The claimant’s details have been changed but this is indeed a true case
Jason Claridge, Director and Personal Injury Solicitor at Ward & Rider Solicitors recently acted for Mr Z in connection with a road traffic accident. Mr Z at the time of the accident was a learner driver. The vehicle that he was in was struck from the rear by a 4 by 4 towing a trailer. Initially after the accident Mr Z was in an immense amount of pain through his neck and back. He also had a terrible headache and as a consequence an ambulance was called and he attended his local hospital. They diagnosed a whiplash injury to his neck and back as a result of this accident. At the time of the accident he was an apprentice mechanic. He had to have some time off work and when he returned to work he was on light duties. He had some sessions of physiotherapy and initially took some pain killers to assist him in terms of keeping his pain under control.
Matters were complicated a few months later when he was involved in a second accident in which he suffered similar injuries. We notified the defendants of the claim and they admitted liability.
The medical expert was asked to apportion what symptoms are attributable to which accident. We advanced the claim on the basis that his whiplash injuries to his neck and back would have troubled him for 18 months. During that period he claimed for the treatment he had from the physiotherapist, he claimed for the money spent on the pain killers, he claimed for a couple of weeks loss of earnings and he also claimed for some help and assistance provided to him by his parents as he was a teenager who had responsibilities at home at the time of the accident including the gardening and being responsible for tidying his own room which his Mum and Dad took over respectively.
There were a series of offers and counter offers. Ultimately, the defendants reached a sum of £9,303 after the insurers advised they had reached the limit of what they could offer but with the threat of a Stage 3 hearing, the solicitors instructed by the insurers increased their offer.
We acted under a Conditional Fee Agreement, commonly known as a no win, no fee agreement. Mr Z advised that at the time of concluding the case, as his partner was pregnant, they would use the compensation to prepare for the birth of his first child.
Ward & Rider Solicitors are prepared to act under a Conditional Fee Agreement for road traffic accidents, accidents at work, public liability claims and medical negligence claims.
