Mobility scooter accident
A county count judge recently ruled that Gloria Brown must pay £13,000 in compensation following a mobility scooter accident.
Mrs Brown injured a member of staff at a Morrisons supermarket when she ran into her with her mobility scooter. In her defence Mrs Brown argued that her mobility scooter had itself been struck by another mobility scooter being used by another customer. It was this collision, she said, that caused her to veer into the supermarket employee. However, the court ruled in favour of the employee, ordering Mrs Brown to pay compensation for the mobility scooter accident and legal costs totalling more than £16,000. The judge did however allow her to pay this sum at the rate of £100 per month.
It is understood that Mrs Brown is thinking of appealing this decision.
Despite the rapid rise in the number of mobility scooters in use there are no obligations on their owners to take out insurance to protect third parties. Nor is there any requirement for the owners of mobility scooters to undertake any specific training on the safe use of a scooter.
Mobility scooter accidents are on the increase and our personal injury solicitors at Slee Blackwell have dealt with a number of mobility scooter injury claims. It is understood that Parliament is reconsidering the law regarding mobility scooters and we may well see regulations introduced to prevent the problem escalating.
