One girl who has been paralysed after an accident involving a swimming pool owned by her friend’s father is now seeking personal injury compensation for her injuries.
Kylie Grimes, who was 18 years old at the time of the accident claim, had been swimming with several of her friends in a pool owned by the father of one of her friends, Mr David Hawkins. Upon diving into the pool, Miss Grimes struck her head on the bottom of it, suffering devastating injuries.
A vertebra in her spine fractured from the impact, causing an injury to her spinal cord at the C6 junction. As a result Miss Grimes is now paralysed below the chest in addition to having diminished function of her hands as well.
Miss Grimes has decided to make a personal injury claim against Mr Hawkins. Mr Hawkins, who owns his own forklift truck business, was not present on the property at the time of accident, according to testimony given at a recent London High Court preliminary hearing. The particulars of the case however revolve around the failure of Mr Hawkins to put up signs in close proximity to the pool that both indicated the depth of the pool and a warning not to dive.
Miss Grimes has also brought a medical negligence suit against the NHS Foundation Trust for Frimley Park Hospital, stating that the treatment she received there after her accident exacerbated her condition.
Both the NHS Trust and Mr Hawkins have denied their liability in the personal injury claim, which is scheduled to be decided by June of 2011. If Miss Grimes is successful in her claim, due to the severity of her injuries she could become the recipient of anywhere between £4 million and £6 million in compensation.