A San Diego court has awarded over $46 million in damages to Jack Greener, a man who suffered a catastrophic spinal injury during a beginner jiu-jitsu class in 2018.
The incident occurred at Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club, where an instructor pinned Greener to the mat with such force that he suffered from a paralyzed body.
The lawsuit filed by his law firm, Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi, alleged that the instructor’s entire body weight was placed on Greener’s neck during the maneuver, causing his cervical vertebrae to be crushed.
Rener Gracie opened up about being a witness in the case and explained:
“Full disclosure: I was called to testify as an expert witness in this case. I’ll post a thorough video response in the future, but these are the first thoughts I wanted to share publicly. This case was a tragedy in every sense. 23-year-old white belt, Jack Greener, was sparring at a BJJ school in San Diego when the black belt instructor did a technique that placed his entire bodyweight on Greener’s neck causing him to instantly fall limp and lose all function of his limbs.”
“Jiu-Jitsu is incredibly effective, but it can also be incredibly dangerous if precautions are not taken to reduce the likelihood of injury, particular for beginners. Jiu-Jitsu was designed to empower the weak against the strong. As BJJ school owners and instructors, we have a responsibility to create a learning path that is both safe and structured, so that every student can learn the art and build their confidence from day one, without risk of otherwise avoidable catastrophic injury.”
“Jack, an aspiring surf instructor, will never regain full function of his limbs, but I’m hopeful that this ruling will ease the burdens that he and his family will face for the rest of his life. I’m also hopeful that this case will serve as a much needed reminder to the entire industry of the massive responsibility we shoulder every time a new student trusts us to guide them on their Jiu-Jitsu journey. At Gracie University, the safety of our students will always be our top priority and it will always be a core reason why we do things the way we do.”
Gracie clarified that student did indeed sign a waiver and that it made no difference.
“And yes, he did sign a liability waiver, but it didn’t affect the outcome.”
Former UFC champion Carla Esparza added: “Such a shame. The more experienced one is, the more responsibility they have to keep the inexperienced safe.”
Multiple Surgeries and Hospitalization
After the incident, Jack Greener underwent several surgeries and was hospitalized for months. He is now a quadriplegic, and his lawyers have been seeking compensation for his medical expenses, loss of earnings, and emotional distress.
Jurors’ Ruling in Favor of Jack Greener
After a four-week trial, jurors ruled in favor of Jack Greener on Tuesday, awarding him more than $46 million in damages. The compensation is intended to cover the cost of medical expenses and the impact that the injury has had on Greener’s life.
No Response from Attorneys for Martial Arts Club and Instructor
The attorneys representing Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club and the instructor involved in the incident did not immediately respond to requests for comment to fox on Wednesday.
