A fateful decision to relax with a few drinks while on holiday in Thailand has changed the lives of a devastated Australian family forever. A woman’s insurer refused to pay her medical bills as she remains hospitalized in a ‘vegetative state’.
Paul Enwright, owner of a pest control company, is begging for help to bring home his wife Kylee, 48, from Thailand after a horrific accident that left her with a catastrophic brain injury.
The Enwright family of Singleton, NSW, were shocked to discover that their travel insurance had been voided, while their insurer claimed his partner had consumed too much alcohol before the fall, leaving them with $250,000 in medical bills.
They were on the second day of a holiday in Khao Lak when disaster struck on May 28, with Mr Enwright openly admitting they had enjoyed a few drinks. at their resort’s poolside bar on what was a rainy day.
“Without our knowledge, this decision would change our lives forever,” Mr Enwright wrote on a GoFundMe page that had raised more than $100,000 by Thursday afternoon.
A fateful decision to relax with a few drinks while on holiday in Thailand has changed the lives of a devastated Australian family forever. Kylee Enwright (left) fights for her life in a Thai hospital
Kylee Enwright’s family is facing a medical bill of more than $50,000 in addition to a $200,000 medical evacuation fee. (Pictured: Mrs Enwright in hospital in Thailand)
“Unfortunately there are no signs of Kylee regaining consciousness and she remains in a vegetative state,” he said.
Disturbing footage shows the grandmother stepping off a wooden plank, apparently mistaken for stairs, falling 50 cm and landing on her face.
But the family is now facing a huge medical bill as their insurance company won’t cover the costs due to an alcohol limit clause that the Enwrights were unaware of.
According to the consumer website Choicemost travel insurance policies have an exclusion clause that covers the use of alcohol and drugs.
Usually it will say something along the lines of, “Under no circumstances will we pay if you were under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, other than a drug prescribed to you by a medical adviser and taken in accordance with their instructions.”
Choice warned that this means “there’s a good chance your travel insurer won’t pay claims that arise because you’re under the influence of alcohol.”
But like most people, the Enwrights were unaware of the existence of such a clause in their insurance coverage.
Kylee Enwright (above) suffered a catastrophic brain injury after falling two feet and landing on her face while on vacation in Thailand
The couple’s travel insurance said it will not cover the incident because it believes Kylee (pictured with her grandson) had exceeded the covered BAC of 0.19.
A hotel guest performed first aid on Kylee as he waited 15 minutes for emergency services.
“She was actually bleeding from the head and ears. Her head hit the floor really hard, I’m told,” said Mr. Enwright.
As she stepped off the deck, her body fell into nothingness, with the full momentum of her body sending her face into the pavement below for the first time. Kylee was knocked unconscious instantly.”
She was rushed to a local hospital before being transported to a larger facility in Phuket, where Mr Enwright was told to prepay for life-saving brain surgery.
The staff demanded more than $20,000, but the operation went ahead after Mr. Enwright managed to scrape together nearly $13,000.
Since then, Ms. Enwright’s medical bills have skyrocketed to over $50,000, with another $5,000 added every day.
Their insurer reportedly used the couple’s bar tabs and CCTV footage to determine that the grandmother was over the covered alcohol limit of 0.19.
But Mrs. Enwright’s blood alcohol level was not tested.
‘Like most Australians, we bought travel insurance at the level of cover we thought would be adequate. We thought we had done everything right,” Mr Enwright said.
“I beg and pray that we can come together as a community and nation and help bring my wife and the mother/stepmother of my children home.”
Ms. Enwright’s (pictured) medical bills have skyrocketed above $50,000, with another $5,000 added every day
Kylee’s husband Paul (pictured together) wants to get her back to Australia as soon as possible, noting that her recovery is slower than doctors expected
The couple’s three adult children have all traveled to be with their mother in Thailand as the family struggles to find a way to bring her back to Australia.
Mr Enwright said he wants his wife back home as soon as possible, but the medical evacuation she needs will cost around $200,000.
“She can move her left arm and left leg. She can squeeze your hand. She hasn’t moved her right side much and they’re a little concerned that she’s not more alert now,” he said.
“We need to get her back to Australia and back into the Australian medical system where I think she can get the best care.”
