A British Olympic athlete is fighting for a pay-out to rebuild his life after he suffered career-ending injuries in a motorbike crash in Tenerife.
James Ellington, a sprinter in the London Olympics, was a passenger on a motorbike driven by fellow athlete Nigel Levine when it crashed into a car in January 2017. James, 36, suffered several broken bones in both legs, lost six pints of blood, and fractured his eye socket, pelvis and ankle.
The injuries left him unable to compete in athletics for several years and resulted in sponsorships being terminated. Now, James is claiming compensation from a Spanish motor insurance company after it admitted liability for his damages in the motorbike crash.
The athlete said: “I was at the peak of my career when the crash happened and was running faster than I ever had. However, life then changed in a split-second.
“It’s been an incredibly tough few years with a lot of ups and downs. While I’m lucky to be alive I’ve always been determined that the collision should not define me and have focused on getting back out on the track.
"However, if it wasn’t for the collision I’m confident I would have kept on performing at the highest level and would have continued to represent my country at major championships."
The motor insurers, who covered British sprinter Nigel Levine, admitted lability days before a High Court trial. Levine has not admitted any liability. James, a 100-metre and 200-metre specialist, won gold medals twice in the relay with Great Britain at the 2014 and 2016 European Championships.
After the crash, his right leg had a carbon fibre rod inserted, and there are other screws and bolts in his legs. James has since returned to athletics after his crash and competed in the 2021 British Athletics Championships.
James said: “While I’m pleased to be out there competing again, and I’m giving it my absolute best, I know I’m not at the level that I want to be at or would have expected to reach if it wasn’t for my injuries. I’m thankful that the admission [of liability] means I can continue to look to the future and know that funding will be in place to help my continued recovery."
Demetrius Danas, a specialist international personal injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing James, said: “The last few years have been incredibly tough for James. As well as trying to come to terms with the terrible and life-changing injuries he suffered, there has also been a long legal battle as to who would be liable to compensate him for his losses.
“James has already undergone a lot of rehabilitation and done everything possible to get back to his pre-collision best. Sadly this hasn’t been possible, no matter how hard he tries, because of his injuries. Following in-depth legal investigations we’re pleased that the motorbike’s insurers have admitted liability for James’s damages.
"This is a major boost in the case, allowing him to access the specialist rehabilitation he continues to require as well as clearing the way for him to be compensated for the lost years of his career.”
