After two years of being entangled in a legal battle, Usher is now able to move forward. As reported by TMZ on Friday (May 3), the singer has officially put the highly publicized $20 million lawsuit with Laura Helm behind him.
In 2017, Helm sued Usher on the grounds that he allegedly exposed her to the herpes virus during a sexual encounter. She initially sued him for $10 million, claiming that Usher opted out of informing her of his condition prior to engaging in sex together.
Later, she raised the amount to $20 million, citing emotional harm and punitive damages as a result of the situation. The longstanding class action suit was later filed to be dismissed for technical reasons and then was later refiled in 2018.
According to court documents, Helm filed to dismiss the suit earlier this week, claiming that both parties were able to “reach an amicable resolution.” Additionally, the dismissal was filed with prejudice, meaning that it can’t be refiled in the future. Such a move is typically the case when a financial settlement has been agreed upon. However, neither Helm nor the Grammy Award-winning singer have disclosed what the presumed settlement amount was.
The singer, nor a representative on his behalf, have issued a statement commenting on the matter. While the STD is relatively common in the United States, the incident undoubtedly put strain on his personal relationships.
In 2018, he and his wife, Grace Miguel, separated after two years of marriage. As previously reported, the decision to split was a mutual one. The pair issued a joint statement noting that they “remain deeply connected, loving friends who will continue supporting each other through the next phases of our lives.”
In related news, rumors of a widespread herpes outbreak at the 2019 Coachella and Stagecoach festivals ran rampant this spring. As reported, officials from the Riverside County Department of Public Healt had to come forward to set the record straight, issuing a statement that debunked the reported claims that there had been an increase in reported herpes outbreaks.