Personal Injury Experts Work To Arrange Care Package

The daughter of a 91-year-old woman who is unlikely to ever walk again after she was struck by a police car has vowed to continue her fight for answers about what happened as the driver was found not guilty of careless driving.

Beryl Evans spent seven months in hospital after she suffered fractures to her thigh, arm, elbow and little finger, as well as a gash to her left calf so deep it exposed her Achilles tendon, as a result of being hit by a police car near her bungalow in Penhyndeudraeth on 17 December last year.

The grandmother-of-two, who had mild dementia but lived independently until the incident, is now cared for in a nursing home and her daughter Yvonne Foy said she has been ‘robbed’ of her independence.

Richard Emlyn Hughes of North Wales Police was charged with careless driving but was found not guilty on 23 July 2012 following a hearing at Dolgellau Crown Court.

Now road traffic collision experts at Irwin Mitchell solicitors are working with Yvonne to ensure Beryl has access to the best possible care and rehabilitation services to live as comfortably as possible.

Yvonne, 62, said: “Before the collision my mum was an independent woman who would regularly go for an afternoon stroll to keep fit. It was as she was taking one of these walks and crossing the road near her bungalow when she was hit by a police car.

“It was just eight days before Christmas and the entire family spent the festive period worried sick and taking turns to be at her bedside.”

Sophie Davies, a personal injury expert at Irwin Mitchell who is representing the family in their battle for answers, said: “This is a horrific case that has seen Beryl go from being an active elderly woman to needing 24-hour support. 

“The injuries she suffered means she is unlikely to ever walk again and the mild dementia she suffered prior to the incident has become much more serious. She is a shadow of the lady she once was which is very hard for her family to come to terms with.

“They understandably want answers about what happened and we will work with them and North Wales Police to find these so the family can begin to come to terms with Beryl’s life-changing injuries and we can ensure she is provided with the best possible care and support.”

Yvonne added: “Mum had dementia before the incident but her memory is now far worse and she cannot remember what happened in the lead up to her being hit.

“We just want answers so we can begin to come to terms with what happened. It was such a worrying time when she was in hospital and the fact she can’t return to the home she loved has pushed her condition back even further.

“She is elderly, but she deserved to spend her final years happy, independent and dignified and she has been robbed of that opportunity. We just want to see our mum receive the help and support she needs to be as comfortable as possible.”