Stuntman sues Cruise over impossible injuries

A stuntman is suing Tom Cruise's production company for negligence after he received severe burns on the set of Mission: Impossible 3.

Steven Scott Wheatley filed suit against Paramount Pictures and Cruise's production company Cruise/Wagner Productions at Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday.

Wheatley received burns over 60 per cent of his body last June, when the stunt "malfunctioned" and a "gasoline bomb" exploded, covering him "in this ball of fire", the suit claims.

The stuntman and his wife Mary are claiming the film companies' negligence caused him "severe personal injury" and are asking for unspecified damages.

Internet news site TMZ.com reports the couple are also suing for loss of consortium - which means the inability of one spouse to have normal marital relations.