Brit soldier's fight for life after Thailand holiday fall as medical bills rise to £75k
Liam Gibson, 21, fell at the Na Muang Waterfall 2 in the Ko Samui District area of Thailand on April 12. He spent two hours waiting for a rescue operation and then five hours having life-saving surgery that left him bleeding out
A British soldier is facing a mountain of medical bills despite having insurance after a terrifying accident while on holiday in Thailand.
Liam Gibson, from Hartlepool, was taking in the stunning views at the Na Muang Waterfall 2 in Koh Samui District when disaster struck on April 12. The 21-year-old lost his footing and his subsequent fall left him fighting for his life as he lay "bleeding out" for a harrowing two hours before rescue teams arrived.
Five hours later, Liam underwent life-saving surgery at a local hospital, where his girlfriend Lucy was confronted with a card machine to pay for the treatment. The total bill has now spiralled to a staggering £75,000.
However, Liam was dealt a devastating blow when his insurance company rejected his claim, stating that he had put himself "in needless danger".
The young soldier's injuries were severe: a shattered femur, broken arm, shattered left hand, eye socket, cheekbone, nose and skull.
Now back in the UK after a repatriation flight, Liam is facing financial hardship as his insurance company has refused to pay the full amount of his policy, leaving him to foot the bill for his treatment.
The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) serviceman told the Mirror: "The day of the accident, we got to the hospital. The next morning, my girlfriend spoke to the insurance company and said what had happened, she went through the emergency medical side of it. My mum flew out to help with that."
"We gave them all the information they needed on days one and two. It took three weeks for them to make a decision, I was stuck in the hospital for three weeks, running up the bills.
"Some days were up to £1,600, the day of the surgery, one was £13,000, another was £22,000. In my eyes, it was a case of me getting fit to fly and coming home straight away.
"At the time, I thought the insurance was paying for it, obviously if I knew it was me paying for it, that's even more of a reason I couldn't afford to stay there."
Now recuperating at home, he detailed the flight costs which soared from £35,000 to £37,500 due to an additional medic.
He revealed: "The insurance decided out of the kindness of their heart, they'd cover £50,000, so I've had to fork out £25,000, for the medical bills. That was totalling £75,000 when I left."
Liam explained that when the payout was offered, he immediately accepted as he felt he had "no choice" due to the unavailability of £75,000.
With medical expenses piling up, Liam's girlfriend resorted to creating a GoFundMe page to help alleviate the financial burden. According to Liam, this was a last-ditch effort.
He said that his insurance company had denied his claim, alleging that he had engaged in deliberate or harmful actions. Liam strongly disagreed, labelling the decision "ridiculous". He pointed out that the policy did not explicitly outline what constituted acceptable, safe, or unsafe footwear.
An email from his insurance provider, Admiral, obtained by the Mirror, indicated that they were unable to process Liam's claim. The insurance company maintained that he had participated in a "reckless act", which they defined as "putting yourself in needless danger" or "failing to follow recommended safety precautions" during excursions.
Like many tourists visiting the waterfall, Liam wore sliders due to the sweltering heat and humidity in the resort. During his time in Thailand, Liam attempted to contact the British Embassy and Consulate but encountered difficulties in speaking with a human representative, instead being directed to an automated operator.
Reflecting on his GoFundMe campaign, Liam stated: "It was pretty much a last-ditch effort to get what we can."
Since his return to the UK, local MP Jonathan Brash has expressed his disappointment with Admiral, the insurance company.
Liam said the MP visited him in hospital and is writing a letter to the insurance company in an attempt to change their decision.
Liam has since challenged Admiral's decision and is ready to take his case to the ombudsman if necessary. Reflecting on his fall, which occurred just over two months ago, Liam recalls most of the horrifying incident, including the moment he went over the edge.
However, he doesn't remember his descent.
Liam was taking a photo of the scenery when he lost his footing and began to tumble down the slope. He didn't fall all the way but landed on "a bit of rock sticking out halfway down."
His girlfriend had previously told the Mirror that if he had fallen any further, he would have "died on the spot."
Locals and medics have since told Liam he's "lucky to be alive" after his tumble in a spot they ominously call the "Taker of Young Souls."
In Thailand, Liam underwent three surgeries, including one on his eye that unfortunately failed, and an urgent operation on his skull. "We got back and surgeons here did X-rays, they found that the titanium mesh under my eye was slipping, my eyeball was slipping right down behind my cheekbone," he explained, revealing the dire situation that was causing him to "go blind" in that eye.
Now, he's recuperating at home, undergoing physiotherapy and consulting with medical professionals.
When contacted, Admiral Insurance expressed their regret over Liam's predicament, acknowledging that the outcome of his insurance claim might not have been as anticipated.
A spokesperson said: "We're really sorry to hear about the injuries he has suffered and as a gesture of goodwill, we made an offer of an ex gratia payment of £50,000 to assist with medical costs and his return home.
"Mr Gibson accepted this and asked us to pay this directly to the hospital towards the medical costs incurred, which we are in the process of doing. To assess his claim, we conducted a thorough review, including a site investigation, due to the limited information Mr Gibson and his girlfriend initially provided.
"Based on the investigation and the statements provided by both of them, we understand Mr Gibson was injured while climbing the Na Muang waterfall and taking a photograph at the top of the waterfall, despite multiple warning signs of the dangers of slipping or falling due to the terrain and slippery rocks. The information provided to us included Mr Gibson confirming that he wasn't wearing appropriate footwear, given the dangerous nature of the site."
The spokesperson revealed that a scout was sent to the waterfall site to check if there were enough warnings for visitors about potential dangers. The agent came back with pictures showing clear signage along the route to the falls, warning against risky activities like walking, climbing, jumping or diving, and even had emergency contact numbers on display.
"We carefully considered all of the information, including Mr Gibson's account of the incident, the investigator's insights, including photographs of the site, the surrounding warning signs and the information available online about the site," they explained.
The spokesperson further noted: "Taking all this into account and given the foreseeable risk and the nature of his actions, which fall under our policy's exclusions for reckless acts, we were unable to cover his claim."