A former White Helmet rider is suing the MOD for an eye-watering sum
A motorcycle stunt rider who performed with the White Helmets display team is suing the Ministry of Defence for £250,000.
A rider who was once a member of the Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team, better known as the White Helmets, is suing the Ministry of Defence for a reported £250,000.
The rider, James Cotterill, was a member of the team for four years, and, according to The Telegraph, performed hundreds of displays during that time. Now, though, he’s taking the MOD to court, for apparently being left with near-permanent pain thanks to one of the team's most famous tricks.
The Human Pyramid was the headliner of any White Helmets display, and featured the 21 members of the team travelling on just six specially designed Triumph TR7V Tigers. According to reports, it is the strain on his body, and repeated falls in training, as a result of this manoeuvre, that have left Cotterill in such pain. So severe were the injuries to Cotterill that he was discharged from the military, ending what he hoped would be a career of at least 22 years. Now a furniture restorer, Cotterill claims that he is “disadvantaged” on the open labour market because of his time with the troupe, according to The Telegraph.
Citing legal documents lodged with the Royal Courts of Justice, The Telegraph goes on to say that Cotterill had zero motorcycle experience when he joined the team, and that training would take place on either concrete or wasteland, with nothing to protect the rider in the event of a fall. It goes on to state that Cotterill could have up to 50 falls a day in training, with his upper body taking most of the punishment.
Cotterill's legal team are claiming he is suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). It’s a neurological condition commonly associated with contact sports such as boxing and can lead to problems such as memory loss, mood changes, and, in some cases, dementia.
His team have lodged a reported 22 allegations of negligence against the MOD, centred around a lack of risk assessments and protective equipment used by the team. He is seeking provisional damages, which will allow him to seek further damages in the future should his circumstances worsen.
The White Helmets display team was made up of a group of serving soldiers from the Royal Corps of Signals of the British Army. They gave public motorcycle displays that included acrobatics and stunt riding - quite often at the same time. The team was based at the home of the Royal Signals at Blandford Camp, Dorset, although it was disbanded at the end of 2017. Cotterill’s team argue that the disbanding of the group is further evidence that the MOD was aware of the risks it was exposing the riders to.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
