Karen Harford
It was a spring evening in May 2010 when Karen Harford, her son and step son were involved in a road traffic accident (RTA) at the busy Trafford Centre roundabout in Manchester.
As her stepson’s car was waiting for a break in the traffic at the roundabout it was shunted from behind. Karen, a front seat passenger, immediately felt pain.
“It’s unusual to feel whiplash straight away but I was in an old car and that didn’t give me the protection a newer car would have afforded,” Karen explains.
“I had immediate pain in the back of my head and down my neck, which increased as the evening wore on. It was a Friday evening so I didn’t visit the doctor until the surgery opened on the Monday morning. He diagnosed me with whiplash and gave me painkillers and anti-inflammatories, which I took for quite some time.”
Karen contacted Express Solicitors because members of her family had used the firm before with great success. Associate
Rachel Flannigan was assigned to Karen’s case.
Although liability was admitted, the case took some 12 months to conclude because the Defendant’s insurers failed to respond to
Rachel’s emails and phone calls.
The Defendant alleged that the impact was at a low speed and there was no vehicle damage, yet engineering evidence commissioned by Express Solicitors showed otherwise.
Medical evidence was sent to the Defendant’s insurers and still they did not respond. Eventually Express Solicitors asked for a judgement in default of a defence.
Two days prior to the hearing a low offer was made. Express Solicitors advised Karen to turn the offer down and proceed to hearing instead, during which Karen found out she won £2,435, her son achieved £2,100 and her step son won £3,175.
Karen continues, “The case went on for a year, but that was due to the non-communication from the Defendant. During that time
Rachel was very helpful and communicative; we exchanged lots of calls and emails so I was always kept up-to-date.
“I was a little concerned when we got no word from the Defendants but
Rachel was very reassuring and I always felt confident of a successful outcome.
“I’d recommend Express Solicitors to anybody who might need to use the firm. The solicitors are experienced, professional and friendly, which is just what you need in stressful claim situations.”
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