Guernsey Court rules insurer and reinsurers to pay for professional cyclist needing 24-hour care after road crash
A professional cyclist left permanently disabled in a road crash has won £13.75m compensation in Britain's largest individual injury payment.
Tradex Insurance and their reinsurers were widely reported as having to meet the claim, but the company declined to confirm or deny the reports.
The money will be paid as a lump sum, as is standard in Guernsey.
Manny Helmot, who represented Guernsey in the 1998 Commonwealth Games, spent 36 weeks in hospital and was left partially blind, with no use of his right arm and with brain injuries after a training ride crash in 1998.
Helmot now needs 24-hour care and is unable to work, drive or ride a bike.
Helmot's mother and her partner quit their jobs to care for Manny, and were awarded £9m earlier this year.
Guernsey's Court of Appeal increased the figure to £13.75m, to be paid by Tradex, their reinsurers and Dylan Simon, the driver of the vehicle involved.
Simon was convicted of dangerous driving, banned from driving and fined.
Rose Helmot, Manny's mother, said: "His life is ruined, but at least we can now afford to give him the care he needs for the rest of his days."
Tradex declined to comment.
