LOS ANGELES – A photographer claims an auto dealer continued to use his photographs on a concept car without permission.
Guido Karp filed a complaint on Dec. 13 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against the Adam Opel AG, Tina Muller, et al. citing copyright infringement.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that he took photos of HIM, Phil Collins, Keith Richards, Simple Minds, Sting and others and that the photos have been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. He alleges he created a poster with the images on it for a limited exhibition at Opel dealerships and for use as a wrap on a concept car. The suit states the concept car was damaged and the plaintiff was told the car would be repaired without the wrap. The plaintiff holds Adam Opel AG, Tina Muller, et al. responsible because the defendants allegedly repaired the car with the wrap and sold it without the plaintiff's permission.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks damages, profits, statutory damages of up to $150,000, enjoin the defendant, disgorgement, all legal fees and any other relief as the court deems just. He is represented by John A. Case of Law Offices of John A. Case Jr. in Los Angeles.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Case number 2:16-cv-09226-DMG-JC