JMW has negotiated a £95,000 settlement for a ferry-user who fell and suffered a hip fracture, and was informed that their life expectancy subsequently decreased.

The Case

Ms B, an elderly woman, was a passenger on a ferry on route to the Channel Islands. She was able to walk around the ferry, but while in one of the shops, she fell to the floor. Ms B stated that this was due to bad weather causing movement in the ship. 

As a result of the fall, Ms B fractured her femur, which needed to be surgically treated with the insertion of a proximal femoral nail. Following the accident Ms B sold her property, where she lived independently, and moved in with one of her children in order to facilitate her care and accommodation requirements. Ms B lost a lot of her independence and was unable to do many small tasks due to the risk of falling. 

The Claim

Ms B had various pre-existing health issues which needed to be considered in our consultation and investigation. We needed to secure evidence from experts in orthopaedics, care and a geriatric expert, who sadly concluded that the accident had reduced Ms B’s life expectancy by 2.8 years. 

Our allegation was that the captain of the ferry should not have set sail due to the rough conditions at sea. This allegation was denied by the defendants, but we gathered evidence from a Maritime expert which supported Ms B’s claim.

Final Settlement

Ms B had a bout of ill health and was keen to settle her claim. We entered into negotiations with the defendant and we achieved a settlement of £95,000 for her injuries at a joint settlement meeting. 

Talk to Us

If you have had a hip injury due to an incident that was not your fault, contact us as soon as you are safe. Our solicitors will help you to understand whether you can claim compensation for your suffering, and we will guide you through the entire process of doing so. Call us today on 0345 872 6666, or fill out an online contact form and we will return your call at a time convenient for you.