Young mum left paraplegic from a falling tree branch is suing the Victoria Racing Club for negligence

A young mum who was rendered paraplegic after a River Red Gum branch fell and crushed her in the members’ car park at Flemington last year is suing the VRC.

A young mum who was left a paraplegic when a huge tree branch fell on her at Flemington Racecourse last year is suing the Victoria Racing Club for negligence.

Amanda Parsons was in the members’ car park area at the racecourse after attending the Australian Guineas race meeting last March, when a branch from a century-old “widow maker” River Red Gum fell without warning and crushed her.

The falling tree severed Ms Parsons’ spinal cord just below her neck.

A branch from a century-old “widow maker” River Red Gum fell on Amanda Parson without warning. Picture: 7NEWS

A statement of claim filed in the Supreme Court describes her as suffering a “complete spinal cord injury resulting in T2 paraplegia (and) consequential psychological injury”.

Ms Parsons told the Sunday Herald Sun: “Just over a year ago, one moment at the Victorian Racing Club changed my life forever.

“That day has devastated my life and the lives of those closest to me and my life will never be the same.

“My daughter was just six months old when I was injured, and the most precious months of her early development and our bonding were and continue to be ripped from me.

Ms Parsons said she was “incredibly disappointed with the response from the Victorian Racing Club” following the incident.

“I hope this legal action sheds light on the truth behind the devastating impact of the tree branch failure and finally brings my family the closure we need to move forward with our lives,” she said.

Bizarrely, a photo of Ms Parsons and two friends was used in the VRC’s 2021 annual report to illustrate a page detailing the clubs gardening and track maintenance programs.

In documents filed in court, Ms Parsons claims she is now unable to care for her daughter or provide care and assistance to her husband.

Amanda Parson faces enormous on going expenses after her spinal cord was severed. Picture: 7NEWS

She is faced with enormous ongoing medical, hospital, nursing, pharmacy and travelling expenses for the rest of her life, and is unlikely to ever work again.

Her lawyers, Gordon Legal, argue the VRC should have known the tree was potentially dangerous to racegoers.

The racecourse’s own public documents state: “Trees have a finite life expectancy and a common mistake is to retain trees … where they pose an ever increasing risk to people …”

Gordon Legal senior partner Peter Gordon said the tree was a “disaster in the making”.

“These types of trees are known as ‘widow makers’,” he said.

“They got that name because, when mature, they are notorious for dropping major limbs.

“The older these trees get, the more the danger of limbs weighing tons falling on people increases.

Mr Gordon said the VRC’s conduct was “extraordinarily careless”.

“The VRC cannot now undo what it did to Amanda that day.”

Mr Gordon said Ms Parsons wanted justice for the devastating consequences the VRC’s failures wrought upon her and her family.

The VRC said in a statement: “The safety of all patrons at Flemington is our number one priority at all times. It would not be appropriate for us to discuss individual patrons and as the matter is before the court we will not provide any further comment.”