Wife turns to Digby Brown for help after husband died in fatal car crash

Louise Painter and her husband Stephen were travelling home to Oxfordshire after their holiday in Scotland when they were involved in a car crash.

The couple were driving their car and caravan along the A93 near the Perthshire village of Meikleour when a van driver failed to stop at a junction and crashed into them.

Several members of the emergency services, including the air ambulance, attended the scene but tragically they couldn’t save Stephen. He was later found to have suffered fatal chest injuries. 

Louise was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee by ambulance where she was treated for her injuries.

Three years on from the incident, Louise recalled: “Everything from that day is a blur. 

“Stephen and I were both 69-years old and had only been retired for a few years.

“We had all these plans to spend time together travelling and try new hobbies as well as more time with our children and grandchildren.

“Then within a second our lives changed – there was no control over it.

“I lost my life partner.

“My life has never been the same again.”

Louise was discharged from hospital but the devastation of losing her husband days before their 45th wedding anniversary started to sink in.

She asked a family friend, who happened to be a lawyer, for advice but the friend knew the Painter family needed legal advice from a personal injury expert with a proven reputation in helping around fatal accident claims – that’s when the legal friend recommended Innes Laing, Partner in our Kirkcaldy office.

Innes organised for Louise to attend bereavement counselling and follow up treatment for PTSD.

He also gathered police and medical reports as well as witness statements to build an accurate picture of what happened and how it impacted her.

Louise added: “From the very first meeting I had with Innes on Zoom he was very easy to talk with. 

“I could relax and I felt confident that he knew exactly what to do. 

“I had no idea what was involved or how long it would take but Innes took care of everything for me – I didn’t even realise he’d be able to help with financial and medical care until he provided them. 

“Innes was just very, very thorough and very, very good at covering everything that needed to be done.”

Eight months after the crash the van driver, David Cooper, was charged by Police for causing the accident. 

He pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow for causing Stephen’s death after driving carelessly – at a later hearing, Cooper was jailed for two years and four months and banned from driving. 

Innes and the wider team at Digby Brown were also able to help Louise and her family navigate the complex criminal prosecution with hands-on empathetic care. 

Shortly after the criminal case ended the insurance company for the van driver offered to settle the case.

They made an initial offer but Innes felt their offer to Louise was too low and he knew this because of all the evidence and reports he gathered earlier. 

In the space of two months, three more offers were made until Innes advised Louise to accept the fourth offer of damages – a six figure sum – as this was in line with what the evidence showed to be fair.

After the car accident claim settled, Louise said: “I believed that the right solicitor is one who does the work for you – and that’s exactly what happened with Digby Brown. 

“I knew nothing of the process and therefore had no expectations – I just put my trust in Innes and I was not disappointed. I never once had to worry about the civil case or what was going on. 

“The last few years have been so stressful but I knew Innes was working hard in the background for us and I didn’t have to keep asking for updates. 

“The settlement takes the pressure off having to move house in the future but my life will never be the same again.

“Finally, I would issue a very clear and very important message to everyone who gets behind the wheel of a vehicle – please be careful on the road. 

“It’s very easy to lose concentration when you’re driving and that’s when things go wrong. 

“Everyone’s got to be a bit more aware.”