Barman whose arm was blown off in a horror beer explosion receives out of court payout after suing pub for $2m
A barman who had his arm blown off in a horror beer keg explosion will receive a compensation payout after reaching an out of court settlement with a former employer.
Jye Parker, 29, was seeking more than $2million in damages from Bar Beach Bowling Club in Newcastle, two hours north of Sydney, claiming the venue breached its duty of care.
He was helping a friend set up and test a portable beer keg system in October 2014 when it suddenly exploded and changed his life forever.
Mr Parker and the bowling club agreed on an out of court settlement on Monday, just weeks before the matter was due to continue in the Supreme Court.
Jye Parker (pictured before the accident six years ago) has reached a settlement with Bar Beach Bowling Club
The undisclosed payout is believed to be in Mr Parker's favour with costs, NCA Newswire reported.
Mr Parker was an avid surfer and guitarist, who lived next door at the time and previously worked at the bowling club when he offered to help his friend who was having trouble getting beer to flow.
Bar patrons rushed to his aid by ripping off their shirts to try and stem the bleeding and apply pressure to the injuries.
Mr Parker was rushed to hospital where he was placed in a coma and woke the next day to the shock of finding all but 6.5 centimetres of his left arm had been amputated.
Mr Parker (pictured being treated by paramedics) had to have his left arm amputated
Mr Parker claimed the keg exploded because it didn't have a gas regulating device fitted - which he believed was a significant and foreseeable risk.
Staff working at the time described the explosion sounding 'like a bomb going off'.
Bar Beach Bowling Club admitted it owed a duty of care, but denied legal responsibility for Mr Parker's injury as he 'failed to take reasonable care for his own safety' and 'any damage or loss was caused by the plaintiff's own negligence'.
Mr Parker sought damages from the club to help pay for his rising medical and domestic care costs.
The medical bill estimated at more than $250,000, including several expensive hi-tech surgeries for a prosthetic arm and another operation to lengthen his severed humerus bone with titanium, the Supreme Court heard in May.
The explosion at Bar Beach Bowling Club changed Jye Parker's life forever
Jye Parker (pictured at a Halloween party after the accident) was seeking more than $2million in damages from his former employer
The court heard Mr Parker was a candidate for targeted muscle reinnervation, which aims to improve the control of prosthetics by using residual nerves to drive the artificial device.
The case has since had an extended postponement due to the need for new medical assessments.
The Newcastle community rallied around Mr Parker in wake of the accident that changed his life forever.
In 2019, he received an estimated $100,000 payout when he settled a lawsuit against keg supplier and brewery giant Carlton and United Breweries.
Jye Parker (pictured in the ambulance after the explosion) was placed in a coma
Jye Parker was suing for damage to help fund rising medical and domestic care costs