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Schoolboy Knocked Down By Bus Awarded Compensation Settlement

A young man who was stricken by a severe personality disorder after being knocked down and catastrophically injured by a bus when he was an 11-year-old schoolboy has been awarded millions of pounds in compensation by the High Court.

The 24-year-old suffered a brain injury in the collision which rendered him incapable of independent living and in need of 24-hour care. The accident triggered serious behavioural problems that plunged him into a cycle of drug and alcohol abuse and his disruptive behaviour had brought him into frequent contact with the police.

He had a history of absconding from institutions where he was being cared for and falling under the influence of unscrupulous drug dealers and others. He had for a time been compulsorily detained in a mental hospital and was in the habit of spending all his money on drugs and alcohol. Whilst disputing the amount of damages payable, the bus company conceded 70 per cent liability for the accident.

The Court found that the man's personality disorder and his need for around-the-clock care arose directly from his brain injury. His compensation award includes £140,000 for his pain, suffering and loss of amenity and further substantial sums for his lost earnings and to cover the costs of his accommodation and future care. Although the award is bound to be worth several million pounds over the man's lifetime, the exact figures have yet to be calculated.

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