Roads are inherently dangerous places but, if disaster strikes, specialist lawyers can ensure that accident victims are properly compensated. In one case, solicitors representing a young man whose life was changed forever by a crash in which three of his friends died were able to secure multi-million-pound damages on his behalf.
The man was a rear-seat passenger in a car that crashed at up to 70mph into the back of a lorry parked in a trunk road layby. The other occupants of the car, his friends, were all killed. He suffered head injuries and brain damage which mean that he will never be able to lead a fully independent life.
His vision is so seriously impaired that he has been registered blind, and his short-term memory is so poor that he has difficulty recognising or remembering those close to him. He has problems concentrating, is prone to outbreaks of frustration and anger and still feels the loss of his friends keenly. He is at increased risk of developing epilepsy, and requires prompting to carry out the ordinary tasks of daily life.
After his family sought legal advice, the solicitors negotiated a financial settlement of his claim. The car driver's insurers admitted liability and agreed to pay a lump sum of just over £2.9 million, plus index-linked and tax-free sums of £75,000 a year to cover the costs of his care for life. The High Court approved the settlement.
