Diet Coke bloke begins £4.1m lawsuit over mind harm claims on Chanel shoot

Chanel could be facing a huge lawsuit after a Diet Coke model claims he was left brain damaged after running into someone while on a shoot.

Andrew Cooper, 43, was working in Puglia, Italy at the time of the incident. He was working for the Chanel group’s Orlebar Brown, who make luxury beachwear.

He was working with other models plus a crew on a sandy beach. He was instructed to run down a sand dune while they filmed and photographed him. Upon his run, he collided with another model which left him concussed on the sand, according to Cooper.

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The model also worked as a popular social media influencer and previously found fame after appearing as a topless model in the 2013 Diet Coke advert. He claimed that the collision put a halt to all of his prestigious work, which included walking runways for brands such as Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Ralph Lauren.

In court, Cooper said he had to turn down work due to his injuries, which has left him out of pocket. He previously claimed to earn up to £280,000 a year, which has been halted due to injury.

Now, he is suing for £4.1million, which he feels will compensate his injury. Proceedings are taking place at the High Court in London.

Orlebar Brown denies any liability. The brand, who sells swimming trunks for around £395 a pair, was bought by the Chanel Group in 2018.

They claimed that “accidents happen without negligence,” through barrister John Williams.

After Cooper collided, he said he was left with post-concussion syndrome and a mild traumatic brain injury. He went on to explain that these conditions have altered his life significantly.

Cooper says he suffers anxiety, panic attacks and depression. Furthering this, he said he now has a balance disorder, which causes headaches and migraines.

Orlebar Brown, represented by barrister Arun Katyar, points the finger at the Tom Hingston Studio, who were working on the shoot. They say the shoot was carried out negligently.

They denied this, and said the models had been asked to undertake a “stunt of the kind James Bond would undertake.”

The results of the trial will be decided in the first half of next year, which will span over four days before a decision is made.

If Cooper is successful, another trial would be held to decide how much money he could be entitled to.

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