Car Crashes

The elderly man who was seriously injured after getting hit by Laila Ali's SUV in 2018 has lawyered up and filed a lawsuit ... TMZ Sports has learned.

As we previously reported ... Ali accidentally hit a man with her Land Rover while backing out of a Calabasas shopping center in December '18 ... causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground. The man claims he went unconscious for a brief amount of time.

Paramedics and L.A. County Sheriff's deputies quickly responded to the scene ... and Ali cooperated with law enforcement. She was not arrested.

In court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, the man -- Robert Ise -- says he suffered a left orbital blowout fracture, a concussion and lacerations and contusions across his body.

Ise claims he still suffers from pain and emotional distress due to Ali's negligence ... and now he wants her to pay for all past and future medical expenses.

Ali released a statement after the accident ... saying she was praying for the man's recovery.

Kevin Hart and the 2 people in his car that crashed Sept. 1 have all lawyered up, TMZ has learned, and everyone's expecting a big lawsuit.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us, the driver, who sustained serious back and chest injuries has an attorney, as does the passenger in the backseat, who sustained only minor injuries. Kevin has a lawyer as well.

We're told Kevin is in the crosshairs of the other 2 people in the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda because the car did not have safety harnesses or airbags. The argument is ... Kevin should have worried less about keeping the car authentic and more about safety -- and not doing so constitutes negligence.

The driver could also be on the hook for Kevin and the backseat passenger, but it's a little premature since the CHP is still investigating the cause of the crash.

The big issue ... we're told the company that customized the car could be looking at a lawsuit. The argument goes like this ... the company is the expert and even if Kevin wanted a custom job without safety harnesses, the company should have refused the job because it wasn't safe ... especially with a powerful, 720 horsepower engine.

We contacted 10 custom car companies around the country and asked if Kevin's crash has opened their eyes and changed their minds about customizing classic cars without installing safety harnesses. 8 out of the 10 said they would if that's what the customer wanted. Only 2 said they would not.

It's interesting because it opens these companies up to a lawsuit, especially if there are passengers in the car who get injured.

A bizarre and terrifying scene in Chicago -- someone behind the wheel of an SUV drove straight through a Sears and into a mall.

In the video, shot by one terrified shopper, the vehicle plows through kiosks in the Woodfield Mall, and just keeps going ... smashing store windows and rolling over everything in its path.

You can hear one shopper repeatedly yelling, very appropriately, "What the f**k?!!" Multiple reports say police responded and were able to take the driver into custody.

Video from a news chopper showed the outdoor entrance to Sears totally destroyed -- so, it appears that's where the driver first got into the mall in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg.

It's unclear what the psycho's motive was ... or if there were any casualties.

Kevin Hart has checked out of his inpatient rehab facility and is back home where he's receiving intensive physical therapy, but the big takeaway ... he's "grateful" and "shocked" he's alive.

Sources very close to Kevin tell us, he's looked at the photos of the car crash and can't believe anyone walked out alive. TMZ broke the story, Kevin messed up his back bad -- 3 spinal fractures that required fusion.

He spent 10 days in the hospital under heavy pain meds and was then transferred to the inpatient facility, but he's home now. He has a physical therapist coming to his house most days ... and he's doing lots of stretching and exercises with therapy bands.

He's still in a lot of pain but says he's handling it without all the meds that knocked him out.

We're also told he's not worried about the injuries torpedoing his career ... doctors and the PT have assured him he'll be pretty much back to where he was before the accident, and he had nothing immediate on his plate work-wise, so he can focus on bouncing back.

Kevin says he's grateful to be alive and has "a new perspective on life." We asked what that meant and were told, "He really cherishes the fact that he's alive, and wants to make the most of it in every respect. The crash had a huge impact on him."

Need proof Kevin Hart's gonna pull through after a devastating car crash? Look no further than his wife ... 'cause she sounds incredibly optimistic.

Eniko Hart was leaving a Starbucks Thursday in L.A. and the obvious question ... Kev's prognosis. TMZ broke the story ... Kevin was released from the hospital Wednesday and he checked in to a live-in rehab facility, telling friends he was grateful to be alive. That said, he's staring down at least a week in the new facility and months of outpatient rehab.

As you know ... Kevin, a driver and another passenger careened into a ditch in Malibu a week ago Sunday, and he fractured 3 areas of the spine. He had those 3 areas fused during surgery.

Eniko knows the road ahead will be tough, but she's got a lot of pep in her step and is super upbeat.

Robin Thicke's fiancee is at fault for a 2-car crash in Malibu ... so say cops in their preliminary investigation, but it's not all bad news for Robin's baby mama.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... cops have determined Robin's fiancee, April Love Geary, made an unsafe left turn onto the PCH with her Cadillac Escalade last weekend, causing her to smash into a BMW carrying 3 people.

We're told April's car hit the passenger side of the Beamer and the impact was so hard ... it sent the BMW flying off the side of the road.

Kevin Hart is out of the hospital, TMZ has learned, and he's now at a live-in rehab facility doing intense physical therapy to recover from his car crash injuries and surgery.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us, Kevin is "glad" to get out of the L.A. hospital he's called home for 10 days. He has a positive attitude, saying, "I'm grateful to be alive."

He's at the rehab joint right now, and the goal we're told is to get him home "as soon as possible," where he can start outpatient care.

Realistically, our sources say he's looking at around a week -- more or less -- at the live-in facility.

Kevin Hart's 1970 Plymouth Barracuda will be stripped down to nuts, bolts and metal pieces ... courtesy of the California Highway Patrol, and what the CHP finds could result in new car safety laws.

Our CHP sources tell us its protocol is often to disassemble cars involved in either fatal or major injuries to determine the cause of the crash. It's a 3-week process ... a week taking the car apart and 2-3 weeks evaluating the evidence and writing a report.

Our law enforcement sources say ... the end result may be a recommendation by the CHP to the state legislature to require that car companies that customize and restore classic cars must install safety harnesses, even if it deviates from the original vehicle. In Kevin's case, the Barracuda is a 1970, when harnesses were not required.

As one CHP source told us, even if there were mechanical problems with the car that caused the crash, a safety harness could have prevented or minimized the serious back injuries Kevin and the driver suffered.

We're told the CHP DOES care if the car wasn't restored properly. The CHP has actually pushed legislation over salvaged cars that are unsafely restored ... and now those cars must be inspected by the Dept.

Robin Thicke and his fiancee were just involved in a car accident that sent one vehicle flying into the side of the road in Malibu -- but it appears everyone's alright.

Eyewitnesses tell us the singer was riding passenger in an Escalade Saturday along PCH in Malibu near Point Dume and Zuma Beach. We're told a woman who was driving -- which we've confirmed was his fiancee and baby mama, April Love Geary -- somehow collided with another car full of what we're told were younger people.

Eyewitnesses say that Robin got out of the SUV and walked over to the other vehicle, which was lying on the side of the highway ... nearly tipped on its side. Luckily, this looks a lot worse than it actually was, as nobody seems to have suffered major injuries.

Law enforcement sources tell us no one was transported to a hospital in the two-vehicle collision, and that a report was taken on the scene. Fault will be determined at a later date.

In video of the scene, obtained by TMZ, you see Robin picking up car parts off the road and attempting to direct traffic away from the accident. At one point, you see Robin's SUV pulling out ... and the extent of the damage on it is on full display.

Based on what Robin posted on IG a little while ago, it doesn't appear their kids were with them -- looks like he and April did a solo lunch date, and they both seem okay.

Kevin Hart is already back on his own two feet -- but he's miles away from a full recovery ... TMZ has confirmed.

Sources connected to the comedian tell us that Kevin is, in fact, walking again -- as Tiffany Haddish mentioned Friday at the Harper's Bazaar ICONS event in NYC -- but he's not nearly as "good" as she made it seem. We're told he's walking slowly and gingerly at this point.

We're also told KH's starting physical therapy this weekend at the hospital he's currently being treated at. That's great considering he just underwent surgery days ago.

While he may be taking steps in his road to full health, make no mistake ... we're told Kevin is in excruciating pain as he heals, but that he's also maintaining a relatively positive mood.

TMZ broke the story ... Kevin was involved in a nasty car accident last weekend that sent his 1970 Plymouth Barracuda flying into a ditch off a highway in Malibu Hills. He suffered 3 spinal fractures, and went into surgery soon afterward for his back.

Kevin Hart's scary car wreck has Dr. Phil shook because, like Kevin, he owns a classic car ... and he's now realizing it comes with some serious safety concerns.

The Doc tells "TMZ Live" his '57 Chevy is the same as Hart's 1970 Plymouth Barracuda in that it's equipped with lap belts but not safety harnesses ... and he doesn't know what to do about it.

As Dr. Phil says -- they don't make cars today like they used to ... and that's not always a good thing. He shows us there's really no way to easily install shoulder strap seat belts with the way the car's built. That's not the case with Kevin's Barracuda -- shoulder straps could have been installed.

Phil points out old cars like his and Kevin's don't perform nearly as well in crash tests as modern vehicles and, without making changes ... survival rates in crashes are much lower. In fact, he says he's stunned Hart is still alive.

As we told you ... Hart suffered serious injuries -- including 3 spinal fractures -- when his classic ride crashed through a fence on Mulholland Highway in the Malibu area early Sunday. The driver, his friend Jared Black, also suffered severe back injuries.

While their injuries may not have been totally avoided had the car been equipped with safety harnesses or airbags, they certainly wouldn't have hurt ... and installing them is now top of mind for Dr. Phil.

Kevin Hart remains in the hospital in intense pain, but we're told in a matter of days he'll be transferred to a rehab facility where he will begin a grueling recovery regimen.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, the good news is that he is not suffering any paralysis, nerve damage or numbness as a result of the horrific car accident that left him with 3 spinal fractures ... fractures that required fusion in surgery.

We're told Kevin's spirits are "ok," but he's not entirely with it because he's still on heavy pain medication. Nevertheless, the pain is bad.

The plan, we're told, is for Kevin to be moved to a rehab facility early next week, but there's a possibility he could go as early as this weekend. Our sources say the rehab process will take "months and months." Of course, he won't remain in the rehab facility ... he'll do outpatient rehab once he's released.

Kevin Hart's serious car crash and lengthy rehab won't impact two of his movies currently in production ... but he's got a slew of other projects that are now up in the air.

Our sources tell us ... Kevin just wrapped two big flicks -- "Fatherhood" and "Jumanji: The Next Level" -- only days before he suffered 3 spinal fractures during his horrific Labor Day weekend car accident.

Kevin was in Boston last week for his final day of shooting on "Fatherhood" ... he wrapped Tuesday, and was involved in the car crash the following Sunday morning in the Malibu Hills.

We're told Kevin previously finished his work on the 'Jumanji' sequel ... but the fate of his other movies is very much uncertain.

One of those projects is an action comedy called "My Own Worst Enemy" ... which Kevin is supposed to star in and produce. He's been tapped to play an agent with a license to kill, and the plot calls for him to get help from an unlikely source.

Problem is ... Kevin's staring down weeks -- if not months -- of grueling physical rehab on his surgically-repaired back. Not the ideal precursor for starring in an action movie.

Kevin's team is mum on whether the schedule for "My Own Worst Enemy" will be affected by his injuries, and they won't say if he'll even be able to appear in the movie.

Kevin Hart was definitely a passenger in the car crash that landed him in the hospital ... we know that because our law enforcement sources tell us the physical evidence proves his friend was behind the wheel.

Our CHP sources tell us ... Kevin's friend, Jared Black, was indisputably driving early Sunday morning. They know that because we're told he was trapped in the driver's seat in such a way that the firefighters had to literally cut the wreckage around him to extricate him from the vehicle.

We're told Jared also had injuries consistent with a steering wheel impact.

Our sources say both Jared and Kevin had back injuries, and they believe it's because the car did not have seat belt harnesses. The car -- a 1970 tricked out Plymouth Barracuda -- only had lap belts and, when there's a forceful impact, it often creates serious back injuries because the body lunges forward.

TMZ broke the story ... Kevin had 3 spinal fractures in the lumbar and thoracic areas, and surgeons fused the vertebrae. He will remain in the hospital at least through the week and will have to endure a very long rehab. He's currently in extreme pain and heavily medicated.

We got shots yesterday of the accident scene in the Malibu area, where CHP officers were taking measurements. We're told they neglected to do that the morning of the accident and were doing belated due diligence.

Kevin Hart is in a grueling stage of recovery right now after doctors repaired THREE fractures to his spine ... suffered in his horrific Labor Day weekend car accident.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us Kevin's Sunday night surgery involved fusing the fractures ... 2 of them in the thoracic section of his spine, and 1 in the lumbar. Although the procedure was a success, Kevin is still going through hell. We're told he has to be heavily medicated because the pain is just that intense.

That being said, it could have been much worse. Lumbar fractures can often result in at least difficulties walking, and at worst ... partial paralysis of the arms or legs. Luckily for Kevin, we're told doctors expect him to make a full recovery, but it's gonna be a long road back.

As we reported, he'll have several weeks -- if not months -- ahead of physical rehabilitation. Everyone knows Kevin is one of the hardest working guys in Hollywood, and our sources say the rehab process will almost certainly impact his jam packed work schedule.

Kev has at least 5 upcoming projects, and those are just the ones that have been announced.

As for where Kevin and his friends Jared Black and Rebecca Broxterman were on Saturday night before they crashed in the Malibu Hills -- we're told there was no wild night out on the town at a bar or restaurant.

Our sources say the group had spent the evening at Kevin and Eniko's Calabasas home. Kevin was clearly soaking up a rare day off Saturday when he posted a pic of himself jumping into his pool with the caption, "Being home makes me happy ... enjoy your weekend people."

Later that day he also posted a vid of himself behind the wheel of the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, peeling out on what looked like a local street.

TMZ broke the story ... the eyewitness who called 911 from the accident scene says he saw a security guard pull Kevin from the driver's side window of the wrecked muscle car. CHP says first responders found Jared pinned in the driver's seat when they arrived.

Kevin Hart's car careened off the road, a witness surveyed the damage and called 911 to report there were people stuck, and first responders would need to cut them out of the vehicle.

The male caller said there were 2 people stuck, but "There was 3 [people] I guess" -- referring to the fact Kevin's security had already taken him from the crash scene.

The caller said everyone was conscious, but "scared because they're stuck in there." He added, "The roof is crushed, the car is pretty totaled."

It sounds like there was at least one other civilian on the scene trying to help before cops and the fire department arrived. Something new we learned from this call is that the driver, Jared Black, was able to free himself from the car eventually.

The caller said Jared "looked hurt," but the woman -- Jared's fiancee, Rebecca Broxterman -- was still stuck inside the destroyed 1970 Plymouth Barracuda. You can hear him yelling to both Jared and Rebecca to "stay calm, help's coming!"

TMZ broke the story ... Kevin, Jared and Rebecca violently veered off the infamous Mulholland Highway around 12:45 AM Sunday morning. Both Kevin and Jared suffered what police called "major back injuries" ... while Rebecca was able to walk away with some minor pains.

We know Kevin underwent successful back surgery on Sunday night, but will need weeks of physical rehab before he's fully recovered. It's still unclear what Jared's condition is after being airlifted to UCLA Medical Center.

Police are investigating the crash and say excessive speed might have been a factor. As we reported, a witness reported hearing tires peeling out moments before hearing the car smash through a fence as it flew off the road.