In February 2006, 49 year old Mark Seabrook was seriously injured when the car he was driving was hit by a stolen vehicle which failed to give way.
The driver of the stolen vehicle was jailed for eight months and Mr Seabrook commenced a compensation claim totalling £5 million, which was recently due to be heard by a judge in the High Court.
The father of two young children was happily married and enjoyed a job with excellent career prospects. But tragically, the accident shattered his happiness. He suffered severe spinal injuries, a broken leg, multiple fractures to his ribs, and head, lung and chest injuries in the accident. He is now confined to a wheelchair and will be for the rest of his life, and suffers continuing pain. Sadly, his relationship with his wife deteriorated and he was made redundant from his blossoming estate agency job.
The accident in which Mr Seabrook was involved truly changed his life. His lawyers presented an accident claim which would compensate him for his loss of employment and pain and suffering as well as cover his future care costs, which they said would increase as his condition gets worse over time.
After a break in court proceedings, the claim was settled with what is believed to be a seven-figure sum which included index-linked tax-free annual payments to cover the cost of Mr Seabrook’s ongoing care.
Insurers of stolen vehicles may agree to compensation payouts
When a road traffic accident occurs, and the driver responsible for that accident has stolen the vehicle and is identified by police, it is sometimes possible to pursue a compensation claim via the insurance policy of the legal owner of the vehicle. This is subject to the discretion of the insurer however, and not all of them will agree to deal with the claim. In these cases, or where no insurance policy exists at all, a claim can be pursued via the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).
The MIB helps compensate those injured by uninsured drivers by calling upon a fund which motor insurance providers pay into. Making a claim under the MIB Uninsured Drivers Agreement can often prove more complex than pursuing an insurer. For this reason, it is important to engage the services of a specialist road traffic accident claims lawyer with specific experience in MIB claims.
At Stephensons, our road traffic injury claims lawyers have extensive experience in pursuing high level claims for those injured in accidents involving stolen vehicles and uninsured drivers, including via the MIB. For professional guidance and to arrange a free, no obligation initial consultation, call us on 01616 966 229 .
By personal injury solicitor, Kate Sweeney
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