webfact Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 Backpacker who broke her neck jumping into pool in Thailand describes her recovery The Matt Hampson Foundation is funding Sophie Wilson's rehabilitation Sophie Wilson was just days into a six-month tour of Asia when the accident happened A backpacker who broke her neck in Thailand and is facing a long battle to walk again is raising funds for a charity dedicated to helping people who have suffered life altering and catastrophic sporting injuries. Sophie Wilson, of Shepshed, was just six days into a planned six-month trip around Asia when she broke her neck, diving into shallow water at a pool bar. The 24-year-old suffered a severe spinal fracture and a compressed spinal cord, leaving her unable to move anything from the collarbone down. Her parents, John and Jane, who are self-employed gardeners, flew out to Thailand following the incident. Her family launched a go fund me page to get her home when her insurer refused to pay out after the accident on December 1. The worldwide appeal reached more than £60,000 in five days. Full story: https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/backpacker-who-broke-neck-jumping-3587451 -- Leicestershire Live 2019-11-29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GinBoy2 Posted November 29, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 29, 2019 The worst part of this, given the current level of agitation over insurance, was this girl did all the rights things, had insurance yet the snakes refused to pay up! Insurance companies the world over are really really good at taking your money, yet really really good at finding ways to not pay out. 23 2 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotBenz8888 Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 A nightmare, hope she recovers. I've stopped diving no matter what... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Andrew65 Posted November 29, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 29, 2019 (edited) 36 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said: The worst part of this, given the current level of agitation over insurance, was this girl did all the rights things, had insurance yet the snakes refused to pay up! Insurance companies the world over are really really good at taking your money, yet really really good at finding ways to not pay out. Is she the one that had been drinking when the accident happened? Also, there was a No Diving sign at the pool, sadly, that's more than enough for insurance not to pay, a court of law would probably back the insurer. Nevertheless, hope she makes a full recovery. Edited November 29, 2019 by Andrew65 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catoholic Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 heartbreaking... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phka Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 1 hour ago, GinBoy2 said: The worst part of this, given the current level of agitation over insurance, was this girl did all the rights things, had insurance yet the snakes refused to pay up! Insurance companies the world over are really really good at taking your money, yet really really good at finding ways to not pay out. That's why they employ loss adjusters it's their job to weasle out of paying 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thian Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 2 hours ago, GinBoy2 said: The worst part of this, given the current level of agitation over insurance, was this girl did all the rights things, had insurance yet the snakes refused to pay up! What was the reason for them to not pay up? And which company was it? If it's mine i 'll cancel my contract. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinBoy2 Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 2 hours ago, phka said: That's why they employ loss adjusters it's their job to weasle out of paying I totally agree with the use of the word 'weasel'. Loss adjusters do and should deny payment where there is fraud, but unfortunately they go way beyond that mandate to try to find any technicality in order to deny payment to customers 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mercman24 Posted November 29, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 29, 2019 very misleading headline, you dont break your neck by JUMPING into a pool and it turns out she DIVED into a pool, that was dumb for starters 5 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Bullie Posted November 29, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 29, 2019 2 hours ago, phka said: That's why they employ loss adjusters it's their job to weasle out of paying Diving into a shallow pool while drunk in spite of a sign explicitly forbidding diving. Tantamount to trying to cross the M20 at rush hour with your eyes closed while being under the influence, and then claiming a huge payout from an insurer for being involved in an accident. Won't fly, I'm afraid. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3NUMBAS Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 read the small print before buying as it has so many get out clauses so as not to pay up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post AlexRich Posted November 29, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 29, 2019 When in Thailand, avoid diving at all costs ... pool, cliff or muff. Nothing good comes from it! 1 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullie Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 (edited) 47 minutes ago, AlexRich said: When in Thailand, avoid diving at all costs ... pool, cliff or muff. Nothing good comes from it! You can add any shallow pool in the world to that. Even if it does NOT state that " diving is strictly forbidden". Contrary wise, a muff sporting a sign "dive straight in" can be enticing, as long as you keep a sharp lookout for all escape routes. Edited November 29, 2019 by Bullie 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkk6060 Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 Ignorance of common sense and precaution. Insurance should not pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GoodieAfterDark Posted November 29, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 29, 2019 8 hours ago, webfact said: Sophie Wilson, of Shepshed, was just six days into a planned six-month trip around Asia when she broke her neck, diving into shallow water at a pool bar. Was she drunk? When I was in Thailand at this local cascade, I saw a few Thai kids jumping in the water. I had the same idea of jumping but I thought that I might hit my head on a rock and end up dead. So I controlled my instincts and stayed away from that area. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinBoy2 Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 3 hours ago, mercman24 said: very misleading headline, you dont break your neck by JUMPING into a pool and it turns out she DIVED into a pool, that was dumb for starters Well dumb she may well have been, but who among us hasn't been dumb? My car insurance policy doesn't specify that if I'm driving the speed limit with 2 feet of snow on the ground, which is dumb, and I spin out wreaking my car they don't pay. Now we have no idea who wrote the policy, but in general, the cheaper the policy, the more weaseling out clauses will be embedded in the small print, which of course none of us read! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcnx Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 Can we just call her a tourist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorG Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 9 hours ago, GinBoy2 said: embedded in the small print, which of course none of us read! I am one of those strange people who reads it all ???? 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaiyen Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 19 hours ago, GinBoy2 said: The worst part of this, given the current level of agitation over insurance, was this girl did all the rights things, had insurance yet the snakes refused to pay up! Insurance companies the world over are really really good at taking your money, yet really really good at finding ways to not pay out. You obviously know nothing about insurance. No holiday policy will cover you for getting you home when you are unfit to travel. She was paralysed !! Also no ones knows what cover she had. Insurance companies won't just hand out money after a few days because she needs it ! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post thaiowl Posted November 30, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 30, 2019 7 minutes ago, jaiyen said: You obviously know nothing about insurance. No holiday policy will cover you for getting you home when you are unfit to travel. She was paralysed !! Also no ones knows what cover she had. Insurance companies won't just hand out money after a few days because she needs it ! I broke my neck in Thailand in 1988 and was paralysed from the neck down. My holiday insurance paid all the bills and organised a Doctor to come out from the UK and escort me home. They used a scissor lift to get me into the Thai Airways plane and the Doctor was sat next me in first class! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Rod the Sod Posted November 30, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 30, 2019 19 hours ago, GinBoy2 said: The worst part of this, given the current level of agitation over insurance, was this girl did all the rights things, had insurance yet the snakes refused to pay up! Insurance companies the world over are really really good at taking your money, yet really really good at finding ways to not pay out. Oh dear...going over old ground again are we? Big sign "Do Not Jump" yet she jumps. Now it is the Insurers fault is it? "She did all the right things".......check your facts! Ever heard of "reading the small print" because believe it or not, that is where it tells you what is covered and what is not. Taking stupid risks against all warnings is not covered. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tops Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 At least the hospital bill in Thailand was paid. She doesn't belong to the half of the foreigners that don't pay... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Rod the Sod Posted November 30, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 30, 2019 12 hours ago, GinBoy2 said: Well dumb she may well have been, but who among us hasn't been dumb? My car insurance policy doesn't specify that if I'm driving the speed limit with 2 feet of snow on the ground, which is dumb, and I spin out wreaking my car they don't pay. Now we have no idea who wrote the policy, but in general, the cheaper the policy, the more weaseling out clauses will be embedded in the small print, which of course none of us read! You speak like an insurance expert, which you most definitely are not!. In all walks of life you get what you pay for. Want the cheapest price then you get the least cover. Is that a little too difficult for you to grasp? It isn't about getting out of paying, it is about paying for that is covered (which you elect by the way, not the Insurer). Personally I am sick of people whinging about insurance companies when they obviously believe they are some kind of charity who should pay out regardless, just because the insured is having a bad time. Bet you are not a shareholder of any Insurance Company, then you may have slightly different views. Heard of "priced to risk"? Your car insurer states you are covered even if you drive in snow. So long as you have not been negligent or stupid you continue to be covered. If you decide to drive at 50mph in 2ft of snow then they would argue that you had been negligent. Any sane person would agree with that. I have never read an insurance policy that has a clause that states "OK to be dumb. We are all dumb....so have no fears, we will pay out even when you have been really dumb".........just like you for thinking diving in a pool when it warns "DO NOT" is dumb but OK. Doh!! Suggest you go and read up on how insurance actually works before making childish allegations and comments for people to ridicule. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
007 RED Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 (edited) The insurance company in question was named as Insure and Go (according to a BBC report dated 27 December 2018). This is a apparently a low cost travel insurance company who aims their business at specifically low cost travellers e.g. backpackers. According to the BBC report, Insure and Go said in a statement: "We do understand that people go on holiday to have fun and enjoy themselves, but we are not able to cover circumstances where a customer has acted in a way that puts themselves at risk". "This is clearly stated in the policy terms and conditions." If the insurance companies statement above is to be believed, perhaps they should have made it clear in their policy (in big bold letters), that travelling to Thailand is likely to be putting yourself at risk and, therefore, we (the insurance company) won't pay out for anything that happens to you whilst your there. If I recall correctly, at the time this hit the news last year, the company (Insure and Go) was being investigated by the UK Financial Ombudsman following complaints that it (the company) had refused a very high number of allegedly valid claims. Edited November 30, 2019 by 007 RED typo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Don Mega Posted November 30, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 30, 2019 This is exactly the reason why I don't dive into a pool that has no diving signs displayed when Iam drunk !! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Sheryl Posted November 30, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted November 30, 2019 1 hour ago, jaiyen said: You obviously know nothing about insurance. No holiday policy will cover you for getting you home when you are unfit to travel. .. Actually that is one of the standard things such policies do pay for. The issue as I understand it was that she dove head first into a shallow pool at a bar under the influence of alcohol. Some reports that a "no diving" sign was posted as well though that part is not sure. The insurance company is saying this comes under the exclusion for injuries sustained as a result of being under the influence/acting in a reckless or illegal manner or something like that. Likely the fact that it occurred in the middle of the night at a bar caught their attention from the get go. Family can appeal to the UK Ombudsman. Maybe 50-50 chance they'd prevail. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheryl Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 P.S. The company was "Insure and Go". But pretty much all travel insurance (and even general health insurance) policies have general exclusions for injuries suffered due to negligence or intoxication. The following is from Insure and Go's list of General Exclusoons (which are not in small print): "8. Any claim arising directly from you, your partner, relative or your travelling companion consuming alcohol" 18. Any claim arising from you being involved in any deliberate, malicious, reckless, illegal or criminal act." As soon as any insurance company sees something like diving on the premises of a bar in the middle of the night, red flags would go up and they'd look more closely. While these quotes are specific to Insure and Go you will find similiar in the General Conditions of any policy. None will insure you for injuries that occur as a direct result of being drunk or high nor for injuries that result from recklessness usually defined as something an ordinary prudent person would not do. Now obviously there is some subjectivity with both of these things. The alcohol consumption must be a direct cause of the injury, simply having consumed alcohol by itself is not a disqualifier. And there is also room for debate around what constitutes deliberate recklessness. One would assume the family has appealed but either lost or the appeal is still in progress. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 1 hour ago, thaiowl said: I broke my neck in Thailand in 1988 and was paralysed from the neck down. My holiday insurance paid all the bills and organised a Doctor to come out from the UK and escort me home. They used a scissor lift to get me into the Thai Airways plane and the Doctor was sat next me in first class! A bit of a drastic way to get a seat upgrade. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanLaew Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 2 hours ago, thaiowl said: I broke my neck in Thailand in 1988 and was paralysed from the neck down. My holiday insurance paid all the bills and organised a Doctor to come out from the UK and escort me home. They used a scissor lift to get me into the Thai Airways plane and the Doctor was sat next me in first class! I would wager that you weren't under the influence of alcohol or drugs and had dived into the shallow end of a pool in defiance of the posted "No Diving Allowed" sign. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chazar Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 17 hours ago, Bullie said: Tantamount to trying to cross the M20 at rush hour with your eyes closed while being under the influence, Yet only in a recent thread some posters said pedestrian is NEVER at fault in many countries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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