£65,000 compensation after wrist injury on unadopted road

We acted for a woman who suffered a serious wrist injury while walking her dog along an unadopted road.

At the time of the accident, there was no pavement or footpath along the road. The claimant was aware that the surface was poorly maintained and uneven, so she was walking carefully towards the middle of the road with her small dog on a lead. The section of road where the accident occurred was directly outside a property, an area which the defendant was responsible.

As she walked slowly and cautiously, the claimant placed her foot on the edge of a deep hole in the road surface. This caused her to lose her balance when her right ankle gave way. She fell heavily to the ground, instinctively putting out her left arm to break the fall. Her full body weight went through her left wrist, resulting in a serious injury.

Following the fall, it was immediately clear that her wrist had been injured. She was taken to her local hospital, where X-rays confirmed a fracture to her left, non-dominant wrist. Initially, her wrist was placed in a plaster cast. A few days later, she underwent surgery involving open reduction and internal fixation of the wrist. She continued to be monitored in the fracture clinic, with the cast or splint remaining in place for four to 6 six weeks. Once removed, she required further rehabilitation, including six to eight sessions of hand therapy.

Despite treatment, the injury had a lasting impact on her day-to-day life. She was left with visible disfigurement to her left forearm and ongoing pain and limitation. She can no longer put pressure through her wrist, which has meant giving up activities she previously enjoyed, including Pilates, and she is no longer able to ride her bike. Medical opinion confirmed that she is unlikely to regain the same level of strength, movement and function in her left hand as she had before the accident.

We took on the case and pursued the claim on the basis that the accident was caused by a failure to properly maintain the section of road outside the defendant’s property.

Following careful preparation and negotiation, we secured a settlement of £65,000 for the claimant.

If you have been injured due to poor maintenance or unsafe conditions and are unsure whether you have a claim, speak to NV Legal. We will assess your situation and explain your options clearly from the outset.