Shropshire Star

Seriously injured driver relives death crash horror

A man from the Shropshire border who was seriously injured when a driver crashed into his car after falling asleep at the wheel on a French motorway has spoken out about the tragedy which killed his friend.

Published

Christopher Pickard, 53, from Llangynog, near Oswestry, was driving along the A85 motorway near Thiais in France with friend and colleague Paul Marshall after completing their work at a winery in France in August 2012.

He realised he had a loose wheel on the trailer he was towing and pulled on to the hard shoulder. Soon after the tyre was fixed a car crashed into Mr Pickard's vehicle and trailer and a recovery van, catapulting him on to the main carriageway.

Mr Marshall was pushed beneath the trailer and died at the scene.

Mr Pickard was rushed to Henri Mondor Hospital in Créteil with a fractured ankle and knee, bruising on his collarbone and ribs, severe whiplash and damage to his spine.

He spent six days in hospital and could not work for many months.

The French driver of the car, who had fallen asleep at the wheel, was charged with manslaughter and causing unintentional injuries with the use of a motor vehicle as well as driving without insurance. She was sentenced to two years imprisonment, which was suspended, and a one-year driving ban.

Engineer and company boss Mr Pickard instructed international personal injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the accident and to pursue the case against the Motor Insurers Bureau as the accident happened in Europe and the French driver was uninsured.

Following a trial at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Mr Justice Dingemans QC determined that the MIB is liable to compensate him.

Mr Pickard said: "The accident itself happened in the blink of an eye. Everything went black, I remember opening my eyes and I was on the carriageway with the most unimaginable pain in my leg and whole body.

"The accident has had a very traumatic impact on my life and it is something that will never leave me as long as I live. Losing Paul was absolutely devastating and the whole ordeal is still fresh in my mind years later.

"I had a total of seven-and-a-half months off work and I am still undergoing physiotherapy. I am haunted by the image of Paul lying underneath the trailer and I suffer regular flashbacks and nightmares about the crash.

"I am relieved that with the help of my legal team at Irwin Mitchell that the MIB has been found liable for the incident after years of them denying responsibility and adding to mine and Paul's family's pain and suffering."

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