDND 107.9FM and five other radio stations.
Strange, the mother of three, died in January 2007 from acute water intoxication after participating as a contestant in the radio station's "Hold Your Wee For A Wii" promotion. Contestants had to drink different quantities of water during the radio station's "Morning Rave" program. Participants were kicked out of the contest if they threw up or had to go to the bathroom. The winner received a Nintendo Wii.
Strange drank over two gallons of water during the contest but did not win. She received Justin Timberlake concert tickets as a consolation prize. During the contest, she reportedly said that her head hurt and the DJ's noted that her stomach appeared bloated.
Hours after the contest, a relative went to Strange's home and discovered her body.
According to the Sacramento Press, a woman claiming she was a nurse called the Morning Rave show to warn that serious health problems that could arise from the contest. The shows DJ's, however, decided to hold the contest despite her advice.
Water Intoxication
Water intoxication occurs when a person drinks too much water. Human tissues can swell due to the excess fluid, which can cause a person's sodium concentration to drop. He or she may also experience the same physical effects that happen when a person is drowning, including fluid in the lungs, pressure in the brain, coma, and death.
Following Strange's death, KDND fired several staff members.
The California injury lawyers representing Strange's family says that the 28-year-old died because the radio station cared more about ratings than about the health risks the contest posed. Attorneys representing Entercom, however, say that their client did not know that anyone could die from voluntarily drinking a lot of water.
The family members of a person that dies because of another party's negligence are entitled to file a California wrongful death lawsuit to obtain financial compensation for their suffering and loss.
Radio contest wrongful death suit opens, UPI.com, September 8, 2009
ury Selection Begins In Radio Station Water Death Suit, Sacramento Press, September 8, 2009
Woman dies after water-drinking contest, MSNBC, January 13, 2007
Related Web Resources:
KDND 107.9FM
If you believe that someone you love died because another party was negligent or careless, you may have grounds for filing a California wrongful death lawsuit. In Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Orange County, California, contact our Anaheim injury law firm today.
