A family have been awarded £270,000 compensation after the death of a loved one in a motorbike accident.
Paul Bellingham died in July 2008 after he was knocked off his motorbike while on holiday in Scotland. Paul and his brother Mark were heading to a motorcycle rally. A vehicle being driven by James Todd was travelling in front of Paul. Todd braked hard to avoid a vehicle in front of him and in order to avoid hitting his van, Paul swerved, which led to a head on collision with an oncoming vehicle.
Paul’s family claimed that Todd carried out the emergency braking without adequate justification but accepted that Paul was driving too close to the rear of Todd’s van.
Lord Woolman at the Court of Session found that Paul Bellingham was 80 per cent to blame for the accident and James Todd was 20 per cent to blame. Paul’s family were awarded a total of £270,000.
