Coatbridge dad receives £27,500 after crash in work van

Derek was a passenger in his brother’s van when it crashed on the way to a job in Aberdeen.

They were driving at 66mph in the overtaking lane of the A90 when another vehicle pulled out in front of them without warning.

Derek’s brother was forced to slam on the brakes of his Mercedes Sprinter but the gap was too small to make a difference.

The two vans crashed. Both drivers waited at the side of the road for police to attend and the driver of the van who pulled out was arrested by police. 

Derek suffered very minor physical injuries after the road traffic accident and as a result the insurance company for the van offered to pay him £3,210.

But after the crash Derek continued to suffer profound psychological distress and, eventually, he developed alopecia. That is when he decided to get legal advice.

Danielle Scolley from our Glasgow office argued with the insurer that the alopecia was caused by the crash and that meant £3,210 was not a fair amount of compensation for the injury

After negotiations, the case eventually settled for £27,500 – more than eight times the first offer. 

Derek, 45, said: “Danielle kept me up to date with great advice and I was over the moon with the result.

“I’d never made a claim before so didn’t know what to expect but I can now say that if anyone is needing advice they shouldn’t hesitate to speak to Digby Brown.

“It’s just a phone call or an email but it could end up giving you exactly the help you need.”