Bus driver seeks personal injury compensation after alleged negligence

Posted 19/09/2010

A man who was forced to give up his job as a bus driver is seeking personal injury compensation from his former employer.

Paul Herrington, 57, was employed by Konectbus and had been carrying passengers along his usual route near Norwich, the Norwich Evening News reports.

However, his seat suddenly collapsed and threw him to the floor, fracturing one of his vertebra.

A serious road crash was fortunately avoided, but Mr Herrington was in agony. He called his employer and was instructed to return to the Norwich depot for another bus.

He did this, but his injuries were too severe for him to continue working and he has not been able to return since.

In a High Court writ, Mr Herrington states he is seeking £250,000 in personal injury compensation for his pain and suffering, as well as lost earnings.

Konectbus has admitted liability, but a final agreement has not been reached with regard to a payout.

Simon Davis, a partner in the Ashtons Legal personal injury team, says: “One has to have sympathy for the bus driver here. He is entitled to expect that his employer will provide him with a safe place of work and keep the bus in full repair. Konectbus have recognised that and will pay him such compensation as he can prove represents the consequences of that failure.”

Some 36 million working days are lost each year as a result of accidents or ill health in the workplace, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.