Christmas catastrophe injures British tourist
An Essex man has been awarded £35,000 compensation after being
seriously injured by a falling Christmas tree.
In 2003 Malcolm Tuffin was holidaying with friends in the Czech
capital, Prague, when a hundred foot Christmas tree, installed as
part of the town square's decorations, was blown over by high
winds.
Mr Tuffin suffered fractures to his spine and femur as well as
injuries to his head. He was rushed to a Czech hospital and later
transferred by air ambulance to the Broomfield Hospital in
Chelmsford, Essex, were he spent a month in intensive care.
The sixty-one year old now requires the use of a walking stick and
since the accident has only been able to do paperwork for his
building company.
Mr Tuffin originally attempted to claim £90,000 but received a
settlement of around £19,000 from Prague Council in 2007 after the
court ruled at the time that his further claims for compensation
were not supported by sufficient evidence.
Despite four other people being injured in the unusual accident,
Police investigating the incident announced it to be an act of god
and suggested Mr Tuffin had not taken quick enough evasive
action.
Seven years after he commenced his battle to secure compensation
for his injuries, Mr Tuffin has eventually been awarded a final
amount of £35,000 after the Czech Supreme Court ruled that the
local council and the company who organised the market were
negligent by not ensuring the tree was bedded in securely.
He told a local paper after the Czech judgement last week: "It's
been a long struggle."
The Czech company responsible for organising the 'Old Town
Square Christmas Market' is believed to be appealing against the
decision.