Our road traffic accident solicitors helped the family of a man who died in a motorcycle crash get compensation for his two children he left behind.
Our client, Ajay*, was a single parent – his wife died in 2009 of swine flu. He was left to raise two young children and look after his mother.
In 2012, Ajay was riding his motorcycle on the A3 towards Claygate. He was riding in the fast lane when he rode straight into the back of an ambulance that was parked in his lane. He died instantly.
This was devastating for his two young children who had already lost one parent. Luckily, Ajay’s sister and her husband were able to take care of the two children.
In 2015, Ajay’s sister and husband adopted Ajay’s two children. They already had three children of their own. Although the family welcomed Ajay’s children into their home and gave them the care and love they needed, it was difficult to raise five children.
How We Helped
Ajay’s sister and her husband contacted us to see if we could help them claim compensation for Ajay’s accident. Since adopting Ajay’s children, the couple were struggling with the cost of raising two extra children. They were struggling to pay for the expenses of managing Ajay’s complicated estate.
Our team, led by Laura Middleton-Guerard, investigated Ajay’s accident. We used camera footage of the accident to show that the ambulance was not supposed to be parked in the fast lane of the A3. If it was parked in a designated parking area on the A3, the accident would probably not have happened.
At his time of death, Ajay was a dentist and his two children were dependent on his income. We put together a report that calculated how much his children would need throughout their childhood and early adulthood based on his earnings. We also made sure that they would have some inheritance left over for when they were older and didn’t need to be looked after anymore.
It was a complicated claim and the insurers would not accept responsibility. We did not give up and negotiated a seven figure settlement without going to court.
Ajay’s sister and husband were overjoyed at the settlement, they could now provide for Ajay’s children and their own without any financial pressure. Ajay’s children would also have enough to start their own lives when they reached adulthood.
Laura Middleton-Guerard said:
“Nothing can compensate two minor children for the loss of their sole remaining parent. The claims were hotly disputed throughout but, despite this, the High Court had no hesitation in approving the settlement negotiated. The funds will help both children and their adopted parents ensure their needs are met in the future.”
If you or a loved one is in a road traffic accident that wasn’t your fault, we could help. Contact our lawyers on 0370 1500 100 or fill out our online form and we’ll call you back.
*Not client’s real name
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