Stunt actor secures settlement three times the original offer after lorry crash

Read this story in Spanish at Una actriz de dobles consigue una compensación económica tres veces superior a la oferta inicial tras un accidente con un camión.

Gennefer Reyes Almendares feared she would never get justice following a serious car crash until she came to Digby Brown. 

Not only did she receive legal help for a personal injury, she was able to speak to her solicitor in her mother tongue, Spanish. 

The 30-year-old, originally from Honduras, was hit by a lorry on a cold winter morning while driving to work on the northbound carriageway of the M80 near Falkirk.

At the time she was working as a stunt actor on the set of a hit Apple TV programme. 

She said: “Talking about the accident is still very difficult and brings back a lot of emotions.

“It was dark and empty on the motorway. In my mirror I could see what I thought was a car overtaking me on the outside lane. 

“When I checked my mirror again I felt a bang from behind and my car started to spin out of control. 

“I felt the lights across my face and I closed my eyes thinking that was it, I was going to die.

“Then lorry crashed into my car again on the drivers’ side before I hit the barrier on the central reservation.”

Her car was so badly damaged by the crash it was written off.

She managed to get out of her car and the driver of the lorry came to Gennefer’s aid, checking whether she was injured and it was just her in the car, before calling the emergency services. 

She was taken to the Forth Valley Royal Hospital where she was diagnosed with soft tissue injuries to her back, neck and knee, an MRI scan later showed that she had torn the cartilage in her knee.

Her physical injuries began to heal with time and physiotherapy, but she continued to struggle with psychological difficulties, flashbacks and nightmares about the crash.

Associate Solicitor, Maite Gurpegui based in Edinburgh with the Foreign and Travel department, started investigating the case immediately. 

She worked to gather evidence from the police from the crash, medical reports and witness testimony to support the case. 

She also obtained additional medical reports from independent experts examining the short- and long-term impacts of the crash. 

As a dual-qualified lawyer who can practice law in both Spain and Scotland, Maite’s language skills and shared cultural background made Gennefer feel safe to share her feelings and have the legal process explained to her in Spanish.

She said: “I didn’t think there would be a solicitor in Scotland who could speak fluent Spanish, but it meant I was able to express myself clearly.

“I can speak English but if I was unsure of anything Maite could explain it in Spanish so we always knew what was happening.”

An initial offer of £15,000 was made by the lorry driver’s insurance company but Maite’s investigations into the loss of earnings and the lasting impact of the crash resulted in a final offer of £50,000 being made and accepted. 

Gennefer said: “After my accident I was worried I would never get justice but Digby Brown, and especially Maite, changed that. 

“From day one I felt supported and Maite fought for my case with incredible determination and her commitment and empathy made all the difference.”

Maite added: “I was proud to fight Gennefer’s corner, our common language and cultural background helped her feel safe and able to share her concerns and how the crash affected her.

“It’s important people know not only can they access justice in Scotland but with Digby Brown we can support them and explain the legal process in several languages including Spanish.”