PwC auditor, 28, launches £200000 lawsuit against firm after falling over drunk and suffering severe head injury ...

A PwC auditor has launched a £200,000 lawsuit against the firm after he suffered a severe head injury after 'excessive' pub golf drinking on a work night out. 

Michael Brockie is suing his employer after he was left in a coma when he fell on the night out in Reading in April 2019.

The 28-year-old ended up having part of his skull removed by doctors and spent six months off work recovering, although it is claimed he still has 'persistent cognitive symptoms'.

In his claim to the High Court, lawyers for the auditor say PwC should be held liable for the negligence of Simon Fradgley, the manager in the Reading office audit department who organised the event.

It is alleged Mr Fradgley 'failed to take reasonable care for the safety of co-workers' and pressured people into attending the event, which saw staff told to visit nine bars and pubs in the town.

The Financial Times reports court papers say those who attended were told to down pints in as few mouthfuls as possible - with the lowest scores being the winners - and it 'encouraged excessive consumption of alcohol'.

Michael Brockie (pictured), an auditor at PwC, had part of his skull removed after suffering a brain injury on a work night out

Mr Brockie (pictured) was left in a coman and spent months recovering after falling on a pub golf night out organised by one of his colleagues

Mr Brockie, who had been working as a senior associate - a role that pays on average £41,000-a-year - for the firm at the time, was found lying in the street after falling down.

He would spend months recovering from a 'moderate-severe brain injury' before going back to work part-time in October 2019.

Court documents state after the incident PwC cancelled the annual event. 

The firm has made attempts in recent years to crackdown on alcohol-related problems - in 2019 it banned people employees from drinking alcohol in the office unless it had been supplied by its in-house catering team and it was at a special event where this was permitted.

After his recovery Mr Brockie has continued to work for the company, and according to his LinkedIn page he was promoted to a manager position at the Reading office in January this year - a job that pays an average of £64,000-a-year.

Although he has no memory of the latter part of the night out, in court documents he claims a similar event the year before made a 'competitive virtue of excessive, rapid and prolonged consumption of alcohol'.

In documents filed to the High Court, Mr Brockie claims manager Simon Fradgley (pictured) 'failed to take reasonable care for the safety of co-workers'

He added that the invitation to the event from Mr Fradgley said only a 'certified and countersigned letter by an accredited medical practitioner' would be a good enough excuse not to come to the night out. 

PwC said: 'We are unable to comment on the specifics of a matter that is subject to ongoing legal proceedings.

'As a responsible employer we are committed to providing a safe, healthy and inclusive culture for all of our people. 

'We also expect anyone attending social events to be responsible and to ensure their own safety and that of others.'