Specialists At Irwin Mitchell Have Seen An Increase In Quad Bike Accident Claims

A woman, who was initially in a coma and now requires daily care after she came off a quad bike while on holiday, is to take legal action after instructing specialist international personal injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell, who have received an increase in similar enquiries.

Mother-of-one Tracie Harrison, 52 from Blyth, Northumberland, flew to Zante, on 4th June last year for a two-week break. Five days into her holiday the accident occurred when the quad bike, being driven by Tracie’s friend, hit the concrete exit from the road.

The accident left Tracie with multiple injuries and she was treated for a broken pelvis, a fractured cheekbone, a potential disc fracture in her back, a fractured left arm, left eye palsy and a severe brain injury.

Due to her injuries, Tracie wasn’t flown back to the UK until 30th June. Over a year later, she requires daily care and is unable to return to her job as a Welfare Rights Officer at George Stephenson High School.

After the accident, Tracie’s daughter, Rachael Logue, flew out to Zante to be by her mother’s bed side. As the medical costs rose as Tracie remained in hospital, the family began fundraising online.

Tracie’s mother Terri, 69, who ended up in debt as she covered the treatment costs, said: “The accident absolutely devastated the entire family. Tracie’s injuries were so horrific.

“After her accident, Tracie was airlifted from Zante to a hospital on the Greek mainland, in Ioannina, where she was treated before being flown back to Newcastle.”

“The medical costs quickly went up and the insurance company refused to pay, saying they didn’t cover quad bike accidents. This also meant they wouldn’t cover the not insignificant cost of repatriation by a specially equipped air ambulance.”

Tracie, grandmother to Rachael’s son and daughter, Cameron and Evie, has also had to sell her house and move into a flat as a result of the injuries she sustained in the devastating accident.

Following her return to the country, Tracie instructed specialist international personal injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the incident and to secure funds to help with her recovery and care.

Philip Banks, the Partner and expert international personal injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell who is representing Tracie, said: 

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“The crash has left Tracie with very severe injuries and her family were obviously terrified by her traumatic ordeal.

“We are now investigating the cause of the crash as we seek to help support Tracie through her recovery and ensure she has access to the best possible care, medical treatment and therapy for her rehabilitation.” Philip Banks - Partner

Another holidaymaker to contact Irwin Mitchell following a quad bike accident in Greece is Kane Smith, age 20 from Manchester, whose accident occurred on the third day of his holiday.

Kane was on his way back to the hotel after driving around for the day with the rest of his holiday group of friends, when the driver of the quad bike on which Kane was a passenger lost control of the vehicle and skidded as he went round a corner. Kane then fell down a valley and into a stream, hitting his head as he fell. Kane had to be dragged to safety by his friends.

Kane’s injuries include a perforated eardrum, for which he remains under the care of an ENT surgeon as he continues to suffer with headaches, migraines and balance issues, and a fracture to his skull which, due to the type of bone it is, will never repair.

Kane, who had just finished an aerospace engineering course at college prior to his holiday, said: “One minute I was enjoying my holiday the next I was in getting into an ambulance with no recollection of how I got into that position.

“My accident has made me realise the dangers of quad bikes and how little training is given to you when you hire one. When you’re on holiday, you see people out and about on them and they seem fine. However they can be extremely dangerous and it is important that holidaymakers take note of my experience.”

Cheryl Palmer-Hughes, the serious injury abroad specialist at Irwin Mitchell representing Kane, said: 

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“We’ll be investigating Kane’s accident and seeking to provide him with support and access to the necessary treatment and rehabilitation to help with his recovery.” Cheryl Palmer-Hughes - Partner and Head of our International Serious Injury Desk

Commenting on the unusually high number of quad bike accident claims, Cheryl added: 

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“The rise in this and last summer’s number of quad bike injury enquiries does suggest that there are going to be a number of insurance issues raised.

“The most important of these issues, particularly for holidaymakers, is to read the small print and not assume that what is being sold to them is what they need. This will include questioning whether the quad bike insurance that companies recommend to them is actually sufficient enough to cover them in the event of a serious injury.

“This is because sometimes insurance comes with a limit on the amount of compensation that can be recovered in the event of injury, which is sometimes not sufficient should the holidaymaker have sustained serious injuries.

“A flip side of this is that sometimes travel insurers will exclude cover for quad bike accidents without holidaymakers realising. This is usually done by specifying a certain engine capacity which essentially voids the person’s insurance.

“The most important thing for holidaymakers is to ensure they check, and double-check, their travel insurance and become familiar with the small print.” Cheryl Palmer-Hughes - Partner and Head of our International Serious Injury Desk

The firm has also been instructed by a woman who was left unconscious after being involved in a quad bike accident while holidaying in Greece. The woman was left with including ten fractured ribs, a broken wrist and punctured lung following the accident, further highlighting the extreme nature of the injuries.

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in holiday accident cases.