Personal injury news

Car accident claims could have been made after road accident

A teenager who ran straight into the path of a police patrol car was high on ecstasy, an inquest heard.

Martin Barlow, 18, was knocked down by a police car in Bradshawgate on November 21, 2003, after running away from patrol car in Bolton town centre.

Had the police car lost control of the vehicle, more drivers could have been involved in the road accident and made car accident claims.

Mr Barlow, a production worker for a cake company, had been pointed out to police officers following an alleged argument with a doorman on a night out in Bolton.

Martin Hamer, a taxi driver said he saw Mr Barlow and his friend being chased up the road by the doorman and then saw one of the men jump out into the road and into the path of a police vehicle.

Mr Barlow allegedly suffered from serious personal injuries from the road accident and was pronounced dead at the Royal Bolton Hotel later that night.

Tests had shown that the teenager was three times over the legal drink-drive limit and had taken ecstasy before the road traffic accident. He also tested positive for cannabis.

Dr Gwen Ayers, a consultant biochemist at Manchester Royal Infirmary, said the drug could have made Mr Barlow feel invincible.

She said, "It's a hallucinogen. It alters your perception and you feel you could conquer the world, as if you're invincible."

The car accident could have been much worse if the police had driven out of control trying to avoid Mr Barlow, if more vehicles were involved in a car crash, there could have been possible car accident claims for the incident.