Man who jumped out of speedboat 10 times in River Liffey display settles for €800k
The court heard that the €800,000 includes damages amounting to €550,000 and legal fees of €250,000 and will be paid out by insurance company Axis Speciality Europe SE of London as the court heard the two companies sued have no assets. File picture
A man who jumped out of a speedboat on the River Liffey 10 times as part of a ThunderCat Racing display on the water, but later collapsed and ended up requiring brain surgery, has settled a High Court action for €800,000.
Martin Pullen was taking part in the performance of the ThunderCat Racing team at the Dublin Port Riverfest Festival on the River Liffey in Dublin on the June bank holiday weekend 2017.
It is claimed he had jumped out of a speeding Thundercat boat during up to 10 performances before his collapse on the last day of the festival.
ThunderCat Racing is one of the world's most exhilarating watersports - boats can be seen to fly up to six metres in the air and it was the first time the boats had been on show in Dublin where they raced four times daily over the weekend.
Mr Pullen’s counsel, Maura McNally SC instructed by solicitor Pavel Abramov of Brady Kilroy solicitors, told the High Court on Friday that Mr Pullen as part of the performance had jumped out of the speedboat “to effectively be rescued”. She said the then 34-year-old had been complaining of recurring headaches and ultimately collapsed and vomited on Monday, June 5, 2017.
He was taken Beaumont Hospital where an emergency CT scan showed he had a type of internal head bleed and he had to have an emergency craniotomy.
Counsel said Mr Pullen was in the hospital Neuro ICU for 23 days and remained under the care of the neurosurgical team at Beaumont Hospital for two months until he could return home to the UK.
Ms McNally said it is their case Mr Pullen suffered an acquired brain injury, left side weakness, short-term memory loss and the sight in his left eye is also affected.
Martin Pullen now aged 39 from Chertsey, Surrey in the UK had sued Voom Voom Ltd with registered offices in Hampshire, England, and ThunderCat Racing Ltd with offices at Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, England, who it was claimed were the organisers of the ThunderCat racing boat display on the Liffey in June 2017.
The court heard that the €800,000 includes damages amounting to €550,000 and legal fees of €250,000 and will be paid out by insurance company Axis Speciality Europe SE of London as the court heard the two companies sued have no assets.
It was claimed that Mr Pullen was directed to jump out of a speeding ThunderCat boat as part of demonstration display of ThunderCat racing boats. It was further claimed there was an alleged failure to take any or any necessary measures to ensure that the activities in which Mr Pullen was engaged was safe and free from risk of injury.
It was also alleged that there was a failure to take appropriate measures to ensure that he would not be injured at the event and also an alleged failure to have any or any adequate safety measures in place.
It was further claimed that Mr Pullen was allegedly directed to take part in the event when they knew or ought to have known that he did not have any or any adequate training such that he may carry out the events safely and without risk of an injury.
Counsel told the court that liability was in dispute in the case and the defendants also disputed whether Mr Pullen had an acquired brain injury and contended his memory loss was very mild. There was also the issue of whether there was alleged contributory negligence on the part of Mr Pullen.
Counsel said there was a litigation risk in the case. Mr Justice Paul Coffey approved the settlement and noted that, had the case run, the litigation risk was very severe. The judge said the offer was fair and reasonable.
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