Clyde & Co has secured a complete defence verdict for McLaren Automotive Events in a £20m personal injury claim brought under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.

The High Court ruling in Andrew Cannestra v McLaren Automotive Events Limited saw the dismissal of all claims brought by a Florida-based neurosurgeon, who alleged he was injured during a snowmobile excursion in Lapland, Finland. The trip formed part of a McLaren-hosted ice-driving event. The claimant argued that inadequate instruction led to a high-speed crash that ended his medical career.

Following an eight-day trial, the court found the accident was caused solely by the claimant’s own misuse of the throttle. Mr Justice Ritchie accepted that McLaren’s instructors had provided appropriate guidance and were operating within Finnish safety standards. The claim was dismissed in its entirety, with the judge describing the claimant’s version of events as implausible.

Clyde & Co’s defence, led by partner Craig Evans and senior associate Thomas Byrne, was underpinned by detailed technical analysis and jurisdiction-specific evidence. Key to the case was the testimony of McLaren’s snowmobile accident reconstruction expert, who had extensive experience in Canada, and input from Finland’s Safety and Chemicals Agency, TUKES, confirming full compliance with local safety requirements.

The claimant’s own expert, based in the UK, had no direct experience of snowmobiling or Finnish standards, which the court found significantly undermined the case.

“This judgment sends a clear message to insurers and their clients,” said Evans. “When local regulations are followed and proper guidance is given, liability for user-driven accidents can be robustly defended.”

The ruling provides reassurance to insurers, tour operators and TPAs managing cross-border claims. It reinforces the principle that local standard compliance, when properly evidenced, can form a full defence even in high-value and high-risk contexts.

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