Mark Bowman secured
£75,000 for a couple from China who were injured in a car accident during a trip to London.
Arthur and Kim are from Shanghai in China and were
holidaying in London in December 2005. They were involved in a
road traffic accident as back seat
passengers in a taxi.
The accident happened when the taxi driver pulled
out of a minor road at a junction and collided with another car
before ploughing into the wall of a building.
Arthur fractured and dislocated a number of his
fingers. He also suffered psychologically, developing
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder (OCD). His wife, Kim, was also injured in the crash. She
suffered a fracture to one of the bones in her face (right orbital
floor) and damage
to a nerve in her face. Her face was also cut and she suffered post
concussion syndrome. She also developed PTSD, depression and
anxiety.
Arthur and Kim instructed Mark Bowman to pursue a claim against the taxi
driver. Mark obtained evidence from a number of medical experts in
Hong Kong, including an orthopaedic expert, a psychiatrist, an
ophthalmologist and an oral and maxillofacial
expert.
The taxi driver admitted negligence but denied that he had
caused Arthur and Kim's
injuries. His defence also alleged that Arthur and Kim had
contributed to their injuries as they weren’t wearing seat belts at
the time of the accident.
Following
negotiations between the parties Arthur and Kim
accepted £15,000 and
£60,000 compensation respectively. The case was funded
on a “no win, no fee”
basis.
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After the case Mark said:
"This was a particularly tricky case given the clients' location
and the language barrier that existed. It was not possible to find
suitable medical experts in China so our clients were
seen by experts in Hong Kong.
"Lawyers for the taxi driver had originally requested that
Arthur and Kim fly to the UK to be examined by their own experts.
But after extensive discussions, they agreed the expert evidence
that we had obtained and entered into
settlement discussions. The end result was excellent given the
complexities faced."
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For further information or if you have a road traffic accident claim please contact
Mark Bowman on
020 7861 4043 or email mark.bowman@ffw.com.
You can discuss your road traffic
accident claim with any member of our personal injury team
on freephone 0800 358 3848, email personalinjury@ffw.com or
complete our short enquiry form.