Giant is one of the most cherished bike manufacturers in the industry but even they can mess up sometimes. In a freak accident, Ben Norbury, the founder of the cycling weather app “myWindsock” broke his back when his bike collapsed amidst a normal cycling run. Norbury was riding a Giant Propel Advanced 2 and his cycling speed was 15mph which is pretty standard.
Due to this unfortunate event, Giant is facing a legal claim of £200,000. After the medical reports came in, it was revealed that Ben had broken his back in four different places which could be very dangerous to treat. Naturally, Ben is using Giant under the Consumer Protection Act. He had only owned the bike for a mere five months when the bike collapsed during a routine ride.
Norbury’s lawyer Adam Korn wrote to the high court that the bike collapsed without any due reason and he didn’t have enough time to break his fall. All of this left Norbury with a severe concussion, dental injuries, a broken nose, and damage to his back and neck. In addition to this, Korn also stated that Norbury suffered several spinal fractures when his body hit the ground. The accident happened close to his home in Sandbach, Cheshire (Northern England).
So how did Giant react to all of this? Initially, the UK arm of Giant denied the liability claim, and all of this was targeted back at Norbury. Giant said that all of this happened because the bike’s stem and handlebars were changed although that doesn’t make any sense. After an internal investigation, the company has admitted the fault and will most likely face a payout of £200,000 to Ben Norbury.
What Exactly Happened?
You must be wondering, how did the bike exactly collapse? This is what Norbury’s lawyer Adam Korn had to say:
There was an inherent defect in the adhesive bond between the steerer tube and the crown socket. It’s likely to have been caused by inadequate surface preparation of the steerer tube spigot at the time of manufacture.
The repercussions of this accident could be severe as Norbury is concerned about his dreams being shattered. He has informed the court that his passion has now been taken away from him. Even after the corrective spinal surgery, Norbury is suffering from lingering pain in the neck area, and let’s not forget about the headaches and mood swings.
What Is The Court’s Verdict?
Norbury’s Lawyer informed the High Court that Giant UK has now “conceded liability” after they had blamed Ben himself for the accident that had occurred. Giant UK also said on Friday:
It is not appropriate for us to comment on ongoing matters of this nature.
The High Court has decided that a hearing will be held later to assess compensation. Stay tuned, we will update the story once we get official news!
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Featured Image Via Ben Norbury
