Country Fest lawsuit: Man ruled at fault for his injuries

Sept. 23--CHIPPEWA FALLS -- A 62-year-old Chippewa Falls man is entirely at fault for breaking his neck after jumping off a 27-foot-tall platform onto an air bag at Country Fest in 2013, a Chippewa County jury determined Friday.

Colin Turner had sued Chippewa Valley Music Festivals, Seekjoy Productions, Great Air Inc. and their insurance companies. His attorneys claimed he has accumulated $450,000 in medical bills since he jumped, did a midair flip, and landed on his neck, breaking it. He has had multiple surgeries, and doctors have said he will continue to need injections in his back for the rest of his life.

After about five hours of deliberating, the jury determined that Turner was negligent, and his own negligence caused his injuries.

The jury went through several questions on how much money to award Turner but answered each question -- for past and future medical expenses, past and future earning losses, stress and pain suffered -- with an amount of zero dollars. There also were no punitive damages awarded.

Eau Claire attorney Rich White, who represented the music festival in the civil lawsuit, said he was ecstatic with the jury's findings.

"It's not an understatement, when you have millions of dollars at issue, it's nerve-racking for a client," White said minutes after the decision was read. "I felt Chippewa Valley Music Festivals were honest, forthright, and upset that Mr. Turner was seriously injured. However, it wasn't their fault. It brings to a close a long, stressful time period for them."

Turner and his attorneys declined to comment after the verdict was read.

The two-week long trial wrapped up with closing arguments Friday morning, before the jury began deliberating at about 12:30 p.m. They reached their verdict shortly before 6 p.m.

The injury occurred June 30, 2013, at the festival grounds north of Cadott. During closing arguments, White stressed to the jury that Turner had "never done a double somersault before in his life," and shouldn't have attempted one onto the air bag, which is about 9 feet tall.

"This case is about common sense," White said in closing arguments. "Mr. Turner doesn't want this case to be about that."

Attorney Michael Hutchens, who represented Seekjoy Productions -- the air bag company -- stressed that Turner had misrepresented the number of alcoholic drinks he had that day. His blood alcohol level was 0.11, but Turner claimed he had consumed only three or four drinks.

"He doesn't want you to think his judgment was impaired," Hutchens told the jury. "The purpose is he wants to shift the blame to others."

Hutchens echoed White's comments about personal responsibility.

"He voluntarily attempted a jump outside his skill set," Hutchens said. "He had to have recognized there were risks associated with this."

Turner's attorney Tom Guelzow told the jury that in a 24-hour period, two other people suffered broken ankles, along with Turner's injury. Guelzow said his client believed the jump would be safe.

"He was jumping into a game of Russian roulette," Guelzow said.

Another of Turner's attorneys, Drew Ryberg, said his client still has daily pain and that will remain for the rest of his life.

"It's been a difficult four-year period," Ryberg said.

Contact: 715-723-0303, [email protected]

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