London fortune teller was allegedly thrown from his seat, then he sued the theater millions to help cover past vacations and 15 years of shoes
He probably did not predict the lawsuit would last this long.
A fortune teller, who specializes in tarot reading, has slapped the Islington, London, location of the cinema chain Vue with a lawsuit after he was allegedly left with injuries when he was “catapulted” from a “dangerously defective” seat. Now, 60-year-old Marcus Hunefalk-Franzen is seeking over $17 million in restitution, which reportedly includes compensation for shoes and past vacations.
The incident occurred in September 2015, when Hunefalk-Franzen was getting up from his seat after a screening and was allegedly launched forward onto another seat, the Central London County Court heard, per The Independent. According to court documents, the bolts securing the seat to the floor were missing, causing it to overturn. Hunefalk-Franzen described the incident as a “trap” for him, alleging that the cinema staff were at fault for their “negligent removal of safety bolts.”
Hunefalk-Franzen claimed that, as a result, his senses of taste, smell, and hearing were impaired, and he also suffered from chronic back and neck pain afterward. In his lawsuit, he argued that these injuries caused him to lose acting opportunities and negatively impacted his earnings as a fortune teller.
Fortune teller’s business plans supposedly foiled
Hunefalk-Franzen initially sought around $67,000 in damages from Vue before he increased it to $268,000. However, the amount has soared into the millions, as the case remains unresolved and has yet to go to trial 11 years after the incident.
According to Hunefalk-Franzen’s lawsuit, he had planned to launch an “online psychic platform” called “MyPsychicEye” before the incident, which he argued would have earned him around $2 million per year and would eventually be sold for $4 million. His lawsuit also included demands for the cinema chain to cover thousands of dollars’ worth of a 15-year supply of orthopedic shoes, as well as around $16,000 for his past vacations, which he labeled as “respite travel.”
“The claimant fell to the floor. By reason thereof, he has suffered personal injury, loss, and damage,” the lawsuit said. “The circumstances speak for themselves.”
Vue denies $17 million claim
Vue’s barrister, David White, said the company accepts liability for the incident involving Hunefalk-Franzen. However, it strongly disputes the 60-year-old’s $17 million claim, arguing that the damages were worth around $10,000 to $16,000 only.
White also challenged Hunefalk-Franzen’s medical history, arguing that the injuries he claims in the lawsuit predated the incident. According to White, Hunefalk-Franzen also did not immediately report experiencing the symptoms he mentioned after the accident.
“A review of the claimant’s pre-accident medical records […] identified a significant pre-existing history of symptoms including fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome dating back to 2008 and neck pain dating back to 2009,” the barrister said.
On the other hand, the case will remain in limbo for another year. A trial date has yet to be set and is not expected to be scheduled until the end of 2027—12 years after the incident.
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