Car crash claim news
08/05/2009
Paperboy became subject of compensation action

ChronicleLive has reported that a BMW driver who was involved in a collision with a paperboy on a residential road in Newcastle sent a car crash claim writ to the boy in which compensation was demanded for damage caused to the bonnet of his vehicle. It is also reported that damages were demanded for personal injury the driver claimed to have sustained in the incident.

However, the car crash claim caused consternation to be felt by the 15-year-old and his family.

The boy's mother comments, "To be honest I didn't expect to hear anything else except 'is your son OK?'.

"A few weeks later a man came to the door with a bill for nearly £1,000. I told him that I would not accept it."

"Then [my son] went on holiday and he received a letter. His little face just dropped when he saw that it was claiming damages and personal injury. How could they just send a letter to a minor through the post, yet the people involved didn't even ask how he was?"

The personal injury solicitor firm that sent the letter has since said that it was not aware the boy was a minor and has denied that the letter was in fact a car crash claim.

This though has done little to alleviate the sense of disbelief felt by the boy's mother. "I can't believe they would try to sue a 15-year-old boy. It was an accident and he is a child," she said.

Adding, "He sustained a head injury, bruising through impact to his ribs and scraps on his hand and elbow. He still has a two-inch scar on his shoulder. "