Andrew Ward achieves personal injury settlement of £638,000

February 23, 2015

Andrew Ward has achieved a settlement of £638,000 on behalf of an injured motorcyclist who lost an eye and suffered moderate brain and orthopaedic injuries following a road traffic accident.

The claimant (“GN”) struck the nearside of a Land Rover that pulled across a road on the first leg of a three-point turn. Primary liability was admitted. Contributory negligence remained live. During Magistrates’ Court proceedings in which the defendant was convicted, a joint accident reconstruction report estimated GN’s speed at between 36 and 45mph when he began to brake; and stated that if GN had travelled within the speed limit of 30mph, he could have avoided the collision.

The case required careful analysis of a time-limited settlement offer from the defendant’s insurer. Andrew considered that this offer reflected the high water-mark of GN’s case given that he had capacity to conduct litigation and to manage his financial affairs; had a strong residual earnings capacity as shown by his return to work within ten months of the accident; had limited care needs; and faced a potential risk of a finding of contributory negligence.

Andrew added that: “It was pleasing to work as a team with Gerard Horton of Fletchers Solicitors who arranged for the preparation of GN’s neuropsychological expert report to be expedited so that the up-to-date picture regarding GN’s modest cognitive deficits could be considered”.

Andrew Ward is recommended in the Legal 500 (2014 Edition) as “a strong team player who represents claimants and defendants”.