Car hit by ambulance

13/02/2008

Compensation of £430,000 has been awarded to a man who suffered severe injuries when the car he was in was hit by an ambulance.

James Greenaway, 32, was involved in the crash near Wadebridge, Cornwall in which his brother Alex, 21 and friend David, 22 died in 2003.

The men were returning from a night out in Newquay when the accident happened as the ambulance was on the wrong side of the road. Its driver, Graham Dudman was convicted of careless driving.

Mr Greenaway, who will never be able to work full time again, suffered from multiple injuries including a head fracture and the los of a kidney.

Compensation was awarded against the Westcountry Ambulance Service Trust by the judge at Exeter County Court who had previously admitted liability.

The driver of the ambulance was fined £1,000 and received a one year driving ban.

David Urpeth, a Partner at law firm Irwin Mitchell commented: Whilst it is recognised that emergency service vehicles have to arrive at the scene of an emergency as soon as safely possible, they must do in a way that does not endanger themselves or anyone else by causing a road traffic collision.

This tragic case demonstrates the terrible consequences that often follow when drivers of emergency vehicles fail to take the necessary care.

I deal with many cases where people are injured or killed in road traffic accidents where drivers have failed to pay sufficient regard to the safety of passengers or other road users.