A Bideford man who suffered back injuries in a motorcycle crash in February 2009 has secured compensation of nearly £40,000 from Devon County Council at Exeter county court . 

Graham Mills, a former member of the Parachute Regiment, who lives in Lanefield Road, Londonderry Farm, in Bideford, was riding a Suzuki motorcycle along Abbotsham road, just by the former Grenville College site.  He rode through what he thought was a puddle, but which hid a large pothole, and was thrown from the bike. 
His case was handled by Mike Clarke of Slee Blackwell’s Bideford office.  Mike said, “We had a lot of evidence to show that this particular section of road was badly damaged before Mr Mills’ accident.  Local residents had complained repeatedly to the council over the previous months about potholes caused by heavy lorries involved in the building works at the college.  Some had suffered damage to their cars because of the state of the road. Devon County Council’s own records showed that the particular pothole that caused Mr Mills’ accident had already been repaired previously, but the repair had failed.  They also showed that the hole had been inspected only the day before the accident, but the council failed to deal with it as their own highway standards required.    Mr Mills was a highly active local man, with specialist qualifications as a technical diver, parachute instructor and climbing instructor, but now cannot pursue those activities.  His own business failed because his injuries prevented him from working and he and his wife are still struggling to cope with the financial fallout.  Despite us making every effort to settle this claim,  Devon County Council and their insurers denied liability throughout and refused to negotiate, forcing us to take the claim to a two day trial at Exeter.  On 19th October, the first day of the trial, the council finally made a fair offer, which Mr Mills accepted.  Because of the attitude of the council to this case, it has taken nearly three years and a great deal of work  to get that fair settlement.  The legal costs the council’s insurers will now have to pay have been greatly increased by their refusal to negotiate earlier; costs which ultimately may be reflected in the council’s public liability insurance premiums and therefore indirectly have an effect  the level of  council tax that we all pay. “

Mike Clarke is a personal injury solicitor, specialising in motorbike accidents. If  you have suffered injury in a motorcycle accident and would like to know whether you are entitled to claim compensation then contact Mike at mike.clarke@sleeblackwell.co.uk or call him on Freephone 0808 139 1594