No win, no fee news
16/09/2010

Driver seeks seat collapse compensation

A bus driver who fractured a vertebra in a road accident has launched a claim for no-win, no-fee damages.

The 57-year-old man from Norwich was behind the wheel of his bus when his seat suddenly collapsed, causing the bus to career into the opposite lane. Fortunately, there was no oncoming traffic, which averted a potentially fatal crash. In another stroke of luck, the driver had only just dropped off all passengers.

The man's employer has admitted liability for the no-win, no-fee action; however they dispute the amount of injury compensation being sought.

The claimant's lawyer has described the bus operator as negligent and argues that there was a failure to ensure that the man's seat did not collapse, that proper safety inspections were not carried out and that previous warnings concerning the safety of drivers' seats were ignored.

It is also stated in the claimant's no-win, no-fee writ that he now suffers from chronic pain in his lower back and legs.

In total, the claimant's legal team is hoping to secure a settlement of accident compensation amounting to £250,000.