An Instagrammable bodybuilder and fitness brand founder was awarded more than $200,000 after he was injured in a vicious fight at a beachfront bar.
Clinton Chadwick succeeded in his lawsuit against Bondi Beach Foods, the owner of the now-defunct The Bucket List bar, and security firm Crossguard Group for failing to prevent the assault.
The Rig Fit Activewear founder had been at the location on the afternoon of December 22, 2017 when he became involved in an argument with Stephen Martin.
Judge Michael Elkaim SC said Mr Chadwick had been “verbally antagonized” when he gave the first push.
Surveillance footage shows Martin grabbed a nearby metal stool and struck Chadwick twice.
Clinton Chadwick (pictured) was awarded more than $200,000 in damages after a bar robbery left him with “psychiatric and psychological deficiencies.”
The Rig Fit activewear founder was injured in a fight at a Bondi bar with surveillance footage showing his drunken attacker picking up a nearby metal stool before striking Mr Chadwick twice.
Mr Chadwick was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital after suffering a concussion during the fight.
“This employer, Stephen Martin, assaulted (Mr. Chadwick) so viciously that he was rendered unconscious,” the Supreme Court justice said.
‘Despite the plaintiff’s state, lying on the ground, the assault against him continued.’
Chadwick told the court that the attack left him with “psychiatric and psychological deficiencies” and a persistent stiff neck.
He claimed that he was unable to work for a long period, suffered depressive episodes and became a recluse.
Before the attack, the Instagram influencer said he was “in the prime of his life, physically and mentally” with the “energy of an Energiser rabbit”.
However, the owners of Bucket List and the security company argued that the bodybuilder had not led the business-focused and fitness-focused lifestyle he had portrayed.
His lawyers claimed that Mr. Chadwick had been taking up to 20 lines of cocaine a week and using steroids to maintain his physique before the attack.
Instead of being unable to work, they said that he had pursued multiple business interests and earned more than $105,000 by posting photos of himself on the OnlyFans subscription platform.
Mr. Chadwick claimed that his Rig Fit sportswear business had lost hundreds of thousands of dollars due to his injuries, but Judge Elkaim found that it was “not a viable business.”
“I am also not satisfied that the plaintiff, for most of the time since the injury, has been unable to generate an income,” he said.
Judge Elkaim noted that the bodybuilder’s claims to withdraw from society were “contradicted by his continued involvement with social media, his self-promotion and his activities.”
However, he concluded that Chadwick was not “an openly dishonest witness”.
“I thought he was a man somewhat misled by his self-image, his ability to be a successful businessman and his perception of what his future might have been had it not been for the injury,” the judge explained.
He opined that Chadwick, who had over 425,000 followers in his prime, had “post-traumatic stress disorder” which was “gradually resolving”.
The Supreme Court judge ruled that the “traumatic experience” could have been prevented.
The court heard there was a “clear insufficiency in monitoring” drunk people in the bar with no “security guards available” if an incident such as the fight that broke out occurred.
Mr. Martin previously testified that he was “too drunk to really be there” but on-site staff did not flag this as a concern.
“With the right personnel, there was a real possibility that the fight could have been avoided,” Judge Elkaim said.
The Supreme Court judge ruled that the ‘traumatic experience’ could have been avoided
But Judge Elkaim noted that the bodybuilder’s claims to withdraw from society were “contradicted by his continued involvement with social media, his self-promotion and his activities.”
The court heard that Mr. Chadwick (pictured) made over $100,000 on OnlyFans
Judge Elkaim awarded Mr. Chadwick (pictured on his social media) $200,706.40 for medical bills, past and future economic losses, and compensation for his physical injuries as a result of the violent fight.
Judge Elkaim said he was convinced the influencer’s injuries had been caused by a breach of duty on behalf of the bar and the security company.
“It was the responsibility of both defendants to monitor and, if necessary, evict Mr. Martin and his group,” it said.
“I am satisfied that both defendants knew that Martin’s group was misbehaving.”
Awarded Mr. Chadwick $200,706.40 for medical bills, past and future economic losses, and compensation for his physical injuries as a result of the violent fight.
Bondi Beach Foods and Crossguard Group have also been ordered to pay the cost of the influencer’s proceedings.
