Michael Matthews, who suffered severe brain injuries from a baseball bat attack during a New Year's Eve party on Mason Road in 2003, is suing the party hosts and guests.
Matthews was 19 years old when another guest at the party, Travis Tattrie, knocked him out with a two-handed blow to the head from a baseball bat. Tattrie pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced to 12 months in jail.
During Tattrie's sentencing hearing last May, the court heard that after the assault, the young partygoers entered into a pact of silence to hide the cause of Matthews' injuries. They drove Matthews to St. Mary's Hospital, but lied to the emergency room staff. Their first story was that they had picked up Matthews by the side of the road and did not know who he was. Later Tattrie told hospital staff Matthews had fallen and hit his head.
Matthews refused treatment and left the hospital, but his brain was still bleeding. Two days later his symptoms got much worse and he was rushed to hospital for emergency brain surgery.
The truth of the assault came out only when police began investigating after Matthews' family notified them of the injury.
Crown prosecutor Alison Crowe said the pact of silence delayed Matthews getting proper treatment.
"Mr. Matthews suffered a brain bleed for three days because none of the young people, who are actually adults in law, saw fit to give an honest and complete account of what happened," said Crowe in court.
Last week, Matthews said his recovery is going "all right," but he still suffers from dizziness and gets tired easily.
"I'm still on medication. The brain waves are not 100 per cent," said Matthews.
