Compensation for ex soldier injured in a collision on a country lane

We have secured substantial damages of £200,000 for a young man injured in a road traffic accident on a bend in a country lane in Dorset.

Liability was not admitted straightaway as the driver was prosecuted for careless driving and then advanced a case in the criminal proceedings that his vehicle was defective. However, the evidence in the police report looked favourable for our client on the basis of the damage caused to his vehicle and the positioning of the two cars.

The claimant had recently come out of the army and had almost completed a boat building course when the accident happened. Because of the nature of his injuries, particularly to his knee and back, he was unable to return to his course because he would not have been able to work as a boat builder in the future. He then struggled to cope with a series of jobs requiring prolonged lifting, kneeling, crouching and crawling into confined spaces. To his credit, he tried hard to find employment even if, sometimes, it was unsuitable because of the strenuous type of work involved.

Although his medical expert could not say he was disabled within the meaning of the Equality Act, it was suggested he would struggle with manual work, the only work he knew, as it would aggravate his injuries. It was also suggested he might have to retire early.

The case was settled shortly after issuing proceedings on the strength of the claimant’s medical evidence alone.

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