David Beasley Has Been Left Fearful Of Loud Noises And Social Situations Following Crash Which Left Him With Head, Hand And Leg Injuries

A man left with severe post-traumatic stress disorder after his car was hit after another driver jumped a red light says he is now hoping to rebuild his life after the insurer’s admitted liability.

David Beasley was crossing a junction on Byfleet Road in Cobham, Surrey, while on his way to work when another driver drove through a red light and struck him, leaving him with head injuries, severe fractures to both hands and ligament damage to his left knee.

David, from Guildford, instructed expert serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to take action against the other driver’s insurers after he developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following the crash on April 7, 2015, which left him a changed person. 

His legal team is now working to secure an interim payment after the insurance company admitted liability for the crash. The payment will fund rehabilitation and psychological therapy to help David become fit enough to find work.

The 51-year-old, who worked as a chef for 30 years, is currently unemployed after returning to his job at Brooklands Museum in Weybridge but being unable to cope. He fears he will never be able to return to catering because of the pain in his hands and legs caused by his injuries, and his inability to cope in a hectic and stressful environment.

David says he has been left fearful of loud noises and struggles in social situations. He suffers from regular headaches and sleeps for a maximum of three hours per night as he replays the crash over in his head.

He said: “My family has had to cope with how much I have changed since the crash. My memory is terrible and I suffer from anxiety. Stepping out of the door feels like a challenge every day. My life has just been turned upside-down.

“It’s a great relief that the other driver’s insurers have admitted liability so that Irwin Mitchell can now focus on securing an interim payment to get me the help I need. I’m desperate to get back to being myself, to go back to work and be there for my long-term partner and my daughter again.”

David has regular physiotherapy and goes swimming twice a week in a bid to strengthen his muscles as well as exercise his hands every day to stop them seizing up, making him occasionally drop things.

Elizabeth Whitehead, expert serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, representing David, said: “David has a long road to recovery ahead of him, which hopefully will now be made easier after the other driver’s insurers admitted liability enabling us to focus on getting him some interim funding to support his rehabilitation and eventually a fair settlement to reflect the life-changing impact this crash caused.

“The psychological effects of a car crash cannot be underestimated. In some circumstances they can outlast the impact of physical injuries and be far more challenging to overcome. Trying to do this while unemployed makes that so much harder, so we’re pleased to be supporting David in securing an interim payment which will hopefully offer him some peace of mind as he continues to work towards recovery.”

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's work on serious injury claims here.