Family receives over £100,000 compensation after being spun off the road

“Two years ago, our life changed as a result of a serious car accident”

A family of four were heading up north for a break when a 4x4 vehicle with a trailer crashed into them at 70mph.

“I remember looking in the rear view mirror and seeing a flash of black and I thought in my head “we’re going to be hit”.

“My husband told me I screamed and the next minute the car hit us and we hit the lorry in front. The driver had tried to swerve but our car went up in the air, the trailer hit us and I remember spinning around.

“It was like slow motion and I remember looking at my husband and seeing glass flying everywhere. As soon as we stopped, he jumped out the car and I can only describe it like a super hero moment. He pulled our daughter and son out the car – they were only four and six at the time - and my daughter was unconscious. He laid them both at the verge. I managed to get my door open but fell to the ground as my right side was in a lot of pain.”

Two nurses were in one of the passing cars and came running to help. They gave first aid to the family until the police and fire brigade came to the scene. They were escorted to Ninewell’s hospital where they were all treated.

Car insurers recommend second-rate company for injury compensation

The family initially contacted their car insurance company who recommended they speak with a company who later went into administration.

“We looked at their reviews and they were horrendous. My friend was being supported by Digby Brown and after looking at their reviews we decided to get in touch.”

When people decide to go ahead with the company their car insurers recommend, it can be near impossible to switch to another legal firm later down the line.

“We heard the advert about people not being able to switch after going with their insurers’ solicitors and we must say we have spoken to people that went elsewhere and had a less desirable outcome.”

Amazing every step of the way

Our legal team in Edinburgh lodged an injury claim against the driver on behalf of the family, which included arranging examinations by surgeons to determine the extent of the injuries and the impact on the family.

As they were going on holiday at the time, a lot of their belongings were in the car and were destroyed in the accident. The car was written off as well, which they only bought a year before.

“Digby Brown were absolutely brilliant, they were there for us every step of the way. No stone was left unturned, they looked into everything and the medical care arranged for us was excellent. There were no delays - everything was immediate and we were kept informed all the way through.”

Helping six-year old get over the car accident

Their son was unscathed by the accident but their six year old daughter suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She was knocked unconscious in the crash and didn’t understand how she could have been injured when she was sleeping.

“The biggest impact was her behaviour. She was scared to get into a car, she began getting angry or upset for no reason and can’t tell you why. She had nightmares and wet the bed after the accident and just generally struggled to process anything.

“Digby Brown arranged for six months of art therapy for my daughter which really helped her get over the accident and move forward.

“One of the biggest things for us was mentally getting through what had happened and trying to reduce the impact on the children. We both had cognitive therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) along with physiotherapy which helped.”

Injury compensation for what family went through

Our Edinburgh office secured over £113,000 to compensate the family for what they went through after the car accident.

“Two years ago, our life changed as a result of a serious car accident and Digby Brown’s care for us was second to none and the end result has been beneficial to us all.

“I can't thank Digby Brown enough for their support during this time.”