Case study: personal injury claim after Salisbury train crash

Our personal injury solicitors recently helped a man claim compensation for a physical and psychological injury after he was involved in a high-speed train crash in Salisbury.

Physical and psychological injury after high-speed impact

In October 2021, our client, Mr P, was on a train that was travelling between Southampton and Bristol Temple Meads. He was sitting at the back of the carriage when the train collided with a second train at approximately 86 mph and he was suddenly thrown forwards as the result of the impact.

The collision, which was reportedly the worst between two moving trains in the UK in 20 years, left 13 passengers hurt and the train driver with life-changing injuries. Mr P sustained a soft tissue injury to his back and was left in fear of future travel as a result of the accident.

Submitting a personal injury claim

Our personal injury lawyers submitted a claim on Mr P’s behalf to Network Rail’s insurers and were subsequently contacted by their solicitors who confirmed that, although the train crash remained under investigation, they were coordinating passenger claims on a without prejudice basis.

As part of the claim, we instructed a GP to prepare a report on Mr P’s injuries, which concluded that his back injury and psychological injury should resolve within seven months of the accident. As a result, the claim was placed on hold until this time had passed.

After seven months, our client confirmed that he had recovered from his back injury and fear of travel, and our solicitors looked to value the claim.

Settlement offer of £4,000

As Mr P had not sustained any financial losses because of the accident, our personal injury solicitors valued the claim at between £2,500 and £4,000. We submitted a settlement offer of £4,000 to Network Rail, which was agreed. The claim settled within seven months of the train crash.

Further information

If you have suffered as a result of an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be eligible to claim compensation. Our personal injury solicitors help those involved in accidents to get the support they need to be able to move forward. Whether you were injured on public transport, in a cycling accident or in the workplace, we are here to help.

For an initial, no-obligation chat, call our personal injury lawyers on 0117 325 2929 or fill out our online enquiry form.