Marcus Hunefalk-Franzen, a 60-year-old actor and fortune teller, is currently suing the Vue cinema chain for about $17 million. He claims a faulty seat at a London location in September 2015 ruined his future.
As reported by Dexerto, the incident happened after a matinee screening in Islington. According to court documents, the chair suddenly collapsed as he stood up, which sent him flying into the seat in front of him. It turns out the bolts meant to hold the chair to the floor were missing, which essentially turned the furniture into a trap. This event has led to an 11-year legal struggle that is still ongoing.
Mr. Hunefalk-Franzen says the fall left him with chronic neck and back pain, along with issues involving his hearing, taste, and smell. He argues that these injuries derailed his career as a tarot reader and actor. Specifically, he claims he was in the middle of building an online psychic empire called MyPsychicEye. He believes this platform would have earned over $1 million annually and could have been sold for $3 million upon his retirement.
He is now asking for around $17 million
The financial demands in this case have shifted quite a bit over the years. Initially, he sought £50,000 in compensation, which later jumped to £200,000. Now, the total claim has ballooned to £12.7 million, or roughly $17 million. His list of requested damages is quite specific, including over £12,000 for past holidays he describes as respite travel and thousands of pounds to cover a 15-year supply of orthopedic shoes.
Vue has admitted liability for the incident, but the cinema chain strongly disagrees with the massive payout he is asking for. Lawyers for the company previously argued that the claim is actually worth between £8,000 and £12,500.
They have pointed to his medical history as a reason to challenge the extent of his injuries. The defense claims that he had a history of neck pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome dating back to 2008 and 2009. They also highlighted that he had a brain injury back in 2004, though he claims he had recovered by 2013.
A pre-trial hearing in 2024 took place before Judge Yvette Genn, and the case recently appeared before Judge Alan Saggarson. It now looks like the trial will not happen until the end of 2027, which would be 12 years after the accident.
Judge Saggarson noted that the claimant is representing himself and faces difficulties with his cognitive ability and concentration. During the hearing, the judge refused to allow a revised report from a pain expert because the deadline for filing had passed. He emphasized that people representing themselves do not get special treatment, noting that the court must avoid what he called two-tier justice.
Published: Nov 8, 2026 06:00 am