medical negligence.

Thomas Manfred Hofer, 33, was paralysed in 1994 after breaking his neck while allegedly under St. Brendan's Hospital care.

This week he filed a writ against the Bermuda Hospitals Board, claiming negligence and damages for injuries. He is also seeking costs for ongoing care.

Yesterday a Hospitals Board spokesman said: "The matter is in the hands of our lawyers and, therefore, we cannot comment.'' Mr. Hofer, a former chef in Bermuda, is being treated at a clinic in Bavaria, Germany, near his home town in Munich.