Personal injury advice from
Thompsons Solicitors
Whiplash Injury Claim for Bus Passenger
21st February 2011
A bus passenger injured due to the negligent actions of the driver received compensation recently, in a personal injury claim handled by our specialist lawyers.
Accident on Bus
Our client, a young man, was standing near to the front of the bus, holding onto the handrail provided. There was a stationary vehicle in front of the bus, waiting to make a turn, however the bus driver accelerated, which meant that he then had to brake unusually sharply to avoid colliding with it. This caused our client to be thrown forwards violently and his head struck the windscreen.
Some other passengers were also thrown forwards and the erratic actions of the driver were enough to draw the attention of a passing pedestrian, who went over to the bus to check if anyone was hurt.
Our client suffered whiplash injuries to his neck, shoulder and back, and a minor head injury, for which he had to attend hospital. The symptoms continued for several months and it was necessary for him to take a short period of absence from work.
Claim Against Bus Company
The injured passenger appointed our expert personal injury lawyers to assist him in making a claim for damages. In many cases it is not possible to pursue an injury claim if a passenger is thrown forward when a bus driver applies the brakes, as often they are acting correctly in order to avoid a collision. In this case however the driver had not kept a suitable braking distance from the vehicle in front and was not driving in a responsible manner.
It was necessary for us to pursue the matter to Court, as the bus company were unwilling to make a reasonable offer of compensation. We put forward details of the circumstances of the accident, including evidence from the independent witness. The incident also occurred at around school closing time in an area where lollipop ladies were on duty, so it was at a high risk location and time of day. Our client could not have taken any further action himself to prevent his injury, as he was already holding onto the handrail.
The Judge agreed that the driver was negligent and found in favour of our client, who was awarded compensation in respect of his personal injury.
Injury Claim Advice
If you suffer an injury as the result of an accident on a bus, or any other road accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
Contact The Legal Line on 0800 0328511, or by completing a claim enquiry form online, for cost-free accident claim advice from our expert lawyers.
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