DAMAGES AWARDED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 May 1939, Page 6

DAMAGES AWARDED

CLAIM BV MOTOR-CYCLIST AGAINST DRIVER OF CAR. ACCIDENT IN BULLER GORGE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) ’ CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A claim for £5OOO general and £122 15s special damages was brought in the Supreme Court yesterday by Peter Brooky, a cabinetmaker, of Wellington, aged 24, against Frederick George Lynch, hotel-keeper, of Reef ton, for injuries received in a collision between his motor cycle and Lynch’s car, on the Buller Gorge Road between Inangahua Junction and Westport at about 7.45 p.m. on December 27. The case was heard by Mr Justice Northcroit and a full jury.

yvhen the accident occurred, said Brooky ip his statement of claim, he was riding from Nelson to Westport, and met Lynch’s car coming in the opposite direction. He claimed that the collision was due to negligence or recklessness on the part of" Lynch, hi failing to drive on his correct side of the road, in failing to keep as close as practicable on the left side of the road, in failing to keep a proper or adequate look-out, in driving at a speed which was in the circumstances too fast, and in failing to have his car under proper control. As a result of the accident, said Brooky, he suffered severe injuries, necessitating the amputation of his right arm. He was now fully incapacitated and would remain so for an indefinite time.

Holding defendant guilty of negligent driving and plaintiff not guilty of contributory negligence, a Supreme Court jury today awarded £2500 general and £IQ7 • special damages to Brooky: The jury added a rider that legislation should be enacted similar to the Workers’ Compensation Act as a- guide to the assessment "of the various types of injury arising from traffic accidents. :