Victims of uninsured drivers may feel that they are in a weak position when it comes to securing compensation. However, as was shown by a case in which a severely injured motorcyclist received seven-figure damages, dealing with such difficulties is all in a day's work for an experienced personal injury solicitor.
The man, a father aged in his late 30s, suffered a traumatic brain injury when his motorbike collided with a car. The driver was uninsured. However, proceedings were issued against the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB), an insurance industry body that provides a mechanism whereby victims of uninsured or untraced drivers can be appropriately compensated. The MIB is funded by an estimated £30 a year from every insured UK driver's premiums.
Following negotiations, the MIB agreed to pay the motorcyclist £7.5 million, that lump sum representing 75 per cent of the full value of his claim. In approving the settlement, the High Court noted that he is unable to make important decisions for himself and relies on the devoted support of his close-knit family. The Court agreed that his wife, who has selflessly borne the main burden of his care, should receive £90,000 of the settlement sum.