Client awarded £12,000 compensation after mobility scooter accident

A client has been awarded £12,000 in compensation after an untraced driver knocked her over and fractured her ankle, resulting in injury, suffering and financial losses.

Although the client originally had her claim rejected by another law firm, Oakwood Solicitors Ltd was able to secure compensation for the damages.

Oakwood Solicitors’ client Margaret Whensley, 66, says her ‘leg will never be the same’ after the driver of a mobility scooter hit her, knocked her to the floor and left her with a fractured left ankle. She has since been awarded £12,000 in compensation with the help of Oakwood Solicitors Ltd.

The incident occurred close to Margaret’s home in County Durham when she was walking to the shops in her local town. However, after Mrs. Whensley crossed a road and joined the pavement on the other side, said she felt a presence behind her. When she turned around to see what it was, she was knocked to the ground by a large mobility scooter.

The incident left Mrs. Whensley with a painful, fractured ankle which then became infected and scarred, as well as being unable to work as a teaching assistant for months on end.  She says she is still unable to perform some tasks that she carried out at work before the accident.

Mrs. Whensley reported the incident to the police and although they did not charge anyone for the accident, Oakwood Solicitors Ltd was still successful in securing compensation for her.

Oakwood Solicitors Ltd represented Mrs. Whensley in obtaining compensation from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). The MIB pays out compensation when people are injured, or worse, killed by uninsured or untraceable drivers. Thousands of people are injured or killed by uninsured drivers, and without the correct insurance, their compensation comes from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau.

By negotiating with the MIB on behalf of Mrs. Whensley, Oakwood Solicitors Ltd were able to seek compensation for her pain, suffering and loss of amenity, loss of earnings while she was out of work as well as damaged clothing items caused by the incident.

Talking about the incident, Mrs. Whensley explained that her shoulder was struck by a large mobility scooter, and the impact knocked her to the floor. Her glasses then flew off her head, and as she was on the ground she said she could feel the wheels of the scooter grinding into her skin.

“I was in total shock and believed I was going to faint,” she said. “I was shouting no, no, I couldn’t feel my leg at this stage.” She was then taken to her local hospital, where she was examined and given an x-ray. She had to wear a ‘moon boot’ but a few days later she realised the skin underneath had developed blisters and had become infected.

Although she is now back at work, she said she still suffers from pain and discomfort, particularly towards the end of the day.

Tim Driver, Senior Road Traffic Accident Paralegal at Oakwood Solicitors Ltd, assisted with her case. He said:

“Mrs. Whensley was a pleasure to act for and I am extremely pleased we were able to produce a positive result for her.

“Although she was hit by someone on a mobility scooter, we were, in the absence of an insurance company, able to successfully pursue a claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau for her and get her the compensation she deserves.”

Oakwood Solicitors Ltd’s client, Margaret Whensley, spoke about her experience with Oakwood Solicitors Ltd. She said:

“The incident happened on the 2nd of Feb 2023.We initially called the police who attended our home ten weeks later and it became quite obvious to us that due to the elderly lady who caused my injuries, who had physical and mental disabilities the police were reluctant to take matters further.

“We felt our position was hopeless but then by chance we saw an advertisement from Oakwood Solicitors Ltd no-win, no-fee. I contacted the office and spoke to Aimee Fox who was very helpful and asked for details of the incident and contacted everyone involved including two eye witnesses.

“The case was then passed to Rob Crompton in the absence of Tim Driver who once involved was sympathetic to our case and kept us informed as to how the case was progressing on a regular basis.

Although the progress seemed quite lengthy, frankly the case would have been a none starter from everyone other than Oakwood Solicitors. In closing our thanks to all involved at Oakwood Solicitors but in particular Tim Driver.”

Oakwood Solicitors Ltd specialises in all claims relating to car accidents. We will do whatever it takes to recover the maximum level of compensation for your personal injury claim and all your losses following a non-fault accident, regardless of whether you were a driver, passenger, pedestrian or cyclist.

We can help you claim compensation for any personal injuries, vehicle damages, loss or damage to personal belongings and lost earnings caused by the accident. Get in touch today on 0113 200 9720 or e-mail enquiries@oakwoodsolicitors.co.uk for a free initial consultation.

Further reading

Driver and passenger claims – Oakwood Solicitors

Road safety statistics – GOV.UK

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