Apparently it’s possible to accidentally sue someone. And win. Especially if the person you’re suing doesn’t check their old e-mail accounts, and lives in the state of Illinois. That’s what one medically disabled country music fan recently found out – to the tune of $250,000.

Nicol Harness said she loved singer Luke Combs. Harness, who suffers from congenital heart failure and other medical issues, relied on her crafts as her sole income. As a fan of Combs, it was easy to make tumblers with the singer’s image on them and then sell them to try and make ends meet.

Harness contacted a local news outlet to seek help for the lawsuit. She said she didn’t know she had been sued until she saw that her Amazon account was frozen. Eventually she found an e-mail from Combs’ lawyers that went to spam in an e-mail account she rarely uses, notifying her of the lawsuit.

But by that time, she said, the case had been closed and a judge had granted a default judgment ordering her to pay Combs $250,000. Harness had sold only 18 tumblers for a total profit of $380 on Amazon. “It’s very stressful. I don’t have money to pay my bills,” she said. “I just want this resolved. I didn’t mean any harm to Luke Combs.”

I quit selling the tumbler. I pulled it down. I just don’t understand.”

Harness lives in Illinois, a state that allows notification of a lawsuit to be sent by e-mail. She said the address the courts used was one she rarely used. But in a stunning twist, Combs responded to the fan the very next day after Harness’ story went viral. He had no idea she had been sued. Combs said when he heard what had happened, he felt “sick to (his) stomach.”

@lukecombs #duet with @Jess_Davi #CountryMusic #LukeCombs ♬ original sound – Jess_Davi

“I was completely and utterly unaware of this,” he said. Combs said that an outside company had been hired to go after large corporations overseas that illegally sells counterfeit items such as T-shirts and merchandise with his likeness or images on them.

Those companies, he said, make “millions and millions of dollars” on the illegal sales, and unfortunately Harness “somehow (got) wrapped into that.” But Combs refused to let that stand. He said he immediately called Harness to apologize, and pledged $11,000 to her, doubling what Amazon had frozen in her account for her prior art sales, and the 18 tumblers.

“She was never supposed to be involved in anything like this,” Combs said. “No fan should have to be involved in anything like this.” Combs also said because Harness was making tumblers, he will create his own, officially licensed, tumbler to sell on her behalf. Proceeds from the sales would go toward Harness’ medical bills. 

Nicol Harness talks to reporters about being sued by Luke Combs. Photo from YouTube

“All of that money is going to go to Nicol and her family,” Combs said, “And again, this is unbelievable. I was completely shocked when I saw this this morning, it makes me sick. This is not something that I would ever do, it’s not the kind of person I am. I’m not greedy in any way, shape or form. Money is the last thing on my mind, I promise you guys that.” Combs’ manager said that Harness had been absolved by Combs of owing him any legal debt. Watch below to see Harness’ plea to the country singer.

Sources: Miami Herald | Billboard | Yahoo