Cornwall crash victim awarded £2m compensation
Wednesday, 24th February 2010
A Cornwall resident left severely paralysed in a car crash which claimed the life of his friend has been awarded more than £2m in compensation after agreement from the High Court.
Anthony Bennett was just 23-years-old when he suffered life changing injuries in 2003. Mr Bennett was in the backseat of Jonathan Stephens’ car when it crashed into a boulder on the A390 near Liskeard, killing the driver and crippling his passenger.
An inquest in May 2004 into Mr Stephens' death found that he had cannabis and alcohol just below the legal driving limit in his body at the time of the crash.
Mr Bennett, once a labourer and bricklayer, was left completely paraplegic and wheelchair bound due to severe spinal injuries and pursued Mr Stephens’ insurers for compensation.
This week, the High Court approved a £2.25m settlement between Mr Bennett and the insurers, accepting that Mr Stephens was at fault for driving too fast and failing to avoid the obstacle.
The claim was settled after long-running negotiations between the two sides and the amount approved by Mrs Justice Sharp.
The High Court will reopen the case later this year to decide whether Mr Bennett will receive additional annual payments to fund future care.
We are here to help
Call 0800 027 5999 or ask a quick question here: