An image shared on Facebook alleges that comedian and actor Kevin Hart has been “paralyzed from the neck down” in a car accident.
Verdict: False
Although Hart did suffer “major back injuries” in a car accident over the weekend, there is no evidence that Hart has become paralyzed. His wife Eniko Parrish has said that Hart is “going to be just fine.”
Fact Check:
A stand-up comedian and actor, Hart has starred in numerous films over the years, including “Ride Along” in 2014 and “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” in 2017. He also has numerous stand-up routines on Netflix, including his comedy special “Irresponsible.”
Hart and two other people were involved in a car accident early Sunday morning, according to CBS News. A man identified as Jared Black lost control while driving Hart’s 1970 Plymouth Barracuda in Calabasas, California, causing the vehicle to go off the road and roll down an embankment.
“According to medical sources at UCLA Medical center, the comedian suffered trauma to the nerves in his spine and throat which have left him paralyzed from the neck down,” reads the Facebook post. “In addition to being diagnosed with quadriplegia, he also suffered trauma in his neck, causing irreversible damage to his larynx, leaving both vocal cords paralyzed.”
However, there’s no evidence that Hart has become paralyzed as a result of the accident. An internet search turned up no credible sources reporting that he sustained the injuries described in the Facebook post.
A California Highway Patrol (CHP) incident report obtained by CNN reveals that Hart and the driver did suffer “major back injuries” from the accident, though the comedian was able to leave the scene to get medical attention at his nearby home before being transported to the hospital. He later underwent back surgery, according to Yahoo News.
Hart’s wife told TMZ in a video interview on Monday that the “Ride Along” actor was “going to be just fine.”
Black, who CHP told E! News was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident, also got transported to the hospital. The third female occupant suffered only minor injuries.
The claim that Hart was paralyzed in the car crash actually comes from an article published on the parody news website LFR Solutions, which disclaims at the bottom of the article, “The stories may mimic articles found in the headlines, but rest assured that they are purely satirical.”