Roman529
Moon Runner / The 3 AM Crew
LOS ANGELES (AP) - General Motors Corp. is attempting to settle a lawsuit filed by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who claims the automobile giant used his likeness in a print advertisement after his contract with the company expired.
Brady filed the $2 million lawsuit Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court. He also is seeking punitive damages.
Cadillac, GM's luxury brand, issued a statement Wednesday calling the suit "disappointing and shocking."
Jeff Kuhlman, a spokesman for the company, said Cadillac has been "actively engaging in settlement discussions," and that company officials were not notified about the suit.
"It was an honest mistake that we have attempted to reasonably resolve for the past year, however the settlement expectation of Mr. Brady's agents has been unreasonable," Kuhlman said.
"For accidental use of Mr. Brady's likeness following the 2004 Super Bowl, Mr. Brady's agents are demanding more than 20 times the amount paid for use of Mr. Brady's likeness for the entire regular season."
Messages left with Brady's agent and his attorneys were not immediately returned.
According to the lawsuit, Brady signed a contract with GM in July 2003, agreeing to autograph merchandise, make personal appearances on behalf of the company and do ads for a number of Cadillac dealerships in the Boston area.
That contract expired Jan. 1, 2004. Brady alleges that on Jan. 30, 2004, GM asked to use a print ad featuring his name and photograph in connection with that year's Super Bowl. Brady denied the request twice, according to the suit, but GM twice placed the ad in The Boston Globe anyway. Brady says the ads also were distributed in Texas and elsewhere in Massachusetts after the contract expired. The Patriots face the Philadelphia Eagles in this year's Super Bowl on Feb. 6 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Brady filed the $2 million lawsuit Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court. He also is seeking punitive damages.
Cadillac, GM's luxury brand, issued a statement Wednesday calling the suit "disappointing and shocking."
Jeff Kuhlman, a spokesman for the company, said Cadillac has been "actively engaging in settlement discussions," and that company officials were not notified about the suit.
"It was an honest mistake that we have attempted to reasonably resolve for the past year, however the settlement expectation of Mr. Brady's agents has been unreasonable," Kuhlman said.
"For accidental use of Mr. Brady's likeness following the 2004 Super Bowl, Mr. Brady's agents are demanding more than 20 times the amount paid for use of Mr. Brady's likeness for the entire regular season."
Messages left with Brady's agent and his attorneys were not immediately returned.
According to the lawsuit, Brady signed a contract with GM in July 2003, agreeing to autograph merchandise, make personal appearances on behalf of the company and do ads for a number of Cadillac dealerships in the Boston area.
That contract expired Jan. 1, 2004. Brady alleges that on Jan. 30, 2004, GM asked to use a print ad featuring his name and photograph in connection with that year's Super Bowl. Brady denied the request twice, according to the suit, but GM twice placed the ad in The Boston Globe anyway. Brady says the ads also were distributed in Texas and elsewhere in Massachusetts after the contract expired. The Patriots face the Philadelphia Eagles in this year's Super Bowl on Feb. 6 in Jacksonville, Fla.
