Courthouse News Service

Hulk Sues Over Legal Fees

CLEARWATER, Fla. (CN) - Hulk Hogan says his attorneys wrongly charged him $1.5 million to defend him in a lawsuit stemming from his son's 2007 car crash when the wrestler could've gotten free representation from his insurance company. Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, says Morris "Sandy" Weinberg Jr. and Lee Fugate of Zuckerman Spaeder should have known that Hogan's insurance company, Progressive Select Insurance Co., would defend him against civil claims stemming from car crashes.

"It is common knowledge throughout the legal profession ... that automobile insurance policies include the aforementioned duty to defend the insured, as well as any permissive user, should a civil suit arise or the possibility of a civil claim exist," according to the complaint filed in Pinellas County Court. Weinberg and Fugate defended Hogan's son, Nick Bollea, who was involved in a car crash in Clearwater, Fla., in August 2007 that severely injured his passenger, John Graziano, the lawsuit states.

The car was insured through Progressive Select Insurance Co. Shortly after the crash, Progressive sent a letters to Hogan's people advising him that they had retained an attorney to defend him in any civil matter arising from the crash, according to the¬ complaint. Hogan says he never got those letters.

He seeks unspecified damages, and is represented by Wil Florin.