Dad struck by falling rugby post wins £285k

A FINANCIAL adviser whose skull was cracked when a goalpost collapsed on his head as he watched his son play rugby has won a £285,000 compensation payout.

Brian Morrow, 50, had been watching an under-11s match with his hairdresser wife Bethan in February 2016.

As it was a junior match, the game was held across the width of the field, with parents and supporters watching from the try line close to the posts.

Mrs Justice Farbey said halfway through the game Mr Morrow’s wife went for a coffee. She added: ‘Mr Morrow continued to watch the game, whereupon one of the upright rugby posts fell away from the crossbar, striking him on the head and rendering him unconscious.’

Mr Morrow suffered multiple skull fractures and a cut that left a scar. After the accident at Shrewsbury RFC’s Sundorne castle ground, Mr Morrow returned to his job he ‘loved’ as Manchester branch head at LeBc Group, a financial advice company, but left in April 2017.

Before his injury, he had suffered from epilepsy but it was well controlled and he

‘Best years of his career’

had not had a fit for nearly 20 years. But while in the bathroom in November 2016 after the accident he had two seizures.

Mr Morrow said he feared if he returned to a stressful job such as financial adviser, his epilepsy would recur. He is also scared of having sleep seizures and now works in an unpaid role for the National Trust.

in his claim against the rugby club, Mr Morrow said the accident left him incapable of ever doing well-paid work again, robbing him of the best years of his career.

The club admitted liability but said Mr Morrow had overstated the effects of the accident. its lawyers claimed some of the problems which led to him leaving his job had existed before the accident.

The judge awarded Mr Morrow, from Oswestry, Shropshire, £285,658 for his injury and lost future earnings and pension contributions.

He had claimed more than £1million but the judge deducted costs after finding Mr Morrow overstated his case.

But Mrs Justice Farbey said: ‘He was not dishonest. But for the accident, he would not have stopped work when he did.’