Country club golf pro sues family friend after face ‘permanently disfigured' by ‘careless' swing

Independent

23-05-2025

A Texas oil-and-gas executive taking a golf lesson failed to ensure the surrounding area was clear before 'negligently' swinging his club directly into the instructor's face, necessitating emergency reconstructive surgery and resulting in 'permanent disfigurement,' according to an eye-popping negligence lawsuit obtained by The Independent.
Houston resident Youssef Abbad El Andaloussi took a cut at the ball 'without checking his surroundings,' causing traveling pro Mohammad Mohseni Goudarzi – who was standing nearby 'in a vulnerable position' at the country club – to suffer 'multiple facial bone fractures,' Goudarzi's complaint states. It says he later developed serious infections, 'and is expected to require further surgeries and ongoing rehabilitative care.'
Goudarzi, who is now seeking seven-figures in damages, says El Andaloussi's 'careless act' not only shattered his face but has also caused him severe 'emotional trauma.'
El Andaloussi's wife, Azi Mohseni, is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit, which was filed May 20 in Harris County District Court. She 'left voice messages apologizing for her husband's conduct, and later apologized directly to [Goudarzi's] mother,' a family friend, according to Goudarzi's complaint.
'However,' it contends, 'neither she nor [El Andaloussi] agreed to compensate [Goudarzi] for his injuries or medical expenses.'
In an email, Goudarzi's attorney, Mahsa Monshizadegan, told The Independent, 'As this case is now pending before the court, we are not making any public comments at this time.'
El Andaloussi and wife Azi Mohseni did not respond on Thursday to requests for comment.
While it may sound counterintuitive, golfers in fact have a higher injury rate than that of rugby, hockey and baseball players. A New Jersey man who took a golf club to the side of the head in 2001 suffered a traumatic brain injury that affected his ability to walk and talk, erased his short-term memory and left him almost completely unable to regulate his emotions.
A paper published last year in the South African Medical Journal laid out the reasons why getting hit in the head with a golf club, while rare, can be so deleterious. For one, the club head's leading edge imparts a tremendous amount of force to a very small surface area, 'resulting in more severe damage to the skull,' it explained. The 'injury pattern' caused by a golf club is also especially destructive, and the 'soil-contaminated' surface of the club head significantly increases the risk of sepsis.
The Iranian-born Goudarzi lives in Bolivia and teaches in various countries, according to his bio for a Canadian golf academy run by his former coach. El Andaloussi is a Moroccan native whose LinkedIn profile says he is an exec at Schlumberger, an energy compnay.
On December 27, 2024, Goudarzi 'informally agreed, as a family favor, to instruct… El Andaloussi, on basic golf techniques,' his complaint states. It says the lesson took place at the BlackHorse Golf Club, an upscale public-private course located in the Houston suburbs.
BlackHorse, which features one members-only 18-hole course alongside a second 18-hole course open to the public, describes itself as 'a perfect blend of lively gatherings and serene moments.'
'Whether you're looking for social interactions or relaxation, dining or recreation, this active and fun Northwest Houston golf club community offers endless opportunities for enjoyment,' the club's website tells prospective guests.
However, things went quite differently the day Goudarzi and El Andaloussi were there.
'During the instruction, [El Andaloussi] negligently swung a golf club without checking his surroundings or confirming [Goudarzi's] position,' Goudarzi's complaint alleges. '[El Andaloussi's] careless act resulted in the club striking [Goudarzi's] face, causing severe trauma and multiple facial bone fractures.'
In the immediate aftermath, the complaint says BlackHorse employees tried to call an ambulance for Goudarzi. But, it continues, El Andaloussi 'declined this assistance and assured them that he would transport [Goudarzi] to the emergency room.'
Once El Andaloussi dropped Goudarzi at the Emergency Room, he 'ceased communication with [him] altogether,' the complaint goes on.
'Thereafter… Mohseni took over all communication with [Goudarzi] and instructed him not to contact her husband due to his work obligations,' the complaint states.
Mohseni then referred Goudarzi to an area physician who introduced himself as a specialist in facial injuries, according to the complaint. It says he ordered an X-ray of Goudarzi's face, and 'erroneously informed' him that nothing was broken and that 'no further treatment was required.'
'He further instructed [Goudarzi] to only rest,' the complaint maintains.
Goudarzi's condition continued to worsen, but, due to his 'unfamiliarity with the U.S. healthcare system,' he called a doctor in Bolivia for a second opinion, according to the complaint. The complaint says he told Goudarzi to immediately get an MRI, which revealed 'multiple facial fractures,' contradicting entirely the original doctor's diagnosis.
Yet, the complaint alleges, when Goudarzi went back to him with this information, the local doctor 'informed [Goudarzi] that he was not, in fact, a specialist in facial trauma and advised him to seek further treatment elsewhere.'
This 'misdirection' resulted in an 8- to 10-day holdup in Goudarzi obtaining proper medical care, according to the complaint. But because Goudarzi was uninsured and lacked adequate funds to pay a doctor out-of-pocket, he went to a public hospital in Houston where additional MRIs were performed, the complaint states.
There, 'it was determined that the fractures had worsened since the last MRI,' and that Goudarzi 'had developed infections due to the treatment delay,' the complaint asserts. It says he has since 'required emergency reconstructive surgery and is expected to require further surgeries and ongoing rehabilitative care.'
Mohseni told Goudarzi and his mom that she was sorry about what had happened, but never offered to help him with his medical bills, according to the complaint. Rather, Mohseni's sole piece of assistance was referring Goudarzi to a doctor 'who misdiagnosed his injuries,' the complaint states.
El Andaloussi, for his part, 'continues to refuse all contact and has failed to provide any compensation' for Goudarzi's 'substantial physical, emotional, and financial damages,' according to the complaint.
Goudarzi's complaint says his current situation is the 'direct and foreseeable result' of El Andaloussi's 'acts and omissions,' leading to, among other things, a 'diminished quality of life, loss of earnings, and substantial past and future medical expenses.'
He is demanding a jury trial and damages of at least $1 million.