A Middlesbrough grandma who narrowly avoided being killed when a transit van reversed into her has been awarded accident compensation, it has been reported.
The former dance teacher, aged 81, was crushed underneath a reversing van as she stood on the pavement in 2008. Her pelvis, hip, ribs and spine were all fractured in the accident and she also sustained significant internal injuries. At the time, medical experts said they did not expect the woman to survive.
The injured grandmother had to stay in intensive care for over a month following the crush incident and stayed in hospital for a further four months after that recovering. She was eventually allowed home in a wheelchair.
However, she still has problems with everyday tasks and mobility and has to wear specialist footwear.
Following the accident, the woman had to have a metal pin inserted to keep her hip in place and her leg had to be put in plaster four separate times.
The Evening Gazette reports that the woman’s solicitor has now secured significant accident compensation damages from the van driver and his employer, although the exact figure has not been disclosed. The woman and her husband commented that the accident compensation money would make things easier but could not return their lives to the way they were before.