Dundee solicitors secure £35,000 for injured woman

Miss M badly fractured her shoulder after she tripped over a protruding gas valve from a drain cover causing her to fall.

“I was walking to the shops with my daughter when I tripped over. I couldn’t get up, it was terrible. I had to get an ambulance and they gave me gas and air – I was squealing with the pain.”

“I’ve not been able to do anything since the accident”

“My whole arm was black and blue from the fall and I had to wear a sling – I couldn’t do anything.

“It impacted on everything – I’ve not been able to do anything that I used to do before the fall. I used to take the dog out EVERY day but I can’t do anything like that now. It starts to get to you and pull you down.”

“It was horrifying seeing my mum like that”

“It was horrifying. One minute we were talking and the next minute she was on the ground. She was really upset after it happened and her whole arm was totally black from all the bruising, it wasn’t nice to see at all."

Dundee solicitors at Digby Brown

Miss M decided to get in touch with Digby Brown Solicitors after a family member recommended the firm.

Euan Robertson, specialist personal injury solicitor in the Digby Brown Dundee office, pursued a claim on their behalf.

“It was the first time I made a claim so I didn’t know where to turn to or what to expect. My case was passed to Euan Robertson in the Dundee office and he was excellent.”

Difficulties establishing who was at fault for the accident

Establishing who was responsible for the drain cover, and therefore liable to compensate Miss M, was not straightforward.

After investigations, it was unearthed that Scottish Gas were responsible for the valve but the Local Authority were responsible for inspecting the valve and reporting any defects.

However, the council had carried out an annual inspection less than 12 months beforehand and noted no defects, and therefore claimed they were not legally responsible. In the end, Scottish Gas admitted liability for causing the accident.

Dundee solicitors help with recovery

As part of the process, our solicitors arranged for Miss M to be examined by a medical expert to understand the extent of her injuries and how likely she was to fully recover.

They also arranged for the insurer to pay for private physiotherapy to help Miss M get back on her feet.

However, after physiotherapy it became clear that she wouldn’t recover in line with the original prognosis in the medical report and needed to be re-examined.

They concluded that the residual pain, stiffness and weakness in Miss M’s right shoulder and arm is unlikely to ever fully go way.

Fully preparing case meant maximum compensation

By fully preparing the case, our Dundee office secured a final settlement of £35,000 for Miss M, after negotiating with the insurer.

Miss M said: “It was a very good service, 100%. I can’t fault Digby Brown or thank Euan enough. I was over the moon with what I got.”

Miss M’s daughter added: “Euan did everything he could to get my mum the best outcome. Digby Brown were absolutely tremendous – I would recommend them to anybody.”