Personal injury news

Young widow makes car accident claim

A woman has been awarded £345,000 in compensation after a successful car accident claim at London's High Court.

Lisa Forte, 41, made her claim following the death of her partner in a car crash on the A20 in August 2001. Graham Bignall's vehicle was hit by an oncoming getaway car travelling on the wrong side of the road while being pursued by police.

The three occupants of the getaway car were on the run after robbing a chemist and died in the road traffic accident. Mr Bignall suffered serious personal injuries and, despite the efforts of paramedics, was declared dead upon arrival at hospital.

Ms Forte's car accident claim was made against the estate of the driver of the getaway car, Surrey Police and the Motor Insurers Bureau- an industry body that compensates victims of uninsured drivers. Of the £345,000 awarded, the couple's two children will each receive £20,000 in memory of their father.

The judge presiding over the case, Mrs Justice Cox, said she understood the overwhelming "emotional cost" that Mr Bignall's family had suffered, adding, "The court cannot do anything about that, all it can do is give approval to financial provision."