27/01/2011 - Lorry death family awarded £178,357
A family has been awarded £178,357 in damages after an LGV driving instructor was killed by a moving lorry.
Alan Underwood, 48, was killed in the accident at the A5 Truck Stop at Crick, near Northampton, in March 2008, judge Sir Christopher Holland heard at the High Court in London.
He was working for Auto Search (Essex) Ltd, trading as Sterling Training Service, of Basildon, when the accident took place. He was teaching Corinne Radburn how to safely complete an emergency stop from travelling at 20mph when the lorry failed to brake and he could not get out of its path.
The judge said that Mr Underwood was a conscientious man who had misplaced faith in the driver. He was taking a risk letting someone drive towards him as he checked whether the 18-ton vehicles deviated when it braked.
Bruce Gardiner - counsel for the Underwood family - said that the full value of the damages would have been £250,000 but it had been agreed to reduce it by 30% to reflect contributory negligence.
The judge approved sums of £150,357 to Mrs Underwood, of Clinton Road, Far Cotton, Northamptonshire, and £10,500 and £17,500 for Alan and Reann respectively.
Copyright © Press Association 2011
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