Even if you think that a road accident in which you have been injured is partially your own fault, you should not delay in seeking specialist legal advice. The point was made by a case in which a pedestrian who was knocked down and gravely injured after walking into the road without looking won multi-million-pound compensation.
The man, aged in his 30s, was outside an underground station in the early hours when he attempted to cross the road between two buses. There was no dispute that he failed to look to his left before doing so. He was hit by a van and damage to his brain means he will need 24-hour care for the rest of his life.
After proceedings were launched on the man's behalf, the van driver's insurers accepted that he bore 50 per cent of the responsibility for the accident. He had been travelling at about 28 miles per hour on a narrow and busy road and the evidence indicated that he had not seen the pedestrian prior to the moment of impact. The High Court had no hesitation in approving a £4.25 million settlement of the man's claim.
