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17th February 2009

Hero sought after Road Sweeper Crash

Did you pull Mr Taylor from his vehicle in November 2006?

A road sweeper is on the hunt for the hero who saved his life by pulling him free from his faulty vehicle.

Howard Taylor, 64, from Chesterfield, in Derbyshire, is desperate to thank the man who pulled him out of his crashed road sweeper vehicle in Danesmore, during November 2006.

After the accident, which saw him trapped in the vehicle’s smoke-filled cab, Mr Taylor had been left with whiplash injuries and now suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Injured worker was awarded compensation

UNISON, the UK’s largest public sector union, helped him claim compensation when he was off work from North East Derbyshire District Council for seven months.

However, Mr Taylor will not be satisfied until he tracks down his saviour, who he believes may have worked at a nearby building site.

Mr Taylor said:

“I would like to find this man and thank him for what he did that day.

“I was in a terrible state and, without his help, I don’t think I’d be here today.

“I had complained about the road sweeper in the past because it would bounce a lot when it was empty but nothing was done about it.

“The accident happened as I was going down a hill and I ended up trapped inside.

“I suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of the accident and often worry about what would have happened if that man hadn’t helped me.”

Road Sweeper was unsuitable for the job

UNISON had instructed Thompsons Solicitors to take on the claim and the council admitted liability, having had a number of complaints received about the safety of this particular type of road sweeper.

Tony Rabaiotti, UNISON’s Head of Local Government in the West Midlands, said:

“Mr Taylor is lucky that a passerby was there to save the day and we hope he manages to track him down.

“This accident could easily have been avoided if Mr Taylor been given adequate training on the machine and if his complaints about the vehicle had been adhered to.”

Jane Toplis from Thompsons Solicitors added: “This was a dangerous accident which may never have happened if Mr Taylor’s concerns had been acted upon.

“We alleged that the road sweeper was unsuitable for the job and as a result East Derbyshire District Council was negligent.”

Compensation Claim Advice

If you or anyone you know has suffered an injury, illness or disease at work, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.

There are strict time limits in place to make any accident compensation claim including claims stemming from accidents driving at work. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.

Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all personal injury matters. We will be able to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. If you do have a valid personal injury compensation claim and you decide to instruct Thompsons Solicitors to deal with the matter for you, we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your injury, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for you. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.