Widower awarded compensation over text-drive death

A disabled pensioner who lost his wife in a tragic motoring accident has been awarded hundreds of thousands in compensation after it was revealed that motorist responsible was texting behind the wheel.

63-year-old Christine Lyon was walking along the pavement of her hometown of Reading in February 2010, when she was fatally pinned against a wall by an 18-year-old driver. The driver later named as Keisha Wall, lost control of her vehicle, mounting the kerb and striking Mrs Lyon down.

Miss Wall had passed her driving test only months before and was reading a text from a friend when the incident occurred. Astonishingly, though, her mother, a qualified driving instructor, was sitting alongside the then teenager in the passenger seat during the accident.

Keisha was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving at Reading Crown Court in March last year, and was sentenced to 30 months in a young offender institution. But Mrs Lyon’s husband John, who relied on his wife of over 40 years as a carer and breadwinner, sought further justice.

After consulting with legal experts, Mr Lyon sued Keisha’s motor insurers, seeking compensation for his lost dependency on his wife, funeral expenses and bereavement. And this month his barrister revealed a sizeable compensation settlement had been agreed between both parties.

The size of the payout has been kept confidential but lawyers confirmed that it is a six-figure sum.

“Mr Lyon is very grateful that this case is now over. It was a very tragic accident,” said Mr Lyon’s solicitor. “It is appalling that people are still texting and driving and putting people’s lives at risk on a daily basis. It’s about time the police clamped down on it.”

This entry was posted on Thursday 5th July, 2012. Edit this entry.