A Sydney council has agreed to pay 8 million dollars' compensation to a man left paralysed by a Christmas Day cliff dive if it's found liable for his injuries.
Serbian refugee Novak Vujanic had been in Australia only a few months when he visited Coogee beach in Sydney's east on Christmas Day 2003.
He was left a tetraplegic with no feeling below his shoulders after jumping from rocks into water less than a metre deep at Giles Baths.
The 22-year-old is suing Randwick City Council in the NSW Supreme Court for failing to erect adequate signs or conduct proper risk assessment of the area around the tidal rock pool.
His lawyer David Baran told the court today a risk assessor recommended more than a year before the accident that signs be erected at 100 metre intervals warning of the dangers of diving there.
He said one sign was put up at the main entrance in December 2002 but not at the western entrance to the beach.
Mr Baran said experts will also tell the court a lifeguard, physical barrier and large signs are needed in the area.
He told Justice Elizabeth Fullerton the council disputed it had a duty of care to Mr Vujanic but had agreed to pay $8 million if found liable.
Mr Baran said that'd be subject to any discount the judge might make for contributory negligence.
Mr Vujanic who requires an electric wheelchair was in court today.
The baths were redeveloped in 2002 as part of the Bali memorial site at Coogee's northern headland.
Justice Fullerton and counsel have gone to inspect the area.