Actress Paz De La Huerta In Court For $55million Lawsuit Against Lionsgate

A new video has emerged showing the precise moment when actress Paz De La Huerta was struck by an ambulance on a movie set during a stunt-gone-awry. De La Huerta suffered a tailbone fracture and spinal injury in the 2011 accident, and earlier this year filed a $55million lawsuit against the production company Lionsgate claiming the Toronto crash left her unable to work and in constant pain. De La Huerta said “As you can see in the video, what happened that night was terrible. It has scared me both physically and emotionally for many years”.

The newly released footage, shot in Toronto in October 2011 on the set of the film Nurse 3D, shows De La Huerta walking in stilettos with an umbrella in her hand in a fake rainstorm when an ambulance operated by a stunt driver comes barreling towards her. Moments later, the vehicle's side mirror clips the actress, knocking her to the ground. The night-time footage is a key exhibit in De La Huerta's lawsuit against the studio, director Doug Aarniokoski and the ambulance driver, whom the actress is accusing if derailing her career.

She seeks $55million to cover lost earnings, which she puts at $2million a year, plus punitive damages. Lionsgate has filed a motion to have the lawsuit dismissed, arguing that De La Huerta had already received workers' compensation benefits. De La Huerta was photographed Tuesday morning arriving in court in Santa Monica with her attorney for a hearing on the studio's motion. Her previous lawsuit against the Hollywood company seeking damages for negligence was dismissed last February. Her new complaint alleges breach of contract, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress and trademark infringement. According to court filings, the movie's producers failed to keep De La Huerta safe on the film set, inform her of stunts in advance and obtain proper consent for stunts.