A court has awarded the family of an LGV driving instructor who
died after he stood in the path of a lorry, which failed to perform
an emergency stop, damages worth £178,357.
Alan Underwood died in the
road traffic accident while instructing Corinne Radburn in how
to carry out the manoeuvre. The lorry, which was travelling at
20mph at the A5 Truck Stop at Crick, near Northampton, in March
2008, failed to stop and the 48-year-old could not escape its path,
London's High Court heard.
road
traffic accident
Judge Sir Christopher Holland granted Mr Underwood's widow Dawn
£150,357, his 13-year-old son Alan £10,500, and his daughter Reann,
five, £17,500.
The judge said that Mr Underwood, whose aim was to check whether
the 18-ton vehicle deviated when it braked, was a conscientious man
who had misplaced faith in the driver and was taking a risk having
someone drive at him.
Bruce Gardiner - counsel for the family, said the total claim
value was £250,000 but it was settled that it would be cut by 30%
to take into account contributory negligence.
The damages will be paid by the insurers of Mr Underwood's
employer, Auto Search (Essex) Ltd, trading as Sterling Training
Service, of Basildon, and Mrs Radburn, of Rugby, Warwickshire.