Moray car crash victim left disadvantaged in the labour market

Mr B was injured in a car crash in Moray on a rural road one summer. 

He was travelling as a front seat passenger with a work colleague when a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction crossed the centre line and collided head on with their car.

He sustained a fractured vertebrae and an injury to his bowel and was required to wear a back brace for several months.

Digby Brown Inverness office persuaded the Insurers for the other driver to admit responsibility for causing the car crash and were able to help arrange specialist private physiotherapy treatment straight away for Mr B, aiding his recovery.

Mr B worked as a valeter at a car garage and was unable to work for nearly 6 months. When he stopped receiving Statutory Sick Pay, Digby Brown Inverness acted quickly and raised court proceedings to obtain an interim payment to help him financially whilst his case was ongoing. 

Digby Brown considered that there were several heads of claim that Mr B was entitled to recover compensation for: 
•    his pain and suffering
•    his wage loss
•    services in terms of the help and assistance his family provided him whilst he was injured
•    the inconvenience the accident caused him 
•    ‘Disadvantage in the Labour Market’

Whilst Mr B’s symptoms had improved since the accident, it was clear he was going to be left in discomfort and he would still struggle in a very labour intensive occupation. 

The Surgeon stated if Mr B became unemployed at a later stage in his life, he would find it harder to find another job because of his significant back injury. 

Shortly after raising court proceedings, the other drivers insurers solicitors lodged a compensation offer with the court for the sum of £30,000. However, this was rejected. 

Our Inverness solicitors were willing to proceed to court in order to recover a fair settlement as they were convinced that they had the necessary evidence to do so.

Shortly before the court case, they met with the other drivers insurer’s solicitor for face-to-face negotiation and secured a settlement of £45,000 for Mr B - an additional £15,000.