Bus accident victim has compensation payout increased
A teenager who had her compensation claim amount reduced by a judge has had the decision reversed.
The judge initially said the supermarket worker was partly to blame when she was crushed by a double-decker bus in April 2009.
The personal injury claim payout was reduced by a third, at the Mayor and City of London County Court.
She should have paid more attention to the danger posed by the bus as it turned a corner, said the first judge.
She was on her way to work at Crystal Palace when the incident occurred and was standing on a pedestrian part of the pavement.
The London’s Civil Court of Appeal heard that she suffered many personal injuries and was forced to undergo surgery on her left ankle.
The judges ruled that the original judge got it wrong and the 22 year old was not guilty of “contributory negligence”.
She said: “Had the bus driver got the angle right, there would not have been a problem. The driver got the angle wrong.”
The South East London and Kent Bus Company had initially paid her approx. £12,000 but due to the new ruling the amount of public liability damages has been increased to over £18,000.
Updated on 28/01/2010