Beginner jiu-jitsu student, Jack Greener awarded $86M after instructor’s move left him paralysed

A California man has been awarded $US56 million ($A86 million) in damages after a devastating injury during a jiu-jitsu class left him paralysed from the neck down.

Jack Greener, now 30, was a beginner student at Del Mar Jiu Jitsu Club in 2018 when he was injured while sparring with instructor Francisco Iturralde, a second-degree black belt known by the nickname “Sinistro.”

During a training session, Mr Iturralde flipped Mr Greener forward from an all-fours position, placing his full body weight onto the student’s neck, according to the New York Post.

Video footage captured the moment Mr Greener fell limp, with expert witness Rener Gracie telling the court that the technique instantly rendered him quadriplegic.

The injury crushed Mr Greener’s cervical vertebrae and led to multiple strokes while he was hospitalised for several months.

At the time, Mr Greener was just weeks away from graduating from college.

Mr Greener filed a lawsuit against the club, arguing that the injury was a result of excessive force and unreasonable risk.

In 2023, a San Diego jury awarded him $46 million, a decision that was later affirmed by an appellate court.

This week, the California Supreme Court declined to overturn the ruling, finalising a total judgement of $56 million in compensation.

“This ruling cements a critical legal victory not only for our client, but also for injured athletes across California,” said Mr Greener’s attorney, Rahul Ravipudi, “by reaffirming that sports instructors and facilities may be held accountable when they unreasonably increase risks beyond those inherent in the sport.”

Mr Greener has since become a motivational speaker and mountain climber.