In a turn of events that could turn even the most ardent Bob Cratchit into an Ebenezer Scrooge, after receiving serious injuries from a falling Christmas tree one Essex man recently received a personal injury compensation award of £35,000.
Great Baddow native Malcolm Tuffin was in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, on holiday with friends when the town square’s hundred foot Christmas tree teetered and fell upon the crowd due to high winds. As it landed in the square five people, which included Mr Tuffin, were injured. The Essex native suffered life threatening injuries to his legs, upper body, and head from the accident claim and was rushed to a nearby Czech hospital.
Soon afterwards he was transferred via air ambulance to Chelmsford Essex’s Broomfield Hospital, spending a month there in intensive care. After undergoing several extensive surgeries after the incident, Mr Tuffin was confined to a wheelchair for months while he was on the mend. Even now Mr Tuffin cannot walk unaided and relies on the use of a walking stick even now.
Like Ebenezer Scrooge confronting the Spirit of Christmas Past, Mr Tuffin spent seven years in efforts to secure compensation for his personal injury claim. Finally he has been awarded a sum of £35,000. The ruling was handed down recently by the Czech Supreme Court when it found both the local council and the company that was the organiser of the town square’s Christmas market had been negligent in neglecting to ensure the tree had been embedded in a secure manner.
While there has been no confirmation as of this time, the Czech company that had been in charge of the Christmas Market for the Old Town Square in Prague are rumoured to be considering to appeal the Supreme Court’s position. Additionally there have been no reports that Mr Tuffin has been visited by any Spirits of Christmas Present and Future.