Widow praises Unite The Union’s support
A woman husband was killed in a bus crash in 2009 today thanked her late husband’s trade union for assisting her successful legal claim against the other driver’s insurers.
The late Peter Drury of Brinsworth, Rotherham, a career bus driver of some 37 years, was driving a double-decker bus at the time of the accident when the driver of a single-decker bus lost control, hitting a skip lorry which then collided head-on with Mr Drury’s bus. His widow, Mrs Brenda Drury, today said “The support from Unite the Union was very good. Peter loved his job and had been a union member for all of the time that he had been employed as a bus driver. After the accident, John Knight, the Unite The Union rep at Rotherham, got in touch with me and referred me to Jason London at Unite’s solicitors.”
“Jason was absolutely fantastic. He’s a really nice guy and you can’t fault him. He kept me up to date with absolutely everything on the case. The barrister, Stephen Friday, was very good as well,” said Mrs Drury. “No amount of money can bring my husband back. But considering all that’s happened with Pete and to me, I am happy with the settlement. It will help me pay my bills. But more than that, it’s helping me to get on with the important things in life, like my two daughters and my three grandchildren. Pete would have wanted me to focus on them, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
John Knight at Unite the Union said today “Peter had been a Shop Steward for over 17 years during his career. He was very loyal to the union; you could say of him that the union was close to his heart. And it was only fitting for the union to do what it could to help his widow when she most needed it, to give her some peace of mind. After the accident I spoke with Brenda on a regular basis about every aspect we could help her with. I think Unite’s support was valuable to her in that it took away some of her burdens so she could concentrate on looking after her family.”
Jason London, acting for Mrs Drury, today said “Mrs Drury agreed a substantial settlement with the other side’s insurers, even though the other driver was found to be not guilty of the criminal charges that were brought against him. John Knight at Unite the Union in Rotherham has been a valuable resource for dealing with any other payments Brenda was entitled to, such as death in service payment and the late Mr Drury’s pension payment, which the union would have offered advice on. The size of the settlement achieved in the civil proceedings will give some peace of mind to Brenda and her daughters for the future.”
Ends
For further information please contact Morrish Solicitors on 0113 2450733.
