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A title="RCM">Royal College of Midwives member who suffered a soft tissue injury after a coach hit the back and driver’s side of her car has been awarded more than £15,000 with the support of her union and Thompsons Solicitors.
The woman was stationary at traffic lights when a coach hit the back of her car and pushed it into the next lane of traffic.
“It was terrifying,” she said. “I don’t remember much other than holding onto the steering wheel for my life to stop my car from veering into other cars.”
In the accident, she sustained soft tissue damage to her back, neck and shoulders, which accelerated pre-existing medical conditions. She had eight months off work because of the pain she attributed to the accident and returned on light duties for a further 14 months.
The woman contacted her title="Our Work with Trade Unions">union, the RCM, and instructed Thompsons Solicitors to make a road traffic accident claim.
She continued: “The support I received from the RCM and Thompsons Solicitors has been second to none. They took on my case at such a late stage when most solicitors would not have. I would have been at a loss about how to go about making a claim and the final settlement helped me draw a line under everything that happened.”
As a member of the RCM, the woman secured £15,091 in compensation, without any deductions.
Suzanne Tyler, director for services to members at the RCM, said: “Thanks to her RCM membership, she had access to free legal advice through Thompsons Solicitors, meaning she could keep every penny of her settlement. This would not have been the case if she had gone with a high street firm.”
Martyn Gwyther, of Thompsons Solicitors, added: “Carelessness by another road user left the RCM member injured to such an extent that she suffered significant pain for several months.
“This accident had a significant impact on our client, but as a trade union member she was safe in the knowledge that she didn’t have to worry about the cost of fighting for her legal rights.”