A US jiu-jitsu student who was left paralysed from the neck down after a sparring session with his black-belt instructor has been awarded more than $56 million in damages, according to a report by the New York Post.
Catastrophic injury during sparring session
The incident occurred in 2018 at the Del Mar Jiu Jitsu Club in San Diego, where then-30-year-old Jack Greener, a beginner white belt, was sparring with his instructor, Francisco Iturralde, a 33-year-old second-degree black belt known by the nickname “Sinistro”.
Greener’s injuries were the result of a manoeuvre during the training session, which video footage later showed caused his neck to twist unnaturally. He was on all fours when Iturralde flipped him forward, forcing him face-down and compressing his neck.
“The black belt instructor did a technique that placed his entire body weight on Greener’s neck, causing him to instantly fall limp and lose all function of his limbs,” explained Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Rener Gracie, who testified as an expert witness during the case.
{{/usCountry}}“The black belt instructor did a technique that placed his entire body weight on Greener’s neck, causing him to instantly fall limp and lose all function of his limbs,” explained Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Rener Gracie, who testified as an expert witness during the case.
{{/usCountry}}The impact crushed Greener’s cervical vertebrae, rendering him a quadriplegic. He was hospitalised for months, suffering several strokes as a result of the trauma — all just weeks before he was scheduled to graduate from university.
Legal fight and landmark ruling
Greener filed a lawsuit against the jiu-jitsu studio, holding both the facility and Iturralde — who gained fame for his “dynamic, aggressive grappling style” — responsible for the life-altering injury.
As per the outlet, in 2023, a San Diego jury awarded Greener $46 million. The studio appealed the verdict, taking the case to the California Supreme Court, which this week declined to overturn the decision. A state appellate panel had previously affirmed the judgment late last year. With post-judgment interest, the total compensation has now surpassed $56 million, Greener’s legal team confirmed.
“The final appellate court’s ruling cements a critical legal victory not only for our client, but also for injured athletes across California by reaffirming that sports instructors and facilities may be held accountable when they unreasonably increase risks beyond those inherent in the sport,” said Rahul Ravipudi, one of Greener’s attorneys.
(Also read: Indian-origin student Bandna Bhatti paralysed after tragic fall at UC Berkeley: ‘She faces a difficult…')
Now a motivational speaker and mountain climber, Greener continues to inspire others while raising awareness about safety and accountability in sports training.