Cyclist wins £5m compensation

Not a word about helmets. Amazing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3158588.stm

A cyclist from Northumberland, who suffered serious head injuries when
he was knocked off his bike four years ago, has been awarded damages
up to £5m.
Richard Harrison, 35, was hit by a car near his home in Hexham on
Monday 3 May 1999.

The accident left him with severe brain damage, paralysis in his legs
and arms and unable to speak coherently.

But thanks to constant care from his family and friends, Mr Harrison
can now swim, eat and drink unaided and has started to rebuild his
social life.

He was given up to £5 million compensation in an out-of-court
settlement on Thursday.

Richard was simply out of it for a long time and this was terrible
to see, but we always knew that with help he would get back

John Harrison, father

It followed an interim compensation payment of £450,000 in 2002 by the
driver's insurers.

The latest will see a one-off payment of £1.3m and then annual
payments of £180,000 for the rest of his life.

The compensation is calculated to meet the cost of Mr Harrison's
ongoing medical and therapeutic care and could reach up to £5m or
more.

Mr Harrison's father, John, said: "Pursuing this award, which means so
much to Richard, has been a long, exhausting process.

"Richard was simply out of it for a long time and this was terrible to
see, but we always knew that with help he would get back.


The accident happened near Mr Harrison's home

"We would like to thank all of the people who have helped Richard and
us over the last four and a half years."

"He has shown immense courage and we now need to move on."

John Davis, of law firm Irwin Mitchell, who represented Mr Harrison
said: "This compensation award brings great relief to Richard's
family.

"Richard can now receive the very high level of care that he needs.
His new house can be fully equipped and the funds are there to pay for
the nursing staff needed to assist him with many of his daily tasks."

Before the accident, Mr Harrison worked for the Analytical
Environmental Services, testing for toxic gases in air for the
Environmental Agency.

Guy Chapman wrote:
Not a word about helmets. Amazing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3158588.stm

A cyclist from Northumberland, who suffered serious head injuries when
he was knocked off his bike four years ago, has been awarded damages
up to £5m.
Richard Harrison, 35, was hit by a car near his home in Hexham on
Monday 3 May 1999.
snip

First thought was lucky b**£$^% but then I saw the state he was in.
I bet he would give all the money back to not have been hit. I have a
disabled son we get DLA and we have been moved to a front and back door
house (we lived in a flat before ) it is much better out here and the money
comes in handy, but we would give up the money and move back into the centre
of town if only my son was "well" again.
--
yours S (addy' not usable[not that you would try it anyway])
Illegitimi non carborundum
www.killies.co.uk/forums/index.php

Guy Chapman wrote:
Not a word about helmets. Amazing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3158588.stm

A cyclist from Northumberland, who suffered serious head injuries when
he was knocked off his bike four years ago, has been awarded damages
up to £5m.
Richard Harrison, 35, was hit by a car near his home in Hexham on
Monday 3 May 1999.
snip

First thought was lucky b**£$^% but then I saw the state he was in.
I bet he would give all the money back to not have been hit. I have a
disabled son we get DLA and we have been moved to a front and back door
house (we lived in a flat before ) it is much better out here and the money
comes in handy, but we would give up the money and move back into the centre
of town if only my son was "well" again.
--
yours S (addy' not usable[not that you would try it anyway])
Illegitimi non carborundum
www.killies.co.uk/forums/index.php

Soup wrote:
Guy Chapman wrote:
Not a word about helmets. Amazing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3158588.stm

A cyclist from Northumberland, who suffered serious head injuries
when
he was knocked off his bike four years ago, has been awarded damages
up to £5m.
Richard Harrison, 35, was hit by a car near his home in Hexham on
Monday 3 May 1999.
snip

First thought was lucky b**£$^% but then I saw the state he was in.
I bet he would give all the money back to not have been hit. I
have a disabled son we get DLA and we have been moved to a front and
back door house (we lived in a flat before ) it is much better out
here and the money comes in handy, but we would give up the money and
move back into the centre of town if only my son was "well" again.

Absolutely. It's not £5m for him to play with - it's simply to help him
recover and allow his parents to help him do so. Good luck to him - and to
your family.

Soup wrote:
Guy Chapman wrote:
Not a word about helmets. Amazing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3158588.stm

A cyclist from Northumberland, who suffered serious head injuries
when
he was knocked off his bike four years ago, has been awarded damages
up to £5m.
Richard Harrison, 35, was hit by a car near his home in Hexham on
Monday 3 May 1999.
snip

First thought was lucky b**£$^% but then I saw the state he was in.
I bet he would give all the money back to not have been hit. I
have a disabled son we get DLA and we have been moved to a front and
back door house (we lived in a flat before ) it is much better out
here and the money comes in handy, but we would give up the money and
move back into the centre of town if only my son was "well" again.

Absolutely. It's not £5m for him to play with - it's simply to help him
recover and allow his parents to help him do so. Good luck to him - and to
your family.

Guy Chapman wrote:

Not a word about helmets. Amazing.

He wasn't wearing one.

http://www.cobr.co.uk/e-cobr_informa...rd_insurer.htm

Doubt it would have done a whole lot of good in a bike-car collision
though, especially as Subaru Imprezas tend to be driven by lunatics who
think they're Colin McRae. Basically, no-one can prove their efficacy,
hence the full £5m.

Guy Chapman wrote:

Not a word about helmets. Amazing.

He wasn't wearing one.

http://www.cobr.co.uk/e-cobr_informa...rd_insurer.htm

Doubt it would have done a whole lot of good in a bike-car collision
though, especially as Subaru Imprezas tend to be driven by lunatics who
think they're Colin McRae. Basically, no-one can prove their efficacy,
hence the full £5m.

In article , one of infinite monkeys
at the keyboard of (Guy Chapman) wrote:

The accident left him with severe brain damage, paralysis in his legs
and arms and unable to speak coherently.

IOW, well and truly buggered.

He was given up to £5 million compensation in an out-of-court
settlement on Thursday.

For a road casualty that's a lot.

For anything more sexy - like a rail crash or a Lockerbie - it doesn't
look so much at all. Especially when you consider this victim's
family are actually having to spend lots of money on him.

It followed an interim compensation payment of £450,000 in 2002 by the
driver's insurers.

Well, it does look like an insurer doing the Right Thing. Lets have
some more awards like this, and stop the despicable practice of
road victims subsidising motor insurance.

--
Axis of Evil: Whose economy needs ever more wars?
Arms Exports $bn: USA 14.2, UK 5.1, vs France 1.5, Germany 0.8
(The Economist, July 2002)

In article , one of infinite monkeys
at the keyboard of (Guy Chapman) wrote:

The accident left him with severe brain damage, paralysis in his legs
and arms and unable to speak coherently.

IOW, well and truly buggered.

He was given up to £5 million compensation in an out-of-court
settlement on Thursday.

For a road casualty that's a lot.

For anything more sexy - like a rail crash or a Lockerbie - it doesn't
look so much at all. Especially when you consider this victim's
family are actually having to spend lots of money on him.

It followed an interim compensation payment of £450,000 in 2002 by the
driver's insurers.

Well, it does look like an insurer doing the Right Thing. Lets have
some more awards like this, and stop the despicable practice of
road victims subsidising motor insurance.

--
Axis of Evil: Whose economy needs ever more wars?
Arms Exports $bn: USA 14.2, UK 5.1, vs France 1.5, Germany 0.8
(The Economist, July 2002)

Zog The Undeniable wrote:

Not a word about helmets. Amazing.
He wasn't wearing one.

I guessed wrong, then ;-)

Doubt it would have done a whole lot of good in a bike-car collision
though, especially as Subaru Imprezas tend to be driven by lunatics who
think they're Colin McRae. Basically, no-one can prove their efficacy,
hence the full £5m.

I know they can't - I am a CTC member, we get occasional news from the
Cyclists' Defence Fund who help fight the Axis of Weasels in cases like
this.

--
Guy

Marvin is dead, long live Zaphod!