A Montreal man says he is suing the city’s Ferrari dealership for more than $20 million after an explosion in the showroom left him horribly burned and in a medically induced coma for a month.
Richard Papazian and his wife, Isabelle Arcand, have filed suit in Superior Court in Montreal against the dealership and five of its employees including sales manager Jean-Daniel Bienvenue and owner Gad Bitton after the incident, which occurred on Aug. 7, 2024. The allegations have not been tested in court.
In an interview with National Post, Papazian said he has been stung by the lack of empathy shown by Bitton and the dealership.
“It’s been one hell of a battle,” he said. “But what the most disturbing issue is, is that Ferrari Quebec never reached out. They didn’t even send a box of chocolates.”
He added that he spoke to Bitton last April. “He offered me tickets to go see Formula One at a time when I could barely walk. And he also offered to sell me cars so I could resell them and make money.”
National Post reached out to Ferrari Quebec for comment. PR firm National Public Relations shared a statement from Ferrari Quebec that read in part: “Ferrari Québec is deeply affected by the events reported, and our thoughts are with the man who was seriously injured as well as his loved ones. The situation is extremely serious, and we sincerely hope for his recovery.”
It added: “We also wish to emphasize that current portrayals do not accurately reflect who Mr. Gad Bitton is. Those who know him understand that he is a deeply committed individual who has built his path through hard work and determination, and who places great importance on his responsibilities and on human relationships.”
The statement also notes: “Out of respect for all those involved and due to the ongoing legal process, we will not comment on the circumstances of the event. However, we wish to assure that we are fully cooperating with the relevant authorities so that all the facts may be established.”
According to the lawsuit, on July 25, 2022, Papazian gave Ferrari Quebec a $20,000 deposit toward the purchase of a Ferrari 296 GTS Fiorano.
“As an avid car enthusiast and invited guest of Ferrari Quebec, Richard frequently participated in both Ferrari track events and dealership activities,” the suit notes. “Richard regularly consulted with his sales representative … seeking to acquire older Ferraris available at Ferrari Quebec for his collection.”
However, Papazian later told the dealership that he had cooled on the 296 GTS model and wanted to explore other options. He was invited to Ferrari Quebec on Aug. 7, 2024, to do so.
The suit says he was shown several vehicles, including “a 2004 Ferrari 360 Pista Spider (the ‘Ferrari 360’) belonging to Mr. Luc Poirier, a well-known car collector.”
It adds: “Since the Ferrari 360 was conveniently present at the dealership, Bienvenue was eager to present it to Richard and, consistent with customary practices for high-performance sports cars, Bienvenue wanted to demonstrate the sound of its engine; the engine cover situated in the back of the Ferrari 360 had been left wide open and the keys were left inside the vehicle.”
The suit alleges that, without Poirier’s knowledge, the dealership had removed the fuel rail and injectors from the engine of the Ferrari 360 to use on another vehicle, “thus rendering the Ferrari 360 a dangerously compromised vehicle that had become a ticking time bomb.”
According to the suit, Bienvenue’s attempts to start the engine caused raw fuel to spill onto the floor, where Richard was standing on the passenger side. “At one point, the fuel and vapours ignited, causing an explosion and fire that engulfed Richard in flames.”
Papazian said there were three attempts to start the car. “And on the third attempt, the next thing I knew I had become a human torch.”
He said he has spoken to Poirier, a renowned businessman whose car collection is worth $50 million and includes the greatest number of Ferraris in Quebec.
“He’s very sympathetic for what happened,” Papazian said. “He got paid for his vehicle, and he didn’t know why his car blew up.
Photos shared with National Post show extensive burns on Papazian’s body. The suit says he suffered “life-threatening injuries resulting in second and third-degree burns covering 56% of his body and leaving him with permanent disabilities and psychological trauma.”
The suit says that before the explosion Papazian “was a highly active entrepreneur who pursued numerous personal and recreational interests, including travels, water sports, skiing, outdoor activities, photography, and oil painting.”
Papazian said much of that is gone now.
“Even driving. I’m driving a little bit now, but I don’t have the stamina to be able to drive for a long period of time. After 15, 20 minutes, I’m tired and I don’t want to drive any more.”
He said his own car collection is “down to two Porsches,” neither of which he can drive because his injuries prevent him from operating the clutch. “So the cars are just sitting in the garage. And I had a Ferrari I sold because I couldn’t stand looking at it.”
The suit notes: “Despite Richard’s explicit communication to Bitton and Bienvenue that he suffered severe PTSD from seeing any Ferrari in his garage, they made no effort to address and return the $20,000 deposit Richard had on a Ferrari 296 GTS Fiorano, callously retaining the deposit until this day.”
Papazian said he is doing his best to look at the positives.
“The hospital staff was amazing,” he said of the personnel at CHUM, the Montreal University Hospital Centre where he was taken after the accident. “I really think they saved my life. We always complain about the medical system, but it didn’t fail me.”
He added: “When I turned 66 years old, April 11, I woke up and I was doing the peace sign on both hands, and I was telling my wife, hey, I survived two years after the accident. So I was very happy to get to that milestone.
“But you get dealt a set of cards and you have to deal with it the way it is.”
The suit demands $800,000 for non-pecuniary damages; $10 million in punitive damages; $10 million in economic damages, and the return of the $20,000 deposit.
“I want justice,” Papazian told National Post. “I want some respect. I would really like to get my dignity back.”
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