An English postman who fell from the terrace of a pub after going out for a cigarette, and slipped into coma for a week, has now moved the court seeking one million pounds as compensation.

Matthew Long, 40, contends that the Old West Station pub in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, should have put up rails to stop customers, who were forced to go outside for a cigarette due to the smoking ban, from falling.

The incident took place in August last year, a month after the smoking ban came into force.

The members of his family have revealed that he was so brain-damaged that he even had to relearn his own name.

Its absolutely devastating for Matthew and the whole family. He smoked only ten cigarettes a day but he must be the worst victim of the smoking ban, British tabloid The Sun quoted him sister Clare Ratcliffe, 46, as saying.

If he hadn’t had to step outside to light up it would never have happened. It had been happy hour and Matthew had a few drinks but has no recollection of what happened, she added.

Source: Thaindian News.  Link