‘Thorough Investigation Needed’ Into Serious Six-Vehicle Collision

By Mark Duffell

Lawyers representing victims of road traffic collisions have said a thorough investigation will be vital in determining the cause of a serious crash on the M25 on Friday (August 16th) which left eight people hospitalised, with two victims being seriously injured in the incident.

Surrey Police are appealing for witnesses in relation to the incident on the clockwise carriageway between junctions 10 and 11 near Addlestone, which involved a tanker, a transit van and four other vehicles.

A man was airlifted to Kings College Hospital in London with serious chest injuries following the crash, while another man was taken to St George’s Hospital In Tooting. Another six people suffered minor injuries and were treated at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey.

The serious incident led to the closure of the clockwise carriageway, while emergency services handled the aftermath.

Colin Ettinger, a Partner at Irwin Mitchell’s London office, specialises in acting for people who have suffered serious injuries in road traffic collisions, helping them to gain answers over crashes and also to access vital funds which go towards their rehabilitation and recovery.

He said: “This was clearly a very serious incident which affected a great number of people. The victims, their family and friends will all want answers as to what happened, as well as consideration of what could be done to prevent such a crash from happening again.

“Through our work, we have seen first-hand the terrible consequences that road traffic collisions can have on victims, often leaving them with huge physical and psychological injuries from which they may never fully recover.

“The consequences of such incidents cannot be underestimated and it is vital that police and other authorities work quickly and thoroughly to not only develop a full picture of the incident, but also ensure that where possible lessons can be learned which will improve road safety in general.”

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in relation to road traffic collisions.