Half a million pound compensation settlement in road accident claim

Settlement of claim against driver with invalid insurance

Levenes have settled a claim for over £500,000 of a man who was hit by a car with invalid insurance.

The Claimant had parked his car and was standing next to his car on the pavement when a driver who was racing against another car lost control of her car and collided with the Claimant’s car which hit him and knocked him to the ground causing a serious brain injury.

The driver of the car then tried to escape the scene but an off duty policeman intervened and the driver was apprehended.

It later turned out that the insurance on the car had been taken out with a stolen credit card and was invalid.

This meant that it was necessary to bring proceedings against the driver personally and the insurance company.

The driver was prosecuted and, knowing she would be appearing in the crown court, we served the proceedings on her.

Vehicle insurance if the accident was not your fault

The law provides that even where there is invalid insurance, the insurer must satisfy any judgment against the driver, as long as proceedings are issued and served, and a judgement obtained. The driver was served at court and she ignored the proceedings.

She was later convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Levenes obtained expert reports on the Claimant’s injuries and then began the process of valuing the claim.

The insurers were keen to settle as was the Claimant so that he could get on with his life.

The approach taken in this case was to hold discussions with the insurers as to the likely award that the Claimant might get if he took his case to trial.

A realistic offer was made by the Claimant which following further negotiations proved to be the correct approach to take. The Claimant was very happy with his settlement.

He has been able to return to work part time and his settlement is enough for him to be able to buy a flat, giving him financial security.

What happens if insurance is void after an accident?

Some estimate that 1 in 10 drivers have either no insurance or invalid insurance.

Insurance can be invalid for a number of reasons, such as giving inaccurate information when the policy was taken out or, as in the Claimant’s case, by using a stolen credit card.

Insurers set their insurance premiums taking in to account risk. If a driver lies to the insurance company, the cover is invalid but thankfully that does not stop injured victims from making a claim.

The Claimant was represented by Tim Beasley, Head of Catastrophic Injury Claims, assisted by Ali Cicek, Paralegal.

Accident compensation claims

Seeking the expert advice of a specialist road collision lawyer can be crucial in ensuring that your claim goes smoothly and that you get the support you need to recover from your injuries.

You can trust in the experience and knowledge of our team of professional injury lawyers to ensure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to.

Get in touch today and find out within 1 hour if you have a claim. Call us on 0800 048 2355 or request a call back now.