Hilaria Thomas, Alec Baldwin's Wife, Sued for Yoga 'Negligence'
Thomas' Yoga Class Put Students in 'Extreme Danger,' Says Lawsuit
Hilaria Thomas is being sued over yoga class "negligence" that resulted in a man injuring himself. The wife of Hollywood star Alec Baldwin is a very popular yoga instructor at Yoga Vida in New York City, which results in packed classes much of the time.
Hilaria Thomas is being sued by Spencer Wolff, a fourth-year Yale Ph.D student and Huffington Post blogger, for an injury he sustained while he was doing an intricate headstand in a Jan. 15 yoga class. After "[performing] a dangerous activity at a wall" with not much room, the 32-year-old Wolff fell, "ripped open his left leg and foot after he lost his balance and crash into a sixth-floor window," the lawsuit alleges.
Wolff was taken to the Weill-Cornell Medical Center while wrapped in a blanket, according to AceShowBiz.com. Thomas, 28, and a friend of Wolff's went along.
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Now, the Yale student is accusing Thomas of putting yoga students in "extreme danger" with her instructions and "[exceeding the] safe and/or maximum allowable number of persons" in her classes. Because the classes are popular and inexpensive at only $10 a lesson, there is only an inch or two between yoga mats, one student told the publication.
A friend of Thomas' alleges that the famous yoga instructor is not at fault, however. Wolff was reportedly told that he was doing his headstand incorrectly, but refused to stop and injured himself, the insider told the celebrity entertainment site.
Because of the popularity of yoga classes, many instructors have students sign waivers absolving the class or teacher of any responsibility as far as injuries. Many times the liability waivers are legally binding. Thomas, who has been instructing since 2005, has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
Wolff and his lawyer, Paul Weitz, seem consistent, though. Wolff is suing for damages and emotional distress.
"He is worried whether he'll be able to use his leg normally again- and right now, it's a waiting game," Weitz told AceShowBiz, adding that his client "can't flex the ankle" and must wear a "boot" since the accident.
Thomas and Baldwin have been married since June 2012, and she is now pregnant.
