Farleys’ personal injury team was approached by Mr R* who wanted to look into the possibility of making a claim for damages after sustaining injury during an Iron Man competition.

Background

Mr R was a keen fitness fanatic who had taken part in previous Iron Man competitions across the world. He had signed up to a UK competition with a view to qualifying for the World Championships.

The Iron Man events involve a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile cycle and a marathon so is not for the faint-hearted. Mr R had spent eight months training for the UK competition which included sleeping in an oxygen tent for four weeks.

On the day of the event in 2016, Mr R set off for the 2.4-mile swim at 6am with the rest of the competitors. They started at a jetty from which there were no restrictions as to which side of the jetty the competitors needed to enter the water from. Some entered from the end of the jetty while others, including Mr R, entered from the side.

At the side of the jetty, the water was approximately 12-18 inches deep but this wasn’t clear to the competitors as it was dark.

Mr R jumped into the water and sustained immediate injury to his foot. It is believed that other competitors also sustained injuries from jumping into the shallow water.

Despite his injury, Mr R was determined to try and carry on as he had trained so hard for the event. He managed to complete the 2.4-mile swim and the 112-mile bike ride but after 10 miles of the marathon, he was forced to hobble to the medical tent and admit defeat.

Mr R sustained a sprained ankle, ligament damage, and a possible metatarsal fracture. He tried to attend the local Accident and Emergency Department but there was an extensive wait so he attended his GP surgery the next day instead.

As a result of the injuries he sustained, Mr R was not only unable to complete the UK Iron Man event, he was also unable to attend his next event in Barcelona for which he had already paid an entry fee.

How Farleys Were Able to Help

Mr R instructed Farleys’ expert personal injury team to make a claim for compensation against the event organisers to cover his losses. Farleys’ personal injury solicitors, led by Partner Michael Corrigan, argued that despite Mr R signing a waiver before the race began, his injuries had been caused by a defective course which was not covered in the waiver.

Our team instructed experts to examine Mr R’s injuries and possible future rehabilitation needed.

After pulling together a good case to make the claim, we successfully achieved a settlement of £6,000 for Mr R which covered the costs he lost as a result of missing his next event as well as the costs of rehabilitation.

Michael Corrigan commented,

Mr R sustained injury in this competition, which he had trained for so long to compete in, as a result of the negligence of the event organisers. We were pleased to have secured this settlement for him to recover from his injuries and wish him all the best in his future competing.

If you have been injured as a result of an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be eligible to make a claim for compensation. For a free, no obligation assessment of your case, please contact our personal injury experts today.

*Client’s name has been changed to protect his right to privacy.