"Chouinard has no memory of the accident..."

The manufacturer's attorneys will jump on this and argue that this incident was a result of Chouinard's negligence, and that he did not exercise due care, and Chouinard cannot dispute this because he does not remember. They will have a slew of engineers, government regulators, and industry experts prepared to testify that the equipment is safe when operated in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, and of course Chouinard cannot credibly claim that he was following those instructions. 

I feel bad for the guy but suspect he will only get a fraction of what he is asking for. They might cover his medical bills and a bit more to avoid the cost of litigation and the risk of a judgment, if he's lucky.