Woman paralysed during sex suing furniture company over 'defective bed'

Claire Busby tells London’s High Court she was 'catapulted' from the bed while changing position

Claire Busby, (left) outside the High Court in London, where she is suing Beds Are Uzzz, for seven-figure damages (PA)

A woman who was left paralysed during sex is suing a furniture company over a “defective bed”.

Claire Busby suffered a serious injury to her spine which left her paralysed. The 46-year-old claims she was “catapulted” from her king-sized bed while she performed a sex act on her partner John Marshall, 55.

Ms Busby, a beautician who lives in Surrey, has alleged that the bed was in a “defective state” and has launched a legal action against the Berkshire Bed Company, trading as Beds Are Uzzz, for £1m compensation over the August 2013 incident.

Ms Busby told London’s High Court she was “catapulted” from the bed while changing positions. She said the bed gave way and she fell off and landed on her head.

“I spun around, I put my hand down and then I felt like I was catapulted off the back of the bed," she said. “My head hit the floor, I fell to the side and then I heard like a spring in my body snap, it felt like.”

Mr Marshall told the court that at first he thought the accident was funny, before realising the seriousness of what had happened when Ms Busby was unable to get up from the bedroom floor.

“I didn’t see how she landed and at first I laughed, not realising that she had hurt herself. I was expecting her to get up and when she didn’t I laughed and said ‘get up’, but she said that she had hurt herself.

“When I got up to look over the end of the bed she was laying on her side with her arm underneath her and I thought that she had hurt her arm. She said she could not feel her arms and legs, I thought she was joking and I laughed. She told me again that she had hurt herself and to call an ambulance.”

Lawyers for Beds are Uzzz claim that the bed was properly assembled at the time of delivery and deny any liability for Ms Busby’s injuries.

The hearing continues.