Court rules in favour of compensation claim following Gunnersbury accident
Following a High Court ruling that gave a drunken man who fell falling into a gap between a stationary train and the platform at Gunnersbury station the right to sue the rail company, Paul Collins-Williamson looks set to be granted a six figure sum in compensation.
The court deemed that Mr Collins-Williamson from Isleworth was only 50% responsible for the accident even though he was heavily under the influence of alcohol at the time.
The 32 year old lost his left leg and several fingers after the guard failed to notice that he had fallen under the train and gave the signal to pull out of the station in June 2003.
After years of legal wrangling, the local man finally won the right to sue Silverlink who operated the line at the time only for the train company to win their right to appeal. However, the judge did criticise Silverlink for failing to "measure up to the appropriate standard of care" holding them accountable for 50% of the incident.”
At the appeal hearing Silverlink’s lawyers argued the court’s ruling for compensation should be overturned.
However three senior judges upheld Mr Collins-Williamson’s right to a payout after stating that the train’s guard should have seen the victim’s drunken behaviour and stopped the train from moving.
August 11, 2009