Family seeks compensation for tragic car accident
The family of a woman who died in a tragic
car accident on the M2 have heard that they may only receive £15,000 compensation for the loss of their wife and mother.
The victim was in the car with her son in September 2006 when a lorry crashed into her car in the hard shoulder, killing her and leaving the son with life threatening injuries and brain damage.
After the accident the lorry driver was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after admitting to causing death by dangerous driving. Despite grim predictions, the son has made an amazing recovery after extensive medical treatment and him and his dad are rebuilding their lives together.
However they have been left reeling by the shock that they could only receive £15,000 compensation for the victims death. Her Husband says 'The somewhat astonishing news, is that despite all of the anguish and the tears we have endured this past year-and-a-half our situation probably does not fall within the very limited definition of "pain and suffering" established by British law.
'So a claim for that seems unlikely.
'More stunning even than this is that the maximum claim for the loss of a mother (for the entire life of the child) and the maximum claim for the loss of a spouse, have been capped by British law at £5,000 and £10,000 respectively.
'Being an American myself, I'm particularly amazed, the American system would err on the other side because settlements are enormous, but it's shocking that here the life of a wife is only £10,000 and the life of a mother only £5,000.'
The victims husband has spent about £100,000 on his son's medical treatment and hopes the money will be repaid by the van drivers insurance company. The final figure may be over £1 million and is dependent on the extent of Lio's recovery.
Updated on 08/07/2008