Compensation from the car manufacturer Caterham, is being sought by a man who blames it for a crash at the Nurburgring in Germany.
Back in April 2009, Shaun Cumbers was the passenger in his friend’s sports car as they travelled around the Nurburgring race circuit in Germany. The vehicle being driven was a Caterham 7 Superlight R500, a British made sports car that is capable of doing 0-60mph in 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 150mph.
To test their vehicles, the Nurburgring circuit is used by car companies around the world. It also has numerous days when the 12 mile long track is open to the public to take their cars around for a small fee.
The driver lost control of the vehicle, and it spun into a crash barrier, as they were travelling around the circuit . Mr Cumbers suffered serious injuries in the crash, including a closed subdural haematoma which is a traumatic brain injury.
According to reports, the man is seeking compensation for his injuries from the manufacturers of the vehicle, Caterham Cars Ltd. In papers submitted at the High Court, it is argued that an oil hose failed, causing oil to leak and spin the car when it touched the wheels. The manufacturer sold a defective product, as the oil hose was lower than the engine block, causing it to scrape along the ground, argue the papers. Mr Cumbers is looking for compensation of over £300,000 if he gets successful in this case.