Jury Awards Over $46 Million To Man Paralyzed In Jiu-Jitsu Lesson In Del Mar

By Debbie L. Sklar, Times of San Diego

March 30, 2023

A man who sustained a spinal cord injury during a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lesson in Del Mar that rendered him a quadriplegic was awarded over $46 million by a San Diego civil jury this week.

Attorneys for Jack Greener alleged that on Nov. 29, 2018, he was a beginner 23-year-old student at Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club.

In his lawsuit against the club, the complaint states that he was paired with instructor Francisco Iturralde, a second-degree black belt, who placed Greener in a position that put his entire body weight upon Greener and crushed his cervical vertebrae, paralyzing him.

Attorneys say Greener was hospitalized for several months and suffered multiple strokes, among a series of other ailments.

His attorneys say he was weeks away from graduating from college and was starting a career as a professional surf instructor when he was paralyzed.

The jury deliberated for two days before returning its verdict on Tuesday, which awarded Greener $637,959 for loss of past and future earnings, $1,337,153.23 for past medical expenses, $8,500,000 for future medical expenses, $11,000,000 for past pain and suffering, and $25,000,000 for future pain and suffering.

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