£598,000 compensation for victim of road traffic accident
A man who had to have his leg amputated above the knee after a van knocked him off his motorcycle on the way to work received £598,000 in damages settlement.
The victim, a client of Morrish Solicitors, was riding to work in March 2004 when witnesses saw a van driver collide with him when the van turned right at a junction without pausing to check oncoming traffic.
In the months that followed, the van driver’s insurers continued to deny liability while the victim had to undergo an amputation above the knee, psychological trauma and loss of earnings. He has not been able to ride a motorcycle since the accident.
John Morrison of Morrish Solicitors said the insurers eventually conceded liability and £598,000 settlement was agreed through alternate dispute resolution meetings (ADR).
“We managed to get interim payments for our client, who needed to have his accommodation adapted for his injury. He has a disabled child and with his injury he was unable to help with the children in their existing home. Their new home is adapted to minimise the effect of his injury so he can play an active parenting role alongside his wife.”
“Our client was referred to us by Community, his Trade Union, who were very supportive throughout with his claim and liaised with his employers,” said Morrison. The victim’s employers also adapted their facility so that his injury did not pose a problem at work.
“It’s tempting to look at compensation amounts and think ‘Wow, that’s a lot of money for an injury’. But this is what it has cost for our client to be able pick up his life where it left off before the accident. That money has paid for adapted accommodation, his loss of earnings for the time he had to take off work, and the fact that some of his great passions – motorcycle riding, angling – are now a closed chapter for him. Many accident victims would rather not have the money. They just want to get on with life,” said Morrison.
The victim praised Morrish Solicitors’ service, saying “Through the most traumatic time of my life I found the support and guidance of John Morrison and Richard Rogerson invaluable. It meant I could get on with my rehabilitation, safe in the knowledge that my claim was in safe hands. I cannot speak highly enough about the help I received from Morrish Solicitors and Community.”
