Mike suffered injury in a road traffic accident in January 2003 when a van pulled out in front of him. He suffered a whiplash injury to his neck and was off work for a month. On returning to work he avoided the heavier aspects of his work for a few months. In November 2003 he was involved in another accident. He was struck from behind and pushed into the car in front.
Mike instructed Barratts to deal with the first accident but through his legal expense insurers he was referred to a panel solicitor to deal with the second accident. The two claims were therefore operated separately until the panel solicitors asked Barratts to take over conduct of the second claim.
Mike continued to suffer symptoms in his neck and shoulder which were still troubling him more than 2 years after the first accident and were therefore thought to be likely to be permanent. This did not interfere with any activities of daily living or Mike's work but it did restrict him as to decorating and undertaking heavier DIY work.
There was an issue between medical experts as to which accident caused the most significant problems and indeed whether any prior accidents suffered by Mike had contributed to the ongoing problems.
The trial in relation to the first accident took place in October 2006. Mike received damages for his injuries in the sum of £7500 and £5970 for his financial losses. Compensation for the second accident had been negotiated with the Defendants prior to the trial in the sum of £6500 for the injury and £2000 for financial losses.
Legal Press
Barratts are named again as one of the UK's leading regional law firms specialising in Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence
in the 2008 edition of Legal 500
