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The Telegraph

Businessman sues head of Royal National Lifeboat Institution over crash injuries

A businessman says his career was wrecked when a boat owned by the head of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution crashed into his yacht, leaving him severely injured. Nick Clarke is now fighting for hundreds of thousands in compensation after suffering brain damage and broken teeth and ribs in the freak accident during a Flying Fifteens race at Cowes Classics Week. In a legal action launched in the High Court he alleges the accident was so devastating it left him unable to work at the same level and stopped him properly resuming his business ventures. Mr Clarke, 59, was sailing his 20-foot-long racing yacht Black, a Flying Fifteen, when a Dragon boat crewed by former world champion dinghy racer Peter Colclough collided with his vessel. The bow of the Wanderer, owned by RNLI chief executive Mark Dowie, rode over the Black’s deck, trapping Mr Clarke. He was rescued by a fellow competitor and taken to hospital, where he required 28 stitches to his face. A sailing report at the time described the accident on July 18, 2017, as “very nasty”, stating: “With much of the fleet approaching on the port layline several boats realised that they were in trouble as the Dragon had sailed itself into an impossible position. Nick Clarke and Pete Ashworth in Black tried to take avoiding action at the last moment but were T-boned. Pete was thrown forward but Nick was trapped by the Dragon resulting in nasty head injuries.” Now Mr Clarke, of Bushby, Leicestershire, is suing Mr Colclough, 73, for £200,000 in damages for the injuries he claims he suffered during the accident on July 18, 2017. Mr Colclough’s solicitors have admitted negligence, but they dispute the extent of Mr Clarke’s injuries. The two sides are now at loggerheads over how much compensation Mr Clarke should receive, with Mr Colclough alleging his fellow sailor’s “very sizeable claim does not appear to be supported by his own medical evidence”. Mr Colclough’s legal team maintain that Mr Clarke has recovered enough to resume limited work and continues to run his own textile, knitwear and embroidery business. They also state that he has also been able to start playing golf again, but is still seeking £36,500 a year for the cost of future rehabilitation care. For his part Mr Clarke claims he has suffered a “mild to moderate traumatic brain injury”, leading to headaches, facial pain and visual disturbances, and now he forgets the contents of conversations, names, and is repetitive in questioning. His lawyers will tell the court that his condition has had an adverse impact on his ability to work and resume his business plans. They state in a High Court writ: “He now has executive difficulties in everyday life and his condition has had a significant adverse impact on his ability to resume his business plans. He is not currently employable or able to develop a self-employed role.”…