Taylor wins £60,000
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• A lorry driver who was pinned against the steering wheel when his 12m load broke loose and crashed through the back of his cab has been awarded i.!60,000 damages in the High Court.
Brian Taylor, 43, lost consciousness and suffered contusions of the chest and fractured vertebrae, the court heard. He now walks with a stick and is unable to do home-decorating or pursue his hobby of sea fishing.
Taylor, married with three children, of Southend-on-Sea, is seeking damages against employers Brain Haulage and co-defendants PEL Agencies and Groupex Transport Internationale, involved in the loading of the vehicle.
Taylor sued for 221,400 special damages and loss of earnings, £8,215 a year for future loss of earnings and .2500 a year to cover gardening and decorating expenses.
The 260,000 settlement was made over the lunch adjournment on the first day of the hearing with the consent of the judge.
The accident happened in April 1982, at the haulage company's yard at Magnet Road, West Thurrock, Essex.
John Reddihough, representing Taylor, told the court: "He worked for the company for 13 years and was a very experienced lorry driver.
"He enjoyed his job very much and derived satisfaction from it and must have been a valued employee.
"Taylor was told to pick up the trailer with the container on it but as he turned to the right in the yard the container broke free and crashed partly into the back of the driver's cab."
Reddihough added that Taylor was in hospital for one month and since then had traction, pain-killers and injections to try to lessen the pain.
He is now registered disabled and has been unemployed since the accident.
Defendants Brain Haulage, PEI, Agencies of Stanley Road, Stratford, E15, and Groupex Transport of Warton Road, Stratford, all formally denied negligence.