Our team settled a claim for a pedestrian who had been hit by a van travelling down the wrong way of a busy high street. This horrific collision caused life changing injuries to our client who was nearing retirement.
Our client was crossing the road when he was hit by a van and thrown backwards, landing on his back. Passersby immediately came to his aid until paramedics arrived and he was taken by air ambulance to hospital where he received life-saving treatment.
He sustained a head injury with scalp haematoma which thankfully resolved within 1 month, 4th – 11th rib fractures and a flail segment which is usually a life-threatening condition when part of the rib cage breaks off and detaches itself from the wall of the chest. Our client also suffered spinal L4 and L5 fractures and a serious pelvic fracture which left him with ongoing issues.
Our client had been living in a first-floor council owned flat at the time of the accident which made rehabilitation from a physical and psychological perspective very difficult. Our client planned to work for another 3 – 4 years before retirement, but this was prevented by the accident.
Allison Pepper, the solicitor dealing with this claim obtained medical evidence, which was positive, suggesting our client would be able to return to work eventually with the assistance of physiotherapy. The defendant’s insurers made very early offers in the claim which were initially rejected. We anticipated a report from an Occupational Therapist would be needed to confirm if our client would be able to reside at his first floor flat, or if he would need to relocate.
At the time of settlement our client was on a waiting list to be re-homed to a ground floor flat. It was anticipated that the council, who had placed him on a priority list, would relocate him in the near future, and our client was reluctant to move out of council owned property into privately rented housing. Bearing this in mind, the solicitor dealing with the claim had to take into consideration the cost of potential relocation, and either the cost of rental or purchase of a home if the council did not rehome him.
In order to support the claim for his injuries, medical reports were obtained from an Orthopaedic Surgeon and Psychologist. Our client expressed a desire to settle the claim sooner rather than later. Having sought advice from an experienced barrister it was felt the best course of action would be to make an offer to the defendant’s insurers to settle the claim, which included an amount for rehoming.
The defendants accepted our client’s offer, which meant our client was financially secure and could stay in council owned property if he so wished. Our client was very happy when his claim settled within 10 months for the sum of £250,000.
How can we help you?
We help lots of clients every year claim the compensation they deserve. This case study demonstrates how we have helped a client claim compensation for injury following a pedestrian accident. Please be aware that the compensation amounts depend on the client’s individual situation and experiences. To see how much your claim could be worth please contact us directly.
