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Express Solicitors secure £4.25 million compensation for drink driving victim

Client stories

Over £4 million was recovered after a 14-year legal battle for a mother whose partner was killed and daughter severely injured in a tragic drink driving car accident claim.

Alison Kearney was awarded £4.25 million in compensation thanks to the tireless work of Express Solicitors’ James Maxey and his team after a 1997 car accident caused by a drunk driver in which her husband was killed and her daughter, Rhiannon Millett, suffered life altering injuries.

Drunk driver leaves a young girl disabled

The family were travelling together in their car on Blackwood Road, Blackwood, when it was hit by a Range Rover, driven by Jeremy Hallett traveling on the wrong side of the road and over the drink-drive limit.

Tragically, Alison’s partner was killed in the incident and Rhiannon suffered head injuries so severe that it caused near-fatal intracranial bleeding and permanent neurological damage.

While she did return to school, she was given a statement of special education needs. Her college courses proved unsuccessful as a result of the neurological damage and the effects follow her well into adult life.

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Rhiannon suffers from headaches, scarring, disabling fatigue, and weakness in her right side. She can only walk very limited distances and requires constant assistance. While she did try to work independently, getting a job at a local supermarket, she soon had to leave on the grounds that her disabilities made the job impossible.

It was apparent that, as a result of the collision, she will never be able to support herself financially, or live independently, and so it was deemed more than fair to demand a substantial settlement to help her live as comfortably as possible.

Alison’s legal victory

Jeremy Hallett was convicted in 1997 of causing death by driving without due care and attention while over the drink drive limit.

However, a future of living independently was cruelly taken from Rhiannon in 1997 and Alison has had to fight long and hard for compensation to allow her to get the treatment she is entitled to.

It took fourteen years for Alison to get justice, but James Maxey and the team were honoured to help her secure a pay out of £4.25 million in order to give Rhiannon the best treatment possible throughout her life.

Mrs Justice Sharp, sitting at London’s High Court, said, “This is a manifestly sensible settlement – I approve it. I would like to extend my best wishes to Rhiannon and her mother who has borne the burden of caring for her for many years. My very best wishes for the future.”

£1 million was paid upfront, with an agreed amount of around £50,000 to be paid every year for the rest of Rhiannon’s life. As a result of this victory, Rhiannon can get the round-the-clock treatment she needs and can live as comfortably as possible.

Managing Partner of Express Solicitors, James Maxey, said:

“Alison and Rhiannon’s situation was heart-breaking. We were glad to help them put fourteen years of legal trouble behind them with a suitable level of compensation to help them move on with their lives.”

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