In a groundbreaking decision, the London High Court ruled Tuesday that paralyzed jockey Freddy Tylicki has succeeded in his lawsuit against rider Graham Gibbons. According to racingpost.com, Judge Karen Walden-Smith's ruling states: “The actions of Mr. Gibbons were […] undertaken in reckless disregard for the safety of Mr. Tylicki.”
Tylicki, a former champion apprentice, has been confined to a wheelchair since a racing incident at Kempton in October of 2016. The 35-year-old alleged in his £6 million (about US$6.77 million) suit that Gibbons' negligence breached the “duty of care” owed by one jockey to another.
Judge Walden-Smith agreed, her ruling stating that Gibbons' actions during a pivotal four seconds of that race “were not mere lapses or errors of judgement. This was a course of action that carried over a number of seconds and, while that might, in some circumstances, be considered a short period of time, in the heat of a horse race where jockeys are required to make split-second decisions […] this was a sufficient period of time for a skilled jockey to make decisions.”
A final compensatory amount has not yet been decided.
Tylicki released the following statement after the decision was announced: “Today's result has finally provided me with closure and I look forward to putting this all behind me and moving on with my life. I hope though that this judgement acts as a reminder that competing in a dangerous sport like horseracing is no justification for competing with a reckless disregard for the safety of your fellow competitors.”
The BHA will consider today's High Court judgement in detail and carefully assess what implications it may hold for British racing, in discussion with industry stakeholders.
— BHA Press Office (@BHAPressOffice) December 21, 2021
Read more at racingpost.com.
The post ‘Reckless Disregard’: Paralyzed Freddy Tylicki Succeeds In Lawsuit Against Fellow Jockey appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
