A life-changing injury at Tough Mudder
Our client Andrew Dawkins suffered life-changing injuries during a Tough Mudder event.
Mr Dawkins alleges he was seriously injured while attempting the “Electroshock Therapy” obstacle, which requires participants to run through a field of hanging live wires carrying up to 10,000 volts of electricity.
Andrew was hit by the electric shock a few metres into the obstacle, in the centre of his back, causing his body to seize.
‘My limbs all contracted and – because I was running as fast as I could – as instructed, I hit the ground hard and skidded on my side, tearing up my shirt.
‘I rolled out the back of the obstacle to get clear of the wires and tried to stand up, but my legs wouldn’t cooperate,’ he said.
Andrew said it became harder and harder to walk or even sit up over the next few days.
‘I ended up in hospital, having a range of tests and scans run on me. By that stage, I could only take a few slow steps from the bed and needed a wheelchair to get anywhere else.’
He now suffers nerve pain from his lower back through his thighs and legs to his feet, bilateral ulnar neuritis – affecting his fingers and arms – and psychological injury.
Lawyers for Mr Dawkins claim the shock of the electrical currents caused their client life-changing injuries, including central cord syndrome in his neck and back.
The injury forced Mr Dawkins off work until mid-2019 when he slowly began a year-long return to a full-time role midway through 2020.
Arnold Thomas & Becker lawyer Taylah McWilliams said it should have been common sense that participants could suffer an adverse reaction to an electric shock in circumstances where they have just been immersed in water.
‘Tough Mudder was directed to remove the obstacle from the course after the incident, but we understand it may since be back in use,’ she said.
‘Events like Tough Mudder are marketed and promoted as fitness and fun challenges – they should be designed and operated in a way that is safe for all participants.
‘Our client continues to suffer from regular and ongoing pain as a result of what happened to him that day.
‘While no amount of compensation can undo that harm, we hope to achieve an outcome that helps him move forward in his recovery and raises awareness of the importance of participant safety in all recreational and endurance events.’
Read the full story at The Daily Mail.
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