Erin Andrews: Why She is Unlikely to Receive the $55 Million Awarded in Lawsuit

Erin Andrews was awarded $55 million in a lawsuit against the hotel that made peephole convict Michael David Barrett’s crime an easy one. Andrews sued the stalker, who filmed her nude and posted...
Erin Andrews: Why She is Unlikely to Receive the $55 Million Awarded in Lawsuit
Written by Kimberly Ripley

Erin Andrews was awarded $55 million in a lawsuit against the hotel that made peephole convict Michael David Barrett’s crime an easy one.

Andrews sued the stalker, who filmed her nude and posted the video on the internet, too.

Barrett was arrested back in 2009 and has already served a prison sentence for his crimes. In the jury’s decision, Michael David Barrett is responsible for 51 percent of the payout–with the Nashville Marriott on the hook for the remaining 49 percent.

Erin Andrews likely won’t get $55 million, however.

Michael Barrett admitted on the stand he filmed Erin Andrews in hopes of making money from the video. He doesn’t have the means to pay her $28 million. She does, however, stand to receive most–if not all–of the amount due her from the hotel.

“The fact that the jury gave him only 51 percent and the hotel 49 percent is about as good as Erin Andrews could have asked for because now she’s got a big number coming from the hotel,” ABC News legal expert Dan Abrams says.

The hotel can go back to court and ask for their amount of the payout to be reduced, but because the jury found them at fault for the crime, it’s unlikely they’ll get far.

Erin Andrews will also have to pay her attorneys out of the $28 million when the hotel pays up.

“Whatever the number is, Erin Andrews is going to take home a lot less than $55 million,” Abrams adds.

That said, it’s plain to see Erin Andrews won’t receive much more than a fraction of the $55 million she was awarded. She has, however, brought to light the crimes that can so easily be committed against people in hotel rooms–something not many had considered before this trial.

Do you think Erin Andrews feels satisfied with the jury’s decision? Was this about the money or more about making those who commit such crimes–or allow them to be committed so easily–pay?

Erin Andrews has inadvertently made hotel stays safer as a result of this trial. Perhaps that is more important to the Fox Sports reporter than anything else, considering the emotional trauma she has endured.

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