As of May 29, Gavin Cox will receive nothing in his civil case against the illusionist, David Copperfield, for injuries he sustained during a 2013 Las Vegas magic show. Copperfield was found not liable by the court, which ruled that the fan was responsible for his own injuries.
Cox’s case began when he sued Copperfield, a Las Vegas hotel, a construction company, and two other companies owned by Copperfield, after he tripped performing in one of Copperfield’s tricks. Cox’s attorneys claim that the fall resulted in a brain injury and shoulder injury, the latter of which he received medical attention.
Regardless of the injuries incurred at the time of Copperfield’s performance and the $400,000 Cox paid in medical expenses from the injuries, neither Copperfield nor the hotel were held financially liable.
The civil trial was not brought to federal court and was decided by a jury of Clark County residents. This is not surprising, given that only 1% of civil cases reach a federal court. Despite the sensational civil suit, this case gained popular attention because Copperfield’s trick was revealed during the case. It was revealed that the Lucky 13 trick relied on a maze of hallways the participant had to navigate before reappearing on the other side of the stage.
Cox claimed that construction debris got in the way, causing him to trip and injure himself.
Cox also claimed that he needed assistance to walk due to the severity of his injuries, as seen when he was helped into the courtroom by aids five years after the injury. However, other footage shows Cox completely independent of assistance outside the courtroom.
Copperfield and the hotel were ultimately not held financially liable for injuries Cox incurred during the show. The jury only deliberated for a surprisingly short two hours before reaching their verdict.