My Personal Injury Journey with Warner Goodman; Ed Witty's Road Traffic Collision Story

Here at Warner Goodman, our Personal Injury team work tirelessly for those who have become injured through no fault of their own; whether that be due to an industrial illness such as asbestosis, a fall, an accident at work, or a road traffic collision leading to a serious injury.

One person the team have been able to support following an accident is Ed Witty.  We hear his story here and how our team helped him rebuild his life for him and his family.

My road traffic collision story

In November 2009, I was working as a police officer.  I was on the hard shoulder of the M3 motorway when my vehicle was struck from behind by another vehicle on the motorway.  The accident caused immediate but temporary paralysis of my legs, as well as two displaced discs in my spine, aggravating a pre-existing lower back injury.

I was off work in total for a year, firstly returning on restricted duties and only returning to full duties 18 months after the accident.  It was during this time that I contacted the Injury team at Warner Goodman to discuss claiming compensation and how to access the rehabilitation I needed.  I already knew Catriona Ralls from the team, and she was my initial contact.  She visited me at home to explain the process and what she and the team would do to help, which included contact with an Orthopaedic Specialist and a Pain Specialist.  The driver who collided with my car initially pleaded guilty, however over time it transpired that my injuries were potentially more serious and recovery would take longer.  Andy Munden, Injury Partner, then stepped in to also work on my case, and I appreciated Catriona’s professionalism at the time.

Andy worked towards a settlement, however the other side delayed this and eventually they changed their plea to not guilty.  Andy managed to secure an interim payment of £2,000, which paid for my physiotherapy, a gym membership which the consultant had suggested to undertake suitable recovery training, as well as consultancy fees, MRI exams and other necessary medical tests.  It became clear that the other side were not going to revert to their original plea and so Andy instructed a barrister to represent me in Court.  He visited the barrister, going through the case and then went to court with him as I could not attend. 

The Judge found in my favour.  Andy advised that I refuse the first two financial offers that were made to me at the time, and I am pleased I did as I went on to receive a substantial financial settlement which has helped support me and my family back to normal life.  I felt Andy’s honesty refreshing, and this demonstrated to me his professional experience in the field.  I retired in July 2015, not as a result of my injuries, and now look after my young daughter while my wife works full time, also as a police officer.  While I am grateful for what I have, and acknowledge that the accident could have been a lot worse, I do still suffer from the consequences of the collision.  I used to be a keen runner, taking part regularly marathons and half marathons, raising money for charity.  During my recovery, I was uncertain as to whether I would complete these again.  Thankfully, I have gradually returned to running half marathons, despite the fact it does cause me pain.

I couldn’t praise Catriona or Andy highly enough.  They were professional throughout my time with them, taking the time to visit my home and keeping in regular contact which was so important to me.  Andy was ruthless with the other side, firstly to reach a settlement figure, then an interim figure and then when they decided to change their plea. I would certainly recommend Warner Goodman not only for those seeking compensation for an injury, but also for their other services they offer across the firm.    

Injury Team

If you have been in a road traffic collision and looking to claim compensation, you can contact Catriona, Andy or the Personal Injury team on 0800 91 92 30 or email injuryteam@warnergoodman.co.uk.

ENDS

This is for information purposes only and is no substitute for, and should not be interpreted as, legal advice.  All content was correct at the time of publishing and we cannot be held responsible for any changes that may invalidate this article.