Ballarat quadriplegic to fight for payout after diving accident

An instructor at a swim centre told her to dive into a pool that was too shallow, leaving her with a broken neck and severe spinal injuries. Now, this Ballarat teen will fight for compensation.

Amelia (Milly) Yeoman. Source: GoFundMe

A 20-day trial has been set as a teenager fights for a multimillion dollar payout after a horrific diving accident left her a quadriplegic.

Amelia (Milly) Mai Yeoman is suing de Kort Enterprises Pty Ltd, trading as the Ballarat Swim and Survival Academy after a 2016 accident left the 12-year-old student wheelchair bound for life.

She was taking part in a school swimming lesson when an instructor at the swim centre told her to dive into a pool that was too shallow, leaving her with a broken neck and severe spinal cord injuries.

The centre owners were fined $150,000 in early 2019.

Justice Andrew Keogh on Wednesday ordered the parties undergo mediation before the judge-alone trial estimated to last for 20 days, begins in the Supreme Court on February 8.

The court heard there was “significant dispute” between the multiple defendants about who bore what responsibility over the accident, which was captured by the swim centre’s cameras.

Issues were unable to be resolved at a previous attempt at mediation last year in December.

Two occupational therapists will make an assessment of Amelia’s damages.

A GoFundMe page set up to help Amelia’s family with rehabilitation costs has raised nearly $56,000.