Free Runner Suffered Life-Threatening Injuries In Swing Fall

Former professional free runner Brendan Pollitt, 30, from Essex, instructed specialist serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate after he sustained life-threatening injuries when he fell from a swing during a live stunt performance at Legoland Windsor in July 2017.

He said: “It’s been four years but I’m still hugely affected by what happened that day.

“I had taken part in stunts shows at Legoland many times before but something went very wrong on this occasion.  We were using the Russian Swing during a show and I was projected backwards instead of forwards.  After falling, I had to be resuscitated at the scene as my heart had stopped beating.

“My injuries have been devastating for me.  I had always been very fit and healthy, but I knew that this would put an end to my active lifestyle.  Having to have open heart surgery on more than one occasion was terribly difficult for me to comprehend, and to this day I’m still struggling to come to terms with everything I’ve been through.

“I’m now on medication for the rest of my life and am left with permanent problems.  I have to lead a very different lifestyle from how I lived my life before the accident.  My whole life has been turned upside down, but I know I’m extremely lucky to still be here.  I also wouldn’t have got through it without the support of my family.

“While I can’t turn back the clock and change what’s happened, I feel that this was an accident that could and should have been avoided if proper regard had been had for my safety.”

Expert Opinion

“The past few years have been incredibly difficult for Brendan and his family. Understandably he is still struggling to accept what happened and what it means for his future.

The injuries he sustained that day were life-threatening and have completely changed his life. He has had to learn to live with numerous long term problems. Despite the extensive rehabilitation he has received, it seems he will never be able to get back to all of the very impressive physical activities he was involved in prior to the accident.

Hopefully SGA Productions Limited and their lawyers will work with us to ensure Brendan’s case can be resolved as quickly as possible, to allow him to try and focus on the future.

I hope that the lessons learned from this avoidable accident will help to prevent others from suffering in the way Brendan has.

In the meantime, we’ll continue to support him through his recovery.”
Richard Geraghty - Partner

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