Exchange Chambers secures 7-figure settlement in personal injury case
Knifton was instructed by leading spinal cord injury solicitors Damian Horan and Anna West of Aspire Law LLP in Southampton.
David Knifton QC from Exchange Chambers has secured a seven-figure settlement payment on behalf of a young woman following a ‘tragic accident’.
The woman reportedly suffered life-changing injuries when she fell approximately three metres from a parapet wall onto a ramp leading to the underground loading bay at a shopping centre in Derby.
She reportedly suffered a fracture dislocation to her cervical spine, leaving her paralysed from the waist downwards.
A claim for damages was issued in the High Court in London in November 2020 against Derby City Council and the occupiers of the shopping centre.
It was alleged that the council was liable for negligently creating a source of danger on the highway by failing to replace the vehicle crash barrier with suitable pedestrian railings.
Although the defendants had initially intended to contest the case to trial, they were “persuaded that the claimant had a real prospect of success”, and agreed to make a seven-figure settlement payment.
Knifton said: “This case is a tragic reminder of how a momentary error can lead to lifelong consequences. I am delighted that we were able to secure compensation which will make a real difference to this young woman’s future.”
